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Best Colleges for Criminal Justice in California

The best colleges for a Criminal Justice degree in California, led by San Diego State University, San Jose State University and California State University-Fullerton. Each school is shown with its acceptance rate, tuition, and average SAT so you can weigh Criminal Justice programs side by side.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best college for Criminal Justice in California?

Based on our rankings, San Diego State University is the top-ranked college for Criminal Justice in California. Other top choices include San Jose State University, California State University-Fullerton, California State University-Sacramento.

What are the best Criminal Justice schools?

The best Criminal Justice schools, based on program-specific federal data including median earnings and graduate counts, are San Diego State University, San Jose State University, California State University-Fullerton. Our rankings use College Scorecard field-of-study data rather than editorial opinion.

How much does it cost to study Criminal Justice?

The average out-of-state tuition among top Criminal Justice programs is approximately $21,833 per year. However, costs vary significantly — many schools offer generous financial aid packages that can reduce the effective cost.

How long does it take to get a Criminal Justice degree?

A bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice typically takes four years of full-time study. Some programs offer accelerated tracks or combined bachelor's-to-master's options that can extend or shorten the timeline.

How are these Criminal Justice rankings determined?

Our major rankings are independently calculated from U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard field-of-study (CIP) data — primarily median earnings 4 years after graduation and program scale (graduate count), with a 10+ annual graduates minimum per program. They are not derived from US News or any other publication.

Career outcomes for Criminal Justice graduates

Among the top 10 ranked Criminal Justice programs, the average early-career salary is approximately $64,821 per year. Below are the highest-paying Criminal Justice programs based on federal College Scorecard earnings data reported by graduates four years after completion.

  1. 1. San Diego State University — San Diego, CA · 36.2% acceptance · $21,328 tuition · 76% grad rate
  2. 2. San Jose State University — San Jose, CA · 84.6% acceptance · $21,010 tuition · 69% grad rate
  3. 3. California State University-Fullerton — Fullerton, CA · 90.5% acceptance · $20,070 tuition · 70% grad rate
  4. 4. California State University-Sacramento — Sacramento, CA · 94% acceptance · $20,618 tuition · 56% grad rate
  5. 5. California State University-Northridge — Northridge, CA · 93.5% acceptance · $20,058 tuition · 57% grad rate
  6. 6. California State University-Los Angeles — Los Angeles, CA · 91.3% acceptance · $19,760 tuition · 53% grad rate
  7. 7. San Francisco State University — San Francisco, CA · 96.4% acceptance · $20,550 tuition · 50% grad rate
  8. 8. California Baptist University — Riverside, CA · 84.9% acceptance · $41,228 tuition · 62% grad rate
  9. 9. California State University-Long Beach — Long Beach, CA · 46.3% acceptance · $19,950 tuition · 69% grad rate
  10. 10. California State University-Chico — Chico, CA · 92.7% acceptance · $21,072 tuition · 63% grad rate
  11. 11. California State University-East Bay — Hayward, CA · 97.4% acceptance · $20,183 tuition · 48% grad rate
  12. 12. Sonoma State University — Rohnert Park, CA · 93.4% acceptance · $21,224 tuition · 58% grad rate
  13. 13. California State University-San Bernardino — San Bernardino, CA · 93.7% acceptance · $20,693 tuition · 55% grad rate
  14. 14. California State University-Bakersfield — Bakersfield, CA · 93.9% acceptance · $20,690 tuition · 50% grad rate
  15. 15. California State University-Stanislaus — Turlock, CA · 98.1% acceptance · $20,846 tuition · 53% grad rate
  16. 16. California State University-Dominguez Hills — Carson, CA · 93.3% acceptance · $20,049 tuition · 43% grad rate

Best Colleges for Criminal Justice in California on PickACampus