Best Military-Friendly Online Colleges Near Soledad, CA

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Key takeaway: 10 accredited institutions within 100 miles of Soledad offer fully online programs and report both credit for military training and a dedicated point of contact for veterans, servicemembers, and their families (IPEDS IC 2024); 8 report all four services the federal survey tracks. The nearest installation recorded by the Census Bureau is Naval Support Detachment Monterey Navy School Annex, about 30 miles away, and 8 installations sit within 100 miles (1 Army, 3 Navy, 1 Coast Guard, 3 Other). 1 of the 10 schools has a campus within 30 miles; the closest is California State University-Monterey Bay in Seaside, CA, about 29 miles from city center. The highest-ranked by BOC Score is Palo Alto University. Soledad has a population of about 24,476 and a median household income of $93,204; 6.9 percent of adults hold a bachelor’s degree or higher (Census ACS 5-year estimates).

Military-friendly online colleges near Soledad

Schools based in California that report credit for military training and a dedicated military contact, ordered by distance from Soledad city center, with BOC Score on each card. The tags on each card are the school’s own IPEDS answers for the four military services. The distance table further down covers the nearest qualifying schools regardless of state line.

How We Rank Schools

Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS). To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked against schools at the same credential level:

  • Graduation rate 30%
  • Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
  • Average net price (lower is better) 20%
  • Retention rate 15%
  • Fully online availability 10%

Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. On this page, schools are ordered by distance from Soledad. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

Ranked by BOC Score β€” U.S. Dept. of Education outcome data. Advertising never affects rankings.

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#1

California State University-Monterey Bay

Seaside, CA 29.0 miles from Soledad
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
  • Credit for military training
  • Dedicated military contact
  • DoD MOU member
75.7 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 97%
Graduation rate 61%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $59,247
Avg net price $13,663/yr
Tuition
In‑state$7,779
Out‑of‑state$20,379
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 80%
  • Programs offered: 33

Source:Accreditor: Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Naval Postgraduate School

Monterey, CA 31.3 miles from Soledad
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Credit for military training
  • Dedicated military contact
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 47

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

San Jose State University

San Jose, CA 68.5 miles from Soledad
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Credit for military training
  • Dedicated military contact
  • DoD MOU member
  • Student veteran org
86.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 78%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $78,988
Avg net price $13,760/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 87%
  • Programs offered: 118

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Gurnick Academy of Medical Arts

San Jose, CA 71.0 miles from Soledad
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
  • Credit for military training
  • Dedicated military contact
57.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 67%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $66,844
Avg net price $32,427/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 67%
  • Programs offered: 10

Source:Accreditor: Accrediting Bureau of Health Education SchoolsIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

University of Silicon Valley

San Jose, CA 74.7 miles from Soledad
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Credit for military training
  • Dedicated military contact
  • DoD MOU member
36.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 50%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $51,017
Avg net price $27,815/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 64%
  • Programs offered: 7

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Foothill College

Los Altos Hills, CA 76.8 miles from Soledad
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Credit for military training
  • Dedicated military contact
  • DoD MOU member
  • Student veteran org
61.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 25%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $57,072
Avg net price $7,653/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 69

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#7

California State University-Stanislaus

Turlock, CA 79.5 miles from Soledad
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Credit for military training
  • Dedicated military contact
  • DoD MOU member
  • Student veteran org
80.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 70%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $63,188
Avg net price $6,067/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 81%
  • Programs offered: 48

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Palo Alto University

Palo Alto, CA 79.9 miles from Soledad
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Credit for military training
  • Dedicated military contact
  • DoD MOU member
  • Student veteran org
92.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 82%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $83,187
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 4

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#9

Unitek College

Fremont, CA 81.2 miles from Soledad
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
  • Credit for military training
  • Dedicated military contact
  • Student veteran org
71.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 71%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $79,550
Avg net price $25,179/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 88%
  • Programs offered: 6

Source:Accreditor: Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#10

Modesto Junior College

Modesto, CA 85.4 miles from Soledad
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Credit for military training
  • Dedicated military contact
  • Student veteran org
64.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 28%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $42,368
Avg net price $2,818/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 71%
  • Programs offered: 92

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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Nearest qualifying schools within 100 miles (any state)

SchoolLocationCredit for military trainingDedicated military contactDoD MOU memberStudent veteran orgBOC ScoreDistance
Palo Alto UniversityPalo Alto, CAYesYesYesYes92.280 mi
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis ObispoSan Luis Obispo, CAYesYesYesYes89.288 mi
San Jose State UniversitySan Jose, CAYesYesYesYes86.368 mi
De Anza CollegeCupertino, CAYesYesYesYes80.872 mi
California State University-StanislausTurlock, CAYesYesYesYes80.680 mi
California State University-East BayHayward, CAYesYesYesYes79.293 mi
California State University-FresnoFresno, CAYesYesYesYes78.592 mi
College of San MateoSan Mateo, CAYesYesYesYes75.893 mi
California State University-Monterey BaySeaside, CAYesYesYesNo75.729 mi
Unitek CollegeFremont, CAYesYesNoYes71.681 mi

California has 146 military-friendly online colleges by this definition; the California page lists them all.

Military installations near Soledad

Installation (as recorded by the Census Bureau)Branch (from the name)Distance from Soledad
Naval Support Detachment Monterey Navy School AnnexNavy30 mi
Naval Post-Graduate School (Monterey)Navy31 mi
Coast Guard Station MontereyCoast Guard33 mi
Presidio of MontereyOther33 mi
Fort Hunter LiggettArmy34 mi
Maneuver Training Center-Heavy Camp RobertsOther56 mi
Navpmossp Mountain ViewOther77 mi
Naval Air Station LemooreNavy79 mi

Common post-service careers near Soledad

Median wages for occupations that veterans commonly move into after an online degree (Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025 OEWS), shown for the Salinas, CA metro area where BLS publishes it.

OccupationMedian annual wageScopeCost-of-living adjusted (US=100)
Information Security Analysts$138,570CA statewide$127,128
Logisticians$82,820Salinas, CA metro$75,982
Emergency Management Directors$129,910CA statewide$119,183
Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officers$118,220Salinas, CA metro$108,459
Medical and Health Services Managers$140,610Salinas, CA metro$129,000
Project Management Specialists$102,400Salinas, CA metro$93,945
Network and Computer Systems Administrators$98,340Salinas, CA metro$90,220
Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers$110,050Salinas, CA metro$100,963

BLS publishes wages for metro areas and states, not individual cities; rows marked with the metro name are metro medians, the rest are statewide.

Campuses within 30 miles of Soledad

  • California State University-Monterey Bay (Seaside, CA), 29 mi, 3 of 4 services reported

Nearby cities

Benefit eligibility is determined by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and your service’s education office. Nothing on this page guarantees education benefits, credit transfer, admission, or a particular cost. Confirm every detail with the school’s military or veteran services office before you enroll.

Sources: U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey (IC 2024): veteran and military services indicators (VET2 through VET5), distance-education program flag (DISTPGS); BOC Score from College Scorecard and IPEDS outcome data; U.S. Census Bureau TIGER/Line 2024 Military Installations layer (installation names as recorded there); U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics; U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities; Census ACS 5-year estimates. Directory counts as of the September 2026 refresh.