Best colleges for Criminal Justice and Corrections in California
Ranked by graduate earnings
National University, California State University - East Bay and Point Loma Nazarene University are the top bachelor's Criminal Justice and Corrections programs in California by graduate earnings. National University leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $64,143, College Scorecard. East Los Angeles College, San Diego State University and Santa Ana College award the most Criminal Justice and Corrections degrees in California: 1,119, 547 and 497 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 147 California colleges offer Criminal Justice and Corrections and award 14,459 degrees and certificates a year in all.
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…
Top 10 bachelor's programs, ranked by graduate earnings
Ranked by median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard. Programs with fewer than 20 graduates a year, a graduation rate under 30%, or online, degree-completion or graduate-only status rank after the rest.
| # | Institution | Starting salary (1 yr) | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | National University San Diego Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $64,143 | 186 | 43% | $31,817 | $28,014 |
| 2 | California State University - East Bay Hayward Public · Bachelor's degree | $45,387 | 117 | 48% | — | $15,500 |
| 3 | Point Loma Nazarene University San Diego Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $45,022 | 23 | 77% | $48,795 | $14,000 |
| 4 | San Francisco State University San Francisco Public · Bachelor's degree | $42,211 | 170 | 50% | — | $13,518 |
| 5 | California State University - Sacramento Sacramento Public · Bachelor's degree | $38,606 | 473 | 56% | — | $13,745 |
| 6 | Sonoma State University Rohnert Park Public · Bachelor's degree | $38,444 | 51 | 58% | — | $20,000 |
| 7 | California State University - Dominguez Hills Carson Public · Bachelor's degree | $36,092 | 171 | 43% | — | $12,256 |
| 8 | California State University - Chico Chico Public · Bachelor's degree | $36,045 | 101 | 63% | — | $16,331 |
| 9 | California Baptist University Riverside Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $35,960 | 65 | 62% | $26,940 | $26,372 |
| 10 | California State University - San Bernardino San Bernardino Public · Bachelor's degree | $35,029 | 217 | 55% | — | $14,917 |
Top 10 certificate and associate programs
Shorter credentials, ranked separately so they are not compared with four-year degrees. Ranked by median earnings one year after completion (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
| # | Institution | Starting salary (1 yr) | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Santa Rosa Junior College Santa Rosa Public · Certificate | $111,649 | 560 | 37% | — | $14,125 |
| 2 | Moreno Valley College Moreno Valley Public · Certificate | $81,339 | 441 | 34% | — | — |
| 3 | Butte College Oroville Public · Certificate | $73,170 | 249 | 45% | — | $15,414 |
| 4 | Yuba College Marysville Public · Certificate | $62,350 | 57 | 40% | — | — |
| 5 | Hartnell College Salinas Public · Associate degree | $34,648 | 67 | 40% | — | — |
| 6 | Mt San Antonio College Walnut Public · Associate degree | $33,692 | 92 | 45% | — | — |
| 7 | College of the Desert Palm Desert Public · Associate degree | $32,482 | 62 | 31% | — | — |
| 8 | Mt San Jacinto Community College District San Jacinto Public · Associate degree | $31,764 | 104 | 36% | — | — |
| 9 | Victor Valley College Victorville Public · Associate degree | $31,600 | 74 | 62% | — | — |
| 10 | Sacramento City College Sacramento Public · Associate degree | $31,146 | 99 | 33% | — | $11,760 |
Colleges awarding the most Criminal Justice and Corrections degrees in California
Top 10 by graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25 completions). Certificate and associate programs, online, degree-completion and graduate-only schools, and schools with a graduation rate under 30% are listed in full below.
| # | Institution | Graduates / yr | Starting salary (1 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | East Los Angeles College Monterey Park Public | 1,119 | Not reported |
| 2 | San Diego State University San Diego Public | 547 | $33,261 |
| 3 | Santa Ana College Santa Ana Public | 497 | Not reported |
| 4 | California State University - Sacramento Sacramento Public | 473 | $38,606 |
| 5 | California State University - Los Angeles Los Angeles Public | 357 | $32,974 |
| 6 | California State University - Northridge Northridge Public | 337 | $34,870 |
| 7 | California State University - Long Beach Long Beach Public | 302 | $34,247 |
| 8 | California State University - Fullerton Fullerton Public | 298 | $34,570 |
| 9 | Ventura College Ventura Public | 245 | Not reported |
| 10 | San Jose State University San Jose Public | 218 | Not reported |
ShowHide the other 137 California colleges offering Criminal Justice and Corrections
Career outlook
What this program leads to: Correctional Officers and Jailers (SOC 33-3012).
Top skills
What Correctional Officers and Jailers earn in California
Related careers
Common questions
Answers for students comparing Criminal Justice and Corrections programs in California.
Which California colleges award the most Criminal Justice and Corrections degrees?+
East Los Angeles College (1,119 graduates a year), San Diego State University (547 graduates a year) and Santa Ana College (497 graduates a year) award the most Criminal Justice and Corrections degrees in California, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 147 California colleges offer Criminal Justice and Corrections.
What is the best college for Criminal Justice and Corrections in California?+
By graduate earnings, National University leads among bachelor's Criminal Justice and Corrections programs in California, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $64,143, College Scorecard. California State University - East Bay and Point Loma Nazarene University follow. By degrees awarded, East Los Angeles College is the largest, with 1,119 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).
Which Criminal Justice and Corrections program in California has the highest-earning graduates?+
By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, National University tops the list at $64,143. Compare it against graduates a year, 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 $92,410 (median $96,370), across about 37,860 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
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).
About the data on this page
Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.
Explore every U.S. college in one conversation
Clema turns plain-language questions into sourced answers across every U.S. institution — earnings, aid, acceptance, graduation, safety, and athletics from IPEDS, College Scorecard, and 10+ federal datasets, built in.
Free for teams up to 3 · No credit card