2026 Best Criminal Justice & Police Science Schools in California
Criminal Justice & Police Science degree programs prepare students for a range of careers in the field. The schools below stand out for the quality of their criminal justice & police science programs.
For its 2026 ranking, College Factual looked at 97 schools in the United States to determine which ones were the best for criminal justice & police science students pursuing a degree.
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Best Schools for Criminal Justice & Police Science in California
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest overall criminal justice & police science education in California.
Top Schools in Criminal Justice & Police Science
Santa Rosa Junior College tops our 2026 ranking of the best criminal justice & police science schools. Santa Rosa Junior College is a very large public school located in the city of Santa Rosa. Santa Rosa Junior College awarded about 112 criminal justice & police science degrees in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, criminal justice & police science degree recipients from Santa Rosa Junior College generally make around $111,649. Students borrow a median of $14,125 to complete this degree.
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A rank of #2 makes Butte College one of the top schools for criminal justice & police science. Set in the rural area of Oroville, Butte College is a large public institution. Butte College awarded about 126 criminal justice & police science degrees in the most recent data year. Students who receive their criminal justice & police science degree from Butte College earn around $73,170 in the first couple years of their career. Butte College graduates carry a median of $15,414 in student loans.
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Students looking for a strong criminal justice & police science program will find one at Chabot College, which ranked #3. Chabot College is a large public school located in the suburb of Hayward. About 34 criminal justice & police science degrees were awarded at Chabot College in the most recent year. Students who receive their criminal justice & police science degree from Chabot College earn around $85,175 in the first couple years of their career. Typical student debt for the program is $14,122.
See the full criminal justice & police science program report for Chabot College
Modesto Junior College is one of the finest schools in the country for a degree in criminal justice & police science, ranking #4. This very large public university is located in the city of Modesto. There were roughly 22 criminal justice & police science students who graduated with this degree at Modesto Junior College in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, criminal justice & police science degree recipients from Modesto Junior College generally make around $28,102. Typical student debt for the program is $8,575.
See the full criminal justice & police science program report for Modesto Junior College
Students looking for a strong criminal justice & police science program will find one at Rio Hondo College, which ranked #5. Located in the rural area of Whittier, Rio Hondo College is a very large public university. There were roughly 83 criminal justice & police science students who graduated with this degree at Rio Hondo College in the most recent data year. Students who receive their criminal justice & police science degree from Rio Hondo College earn around $95,666 in the first couple years of their career. Typical student debt for the program is $15,510.
See the full criminal justice & police science program report for Rio Hondo College
Southwestern College Chula Vista ranked #6 on our 2026 list of the best criminal justice & police science schools. Set in the city of Chula Vista, Southwestern College Chula Vista is a very large public institution. There were roughly 25 criminal justice & police science students who graduated with this degree at Southwestern College Chula Vista in the most recent data year. Graduates of the criminal justice & police science program make about $30,983 in their early career. Students borrow a median of $11,205 to complete this degree.
More information about a degree in criminal justice & police science from Southwestern College Chula Vista
College Of The Desert landed the #7 spot for criminal justice & police science this year. Located in the city of Palm Desert, College Of The Desert is a large public university. College Of The Desert awarded about 26 criminal justice & police science degrees in the most recent data year. Graduates of the criminal justice & police science program make about $32,482 in their early career. Students borrow a median of $7,826 to complete this degree.
More information about a degree in criminal justice & police science from College Of The Desert
Yuba College earned the #8 position for criminal justice & police science this year. Yuba College is a moderately-sized public school located in the suburb of Marysville. About 50 criminal justice & police science degrees were awarded at Yuba College in the most recent year. Soon after graduation, criminal justice & police science degree recipients from Yuba College generally make around $62,350. Students borrow a median of $8,729 to complete this degree.
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East Los Angeles College came in at #9 for criminal justice & police science this year. This very large public university is located in the suburb of Monterey Park. East Los Angeles College awarded about 290 criminal justice & police science degrees in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, criminal justice & police science degree recipients from East Los Angeles College generally make around $33,595. Typical student debt for the program is $8,180.
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Moreno Valley College landed the #10 spot for criminal justice & police science this year. Set in the suburb of Moreno Valley, Moreno Valley College is a large public institution. Moreno Valley College awarded about 130 criminal justice & police science degrees in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, criminal justice & police science degree recipients from Moreno Valley College generally make around $81,339. Moreno Valley College graduates carry a median of $12,643 in student loans.
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Fresno City College ranked #11 on our 2026 list of the best criminal justice & police science schools. Fresno City College is a very large public school located in the city of Fresno. About 27 criminal justice & police science degrees were awarded at Fresno City College in the most recent year. Graduates of the criminal justice & police science program make about $32,658 in their early career. Typical student debt for the program is $6,187.
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Gavilan College came in at #12 for criminal justice & police science this year. This moderately-sized public university is located in the rural area of Gilroy. Gavilan College awarded about 43 criminal justice & police science degrees in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, criminal justice & police science degree recipients from Gavilan College generally make around $28,496. Students borrow a median of $5,939 to complete this degree.
