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2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k

26 Ranked Colleges
4,874 Degrees Awarded
$11,500 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor's in California For Those Making $0-$30k

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking - to help you make that decision.

In 2019-2020, 113,581 criminal justice and corrections students received their degree, making the major the 6th most popular in the country. In 2017-2018, criminal justice and corrections graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $31,952 and had an average of $24,936 in loans still to pay off.

Across California, there were 16,534 criminal justice and corrections graduates with average earnings and debt of $28,495 and $19,443 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 4,874 criminal justice and corrections graduates with average earnings and debt of $37,907 and $21,546 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking, we looked at 26 colleges that offer a degree in criminal justice and corrections. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great criminal justice and corrections programs and cost less that schools of similar quality.

To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as the cost to attend the school after aid is awarded and overall quality of the criminal justice and corrections program at the school. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

In addition to College Factual’s rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k

The colleges and universities below are the best for california bachelor’s degree criminal justice students whose families make $0-$30k.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Criminal Justice & Corrections (Income $0-$30k) in California

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend California State University - Los Angeles. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k. Los Angeles, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s criminal justice degrees to 307 students in 2019-2020.

Cal State LA not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #8 on our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend Cal State LA is $1,379 for california bachelor’s degree criminal justice students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low student loan default rate of 1.4% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full Cal State LA Criminal Justice & Corrections Report

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend California State University - Fullerton. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k. California State University - Fullerton is a public institution located in Fullerton, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 334 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Cal State Fullerton also took the #6 spot in our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Cal State Fullerton is $4,291 for california bachelor’s degree criminal justice students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%.

Read more about Criminal Justice & Corrections at Cal State Fullerton

Out of the 26 schools in the Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, California State University - Dominguez Hills landed the #3 spot on the list. Carson, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s criminal justice degrees to 203 students in 2019-2020.

CSUDH also took the #16 spot in our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $2,455 for California Bachelor’s Degree Criminal Justice students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend California State University - Dominguez Hills.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Criminal Justice & Corrections at California State University - Dominguez Hills

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend California State University - Stanislaus. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k. Turlock, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s criminal justice degrees to 223 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Stan State, the school also landed the #15 spot in our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $3,410 for California Bachelor’s Degree Criminal Justice students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend California State University - Stanislaus.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low student loan default rate of 4.3% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full Stan State Criminal Justice & Corrections Report

#5

San Diego State University

San Diego, California

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend San Diego State University. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k. SDSU is a large public school situated in San Diego, California. It awarded 317 bachelors’s criminal justice degrees in 2019-2020.

SDSU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #3 on our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for San Diego State University is $8,870 for california bachelor’s degree criminal justice students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about Criminal Justice & Corrections at SDSU

California State University - San Bernardino came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in San Bernardino, California, this fairly large public school awarded 294 degrees to qualified bachelors’s criminal justice students in 2019-2020.

CSUSB also made our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #14. The yearly cost to attend CSUSB is $5,077 for California Bachelor’s Degree Criminal Justice students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about Criminal Justice & Corrections at California State University - San Bernardino

California State University - Long Beach came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. CSULB is a public institution located in Long Beach, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 208 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

CSULB not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #11 on our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for CSULB is $6,364 for california bachelor’s degree criminal justice students whose families make $0-$30k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Criminal Justice & Corrections at CSULB

California State University - Sacramento ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. This large school is located in Sacramento, California, and it awarded 494 bachelors’s criminal justice degrees in 2019-2020.

Sac State also made our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #5. The yearly cost to attend California State University - Sacramento is $6,819 for california bachelor’s degree criminal justice students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Criminal Justice & Corrections at Sac State

California State University - Bakersfield landed the #9 spot on the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Bakersfield, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s criminal justice degrees to 159 students in 2019-2020.

CSUB also took the #19 spot in our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend California State University - Bakersfield is $3,423 for california bachelor’s degree criminal justice students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Criminal Justice & Corrections at California State University - Bakersfield

California State University - East Bay came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Hayward, California, this fairly large public school handed out 204 degrees to qualified bachelors’s criminal justice students in 2019-2020.

Cal State East Bay also made our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #10. The yearly cost to attend Cal State East Bay is $8,036 for california bachelor’s degree criminal justice students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Criminal Justice & Corrections at Cal State East Bay

#11

San Francisco State University

San Francisco, California

With a ranking of #11, San Francisco State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. San Francisco State University is located in San Francisco, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 253 bachelors’s criminal justice degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at SFSU, the school also landed the #9 spot in our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $11,123 for California Bachelor’s Degree Criminal Justice students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend SFSU.

Read full report on Criminal Justice & Corrections at SFSU

#12

University of Phoenix - California

Costa Mesa, California

University of Phoenix - California came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. University of Phoenix - California is a private for-profit institution located in Costa Mesa, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 123 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree criminal justice students whose families make $0-$30k list, UOPX - California has also earned the #4 rank in our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $12,680 for california bachelor’s degree criminal justice students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend UOPX - California.

