California · Criminal Justice and Corrections

Best Criminal Justice and Corrections institutions in California, ranked by earnings

The Criminal Justice and Corrections program focuses on the various functions carried out by government agencies related to the punishment, treatment, and supervision of individuals convicted of crimes. This program is ideal for students…

Institutions
155
offering CIP 43.01
States offered
9
with a program page
Degrees / yr
14,820
IPEDS completions 2026
Median grad earnings
$62,350
1 year after graduation
With earnings data
58
College Scorecard
Median net price
$26,941
IPEDS 2026
Avg graduation rate
44%
IPEDS 2026
State pay · Correctional Officers and Jailers
$91,470
BLS OEWS 2024

Top 10 institutions, ranked by graduate earnings

Earnings = median 1 year after graduation (College Scorecard).

#InstitutionGrad earnings (1 yr)CompletionsGrad rateNet priceMedian debt
1Santa Rosa Junior College
Santa Rosa Public · Certificate degree
$111,64954037%$14,125
2San Bernardino Valley College
San Bernardino Public · Certificate degree
$94,28536328%$19,500
3Moreno Valley College
Moreno Valley Public · Certificate degree
$81,33933334%
4Butte College
Oroville Public · Certificate degree
$73,17020045%$15,414
5National University
San Diego Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$64,14314043%$31,817$28,014
6Yuba College
Marysville Public · Certificate degree
$62,3507440%
7University of Phoenix - California
Ontario Private for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$47,987522%$46,989
8Ashford University
San Diego Private for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$47,86939511%$26,445$37,625
9California State University - East Bay
Hayward Public · Bachelor's degree
$45,38711948%$15,500
10Point Loma Nazarene University
San Diego Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$45,0222477%$48,795$14,000

Career outlook

What this program leads to: Correctional Officers and Jailers (SOC 33-3012).

Projected growth (2024–2034)
-7.8%
Decline
Openings / yr (US)
~30,100
BLS Employment Projections
US median wage
$57,970
typically High school diploma or equivalent

Top skills

Active ListeningMonitoringSpeakingCritical ThinkingReading ComprehensionActive Learning

What Correctional Officers and Jailers earn in California

Jobs in California
37,760
BLS OEWS May 2024
State average pay
$91,470
median $95,840
Best-paying metro
$123,750
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA

Related careers

Security Guards
$45,970 avg · 185,510 jobs
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers
$111,630 avg · 65,170 jobs
Child, Family, and School Social Workers
$73,150 avg · 55,220 jobs
Compliance Officers
$98,970 avg · 47,420 jobs
Correctional Officers and Jailers
$91,470 avg · 37,760 jobs

Common questions

Answers for students comparing Criminal Justice and Corrections programs in California.

Which Criminal Justice and Corrections program in California has the highest-earning graduates?+

By median earnings one year after graduation (College Scorecard), Santa Rosa Junior College tops the list at $111,649. Compare it against completions, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.

How much do Correctional Officers and Jailers earn in California?+

The average annual wage for Correctional Officers and Jailers in California is $91,470 (median $95,840), across about 37,760 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2024.

What is the focus of the Criminal Justice and Corrections program?+

The Criminal Justice and Corrections program focuses on the various functions carried out by government agencies related to the punishment, treatment, and supervision of individuals convicted of crimes. This program is ideal for students…

What skills will I develop in this program?+

You will develop active listening, monitoring, speaking, critical thinking, and related professional skills.

What is the job outlook for Correctional Officers and Jailers?+

The national job outlook is about -7.8% growth with around 30,100 annual openings (BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034).

What is the typical education requirement?+

A High school diploma or equivalent is the typical entry-level education for this field (BLS).

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