Best Child Development Schools Near Ridgecrest, CA (2026)

Updated September 5, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Ridgecrest, California is home to about 28,138 residents. Median household income is $88,107 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 31.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Bakersfield-Delano, CA metro area, the top-earning child development-related role is Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education at a median $78,330 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Child Development Schools to Ridgecrest

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer child development programs near Ridgecrest, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Ridgecrest city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.

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 Ridgecrest. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

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

Sort:
#1

Los Angeles Mission College

Sylmar, CA 100.6 miles from Ridgecrest
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
38.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 23%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $39,834
Avg net price $13,380/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 50

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

California State University-San Bernardino

San Bernardino, CA 101.9 miles from Ridgecrest
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
78.4 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 94%
Graduation rate 55%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $59,977
Avg net price $4,564/yr
Tuition
In‑state$8,093
Out‑of‑state$20,693
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 79%
  • Programs offered: 78

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

Sponsored Ad
#3

Pacific Oaks College

Pasadena, CA 105.8 miles from Ridgecrest
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
58.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 62%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $52,485
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 8

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

University of La Verne

La Verne, CA 105.9 miles from Ridgecrest
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
62.5 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 71%
Graduation rate 64%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $65,464
Avg net price $20,161/yr
Tuition
In‑state$49,470
Out‑of‑state$49,470
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 70%
  • Programs offered: 58

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

Sponsored Ad
#5

Loma Linda University

Loma Linda, CA 111.5 miles from Ridgecrest
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
96.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 92%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $89,816
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 71

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Whittier College

Whittier, CA 116.1 miles from Ridgecrest
  • 4 year
44.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 67%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $59,492
Avg net price $25,757/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 58%
  • Programs offered: 37

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

Sponsored Ad
#7

Mount Saint Mary's University

Los Angeles, CA 116.5 miles from Ridgecrest
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
63.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 62%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $72,379
Avg net price $21,413/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 72%
  • Programs offered: 44

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Hope International University

Fullerton, CA 121.9 miles from Ridgecrest
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
32.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 46%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $49,697
Avg net price $29,310/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 61%
  • Programs offered: 15

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

Sponsored Ad

Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all California schools on the California child development page.

Child Development Wages Near Ridgecrest

Ridgecrest is part of the Bakersfield-Delano, CA metro area (BLS area code 12540). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to California statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education $45,880 Bakersfield-Delano, CA $45,471
Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare $64,420 Bakersfield-Delano, CA $63,845
Child, Family, and School Social Workers $59,330 Bakersfield-Delano, CA $58,801
Childcare Workers $36,190 Bakersfield-Delano, CA $35,867
Special Education Teachers, Preschool $62,080 Bakersfield-Delano, CA $61,526
Social and Human Service Assistants $48,280 Bakersfield-Delano, CA $47,849
Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education $78,330 Bakersfield-Delano, CA $77,631
Community and Social Service Specialists, All Other $61,500 Bakersfield-Delano, CA $60,951

Source: BLS, May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.

Ridgecrest at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 28,138 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $88,107 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 31.7% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 100.9 (above U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Ridgecrest-Area Cities With Child Development Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the highest-paying child development roles near Ridgecrest?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying child development-related roles near Ridgecrest are: Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education ($78,330), Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare ($64,420), Special Education Teachers, Preschool ($62,080). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with California statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Barstow instead of Ridgecrest?

Barstow, CA is 63.3 miles from Ridgecrest and has its own set of local child development programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Ridgecrest an affordable place to study child development?

Ridgecrest’s median household income of $88,107 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Ridgecrest while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and California public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.

How do I verify a program is accredited?

Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.

Learn More About Child Development Programs

Other Programs Available in Ridgecrest

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Ridgecrest:

Data verified: September 5, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.

Back to Best Child Development Schools in California (2026)