Cerro Coso Community College
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
Best Online Computer Science Programs in Ridgecrest, CA (2026)
Ridgecrest, California has 5 accredited schools offering computer science programs. Ridgecrest has a population of about 28,138. 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 California, the top-earning computer science-related role is Database Architect at a median $170,160 annually (BLS, May 2025).
Closest Computer Science Schools to Ridgecrest
The 5 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 5 schools in our directory that offer computer science programs near Ridgecrest. Distances are calculated from Ridgecrest city center.
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.
Antelope Valley Community College District
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programs--
Bakersfield College
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programs--
Victor Valley College
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programs--
College of the Canyons
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programs--
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all California schools on the California computer science page.
Computer Science 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developer | $130,330 | Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $129,167 |
| Computer Systems Analyst | $100,400 | Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $99,504 |
| Computer Network Architect | $122,910 | Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $121,814 |
| Database Administrator | $89,070 | Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $88,276 |
| Database Architect | $170,160 | CA statewide | $168,642 |
| Information Security Analyst | $108,020 | Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $107,056 |
| Computer Network Support Specialist | $69,230 | Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $68,612 |
| Computer User Support Specialist | $62,980 | Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $62,418 |
| Web Developer | $88,240 | Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $87,453 |
| Web and Digital Interface Designer | $82,800 | Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $82,061 |
| Computer and Information Systems Manager | $164,470 | Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $163,003 |
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 |
| Computer Science-related employment in Kern County | 1,282 workers, 132 establishments | BLS QCEW 2024 annual |
Other Ridgecrest-Area Cities With Computer Science Programs
- Barstow, CA – 63.3 mi away (30,503 pop)
- Lancaster, CA – 71.0 mi away (348,760 pop)
- Arvin, CA – 72.4 mi away (21,380 pop)
- Adelanto, CA – 73.2 mi away (33,391 pop)
- Palmdale, CA – 75.9 mi away (157,356 pop)
Frequently Asked Questions
How many accredited computer science schools are near Ridgecrest, CA?
Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering computer science programs near Ridgecrest. The closest is Cerro Coso Community College in Ridgecrest, CA (3.6 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is College of the Canyons (98.8 miles). 1 of the highlighted schools is flagged as offering distance education.
What are the highest-paying computer science roles near Ridgecrest?
Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying computer science-related roles near Ridgecrest are: Database Architect ($170,160), Computer and Information Systems Manager ($164,470), Software Developer ($130,330). 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 computer science 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 computer science?
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 Computer Science Programs
- Computer Science accreditation: what to look for
- Computer Science concentrations and specializations
- Is a Computer Science degree worth it?
- Main Computer Science degree guide
- Online Computer Science programs in California
- Computer Science programs by state
Other Programs Available in Ridgecrest
Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Ridgecrest:
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Data verified: June 11, 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.
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