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Chaffey College came in at #13 for criminal justice & police science this year. Located in the suburb of Rancho Cucamonga, Chaffey College is a very large public university. There were roughly 116 criminal justice & police science students who graduated with this degree at Chaffey College in the most recent data year. Students who receive their criminal justice & police science degree from Chaffey College earn around $23,532 in the first couple years of their career. Chaffey College graduates carry a median of $6,952 in student loans.
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Golden West College came in at #14 for criminal justice & police science this year. This large public university is located in the suburb of Huntington Beach. About 62 criminal justice & police science degrees were awarded at Golden West College in the most recent year. Soon after graduation, criminal justice & police science degree recipients from Golden West College generally make around $82,984. Golden West College graduates carry a median of $21,500 in student loans.
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Santa Ana College ranked #15 on our 2026 list of the best criminal justice & police science schools. Santa Ana College is a very large public school located in the city of Santa Ana. Santa Ana College awarded about 813 criminal justice & police science degrees in the most recent data year. Students who receive their criminal justice & police science degree from Santa Ana College earn around $39,633 in the first couple years of their career. Typical student debt for the program is $11,196.
More information about a degree in criminal justice & police science from Santa Ana College
Palomar College landed the #16 spot for criminal justice & police science this year. Set in the suburb of San Marcos, Palomar College is a very large public institution. There were roughly 10 criminal justice & police science students who graduated with this degree at Palomar College in the most recent data year.
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Los Medanos College landed the #17 spot for criminal justice & police science this year. Located in the suburb of Pittsburg, Los Medanos College is a large public university. About 74 criminal justice & police science degrees were awarded at Los Medanos College in the most recent year. Criminal Justice & Police Science graduates of Los Medanos College earn a median of $32,581 early in their careers. Typical student debt for the program is $9,500.
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Ventura College landed the #18 spot for criminal justice & police science this year. This large public university is located in the city of Ventura. There were roughly 21 criminal justice & police science students who graduated with this degree at Ventura College in the most recent data year. Graduates of the criminal justice & police science program make about $99,778 in their early career. Ventura College graduates carry a median of $20,250 in student loans.
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San Joaquin Delta College placed #19 among the best criminal justice & police science schools. San Joaquin Delta College is a very large public school located in the city of Stockton. There were roughly 14 criminal justice & police science students who graduated with this degree at San Joaquin Delta College in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, criminal justice & police science degree recipients from San Joaquin Delta College generally make around $65,168. San Joaquin Delta College graduates carry a median of $6,382 in student loans.
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College Of The Sequoias landed the #20 spot for criminal justice & police science this year. Located in the city of Visalia, College Of The Sequoias is a large public university. About 47 criminal justice & police science degrees were awarded at College Of The Sequoias in the most recent year. Students who receive their criminal justice & police science degree from College Of The Sequoias earn around $28,851 in the first couple years of their career. College Of The Sequoias graduates carry a median of $10,288 in student loans.
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Allan Hancock College placed #21 among the best criminal justice & police science schools. This large public university is located in the city of Santa Maria. About 60 criminal justice & police science degrees were awarded at Allan Hancock College in the most recent year.
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San Bernardino Valley College landed the #22 spot for criminal justice & police science this year. This large public university is located in the city of San Bernardino. San Bernardino Valley College awarded about 312 criminal justice & police science degrees in the most recent data year. Graduates of the criminal justice & police science program make about $94,285 in their early career. Students borrow a median of $19,500 to complete this degree.
Read more about the criminal justice & police science program at San Bernardino Valley College
Imperial Valley College earned the #23 position for criminal justice & police science this year. Located in the rural area of Imperial, Imperial Valley College is a large public university. There were roughly 35 criminal justice & police science students who graduated with this degree at Imperial Valley College in the most recent data year. Graduates of the criminal justice & police science program make about $27,313 in their early career. Imperial Valley College graduates carry a median of $6,176 in student loans.
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Porterville College earned the #24 position for criminal justice & police science this year. Located in the suburb of Porterville, Porterville College is a moderately-sized public university. Porterville College awarded about 33 criminal justice & police science degrees in the most recent data year.
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College Of The Redwoods ranked #25 on our 2026 list of the best criminal justice & police science schools. College Of The Redwoods is a moderately-sized public school located in the rural area of Eureka. About 18 criminal justice & police science degrees were awarded at College Of The Redwoods in the most recent year. Graduates of the criminal justice & police science program make about $98,703 in their early career. Typical student debt for the program is $20,000.
More information about a degree in criminal justice & police science from College Of The Redwoods
Rest of the Top 26 Criminal Justice & Police Science Schools
These schools also placed among the best for criminal justice & police science this year:
More Criminal Justice & Police Science Rankings
View All Criminal Justice & Police Science Rankings >
Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on a blend of student outcomes (graduation rate, post-graduation earnings), affordability, and program focus, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 97 schools evaluated.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