Read full report on Criminal Justice & Corrections at University of Phoenix - California

#13

San Jose State University

San Jose, California

With a ranking of #13, San Jose State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. San Jose State University is a large public school situated in San Jose, California. It awarded 174 bachelors’s criminal justice degrees in 2019-2020.

San Jose State also made our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #7. It costs about $10,940 for California Bachelor’s Degree Criminal Justice students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend San Jose State University.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Criminal Justice & Corrections at San Jose State University

California State University - Chico landed the #14 spot on the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Chico State is a public institution located in Chico, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 173 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Chico State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #12 on our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend Chico State is $10,260 for california bachelor’s degree criminal justice students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Criminal Justice & Corrections at Chico State

#15

Sonoma State University

Rohnert Park, California

Sonoma State University came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. SSU is a public institution located in Rohnert Park, California. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 85 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at SSU, the school also landed the #13 spot in our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $12,263 for California Bachelor’s Degree Criminal Justice students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend SSU.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Criminal Justice & Corrections at Sonoma State University

Humphreys University - Stockton and Modesto Campuses did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #16. Humphreys University - Stockton and Modesto Campuses is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Stockton, California. It awarded 10 bachelors’s criminal justice degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Humphreys University, the school also landed the #22 spot in our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Humphreys University is $9,334 for california bachelor’s degree criminal justice students whose families make $0-$30k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 100%.

Full Humphreys University - Stockton and Modesto Campuses Criminal Justice & Corrections Report

#17

National University

La Jolla, California

With a ranking of #17, National University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. La Jolla, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s criminal justice degrees to 105 students in 2019-2020.

National University did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #2 on our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list.

The low student loan default rate of 4.5% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on Criminal Justice & Corrections at National University

The University of Arizona Global Campus ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. UAGC is a private for-profit institution located in San Diego, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 483 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UAGC, the school also landed the #1 spot in our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend The University of Arizona Global Campus is $20,283 for California Bachelor’s Degree Criminal Justice students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Criminal Justice & Corrections at The University of Arizona Global Campus

#19

La Sierra University

Riverside, California

With a ranking of #19, La Sierra University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. La Sierra is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Riverside, California. It awarded 49 bachelors’s criminal justice degrees in 2019-2020.

La Sierra also made our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #20. It costs about $21,644 for california bachelor’s degree criminal justice students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend La Sierra University.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Criminal Justice & Corrections at La Sierra University

#20

California Baptist University

Riverside, California

With a ranking of #20, California Baptist University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. California Baptist University is located in Riverside, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 62 bachelors’s criminal justice degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree criminal justice students whose families make $0-$30k list, Cal Baptist has also earned the #18 rank in our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $20,277 for california bachelor’s degree criminal justice students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Cal Baptist.

The low student loan default rate of 4.6% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full Cal Baptist Criminal Justice & Corrections Report

#21

University of Antelope Valley

Lancaster, California

University of Antelope Valley ranked #21 on this year’s Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. University of Antelope Valley is a small school located in Lancaster, California that handed out 18 bachelors’s criminal justice degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree criminal justice students whose families make $0-$30k list, UAV has also earned the #21 rank in our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Criminal Justice & Corrections at University of Antelope Valley

#22

DeVry University - California

Pomona, California

With a ranking of #22, DeVry University - California did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. Pomona, California is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private for-profit school handed out bachelors’s criminal justice degrees to 14 students in 2019-2020.

DeVry University - California also took the #17 spot in our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for DeVry University - California is $25,974 for california bachelor’s degree criminal justice students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Criminal Justice & Corrections at DeVry University - California

Santa Barbara Business College - Bakersfield landed the #23 spot on the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This small school is located in Bakersfield, California, and it awarded 11 bachelors’s criminal justice degrees in 2019-2020.

Santa Barbara Business College - Bakersfield not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #24 on our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for Santa Barbara Business College - Bakersfield is $14,774 for California Bachelor’s Degree Criminal Justice students whose families make $0-$30k.

Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read more about Criminal Justice & Corrections at Santa Barbara Business College - Bakersfield

#24

Platt College - Ontario

Ontario, California
#23 in overall quality

Platt College - Ontario landed the #24 spot on the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Ontario, California is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private for-profit school handed out bachelors’s criminal justice degrees to 12 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree criminal justice students whose families make $0-$30k list, Platt College - Ontario has also earned the #23 rank in our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $22,554 for California Bachelor’s Degree Criminal Justice students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Platt College - Ontario.

Read more about Criminal Justice & Corrections at Platt College - Ontario

#25

Platt College - Los Angeles

Alhambra, California
#25 in overall quality

Platt College - Los Angeles landed the #25 spot on the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Alhambra, California, this small private for-profit school handed out 5 degrees to qualified bachelors’s criminal justice students in 2019-2020.

Platt College - Los Angeles not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #25 on our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for Platt College - Los Angeles is $22,241 for California Bachelor’s Degree Criminal Justice students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full Platt College - Los Angeles Criminal Justice & Corrections Report

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Notes and References

References

  • 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).
  • Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

  • *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
  • Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.

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