Best Corrections Schools Near Sonora, CA (2026)

Sonora, California has 16 accredited schools offering corrections programs, with tuition ranging from $1,124 to $12,616 per year for indexed programs. Sonora has a population of about 4,965. Median household income is $62,621 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 30.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In California, the top-earning corrections-related role is First-Line Supervisor of Correctional Officers at a median $131,210 annually (BLS, May 2025).


Closest Corrections Schools to Sonora

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer corrections programs near Sonora, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Sonora 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 Sonora. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

#1

San Joaquin Valley College-Modesto

Salida, CA 42.8 miles from Sonora BOC Score 46.6
  • 2 year
  • Accredited
Graduation rate 69%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $38,317
Avg net price $26,706/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 11

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

#2

Merced College

Merced, CA 45.0 miles from Sonora BOC Score 51.7
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 30%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $37,815
Avg net price $5,040/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 61

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

San Joaquin Delta College

Stockton, CA 51.0 miles from Sonora BOC Score 66.6
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 30%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $43,212
Avg net price $2,407/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 74

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Sacramento City College

Sacramento, CA 71.5 miles from Sonora BOC Score 51.7
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Graduation rate 32%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $42,214
Avg net price $6,614/yr
Tuition
In‑state$1,288
Out‑of‑state$12,616
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 63

Source:Accreditor: Western Association of Schools and Colleges Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Sierra College

Rocklin, CA 71.7 miles from Sonora BOC Score 54.5
  • 2 year
Graduation rate 31%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $45,294
Avg net price $7,245/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 62

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Madera Community College

Madera, CA 76.1 miles from Sonora BOC Score 55.8
  • 2 year
Graduation rate 34%
Avg net price $4,179/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 31

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Clovis Community College

Fresno, CA 83.7 miles from Sonora BOC Score 53.4
  • 2 year
Graduation rate 30%
Avg net price $4,590/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 37

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Woodland Community College

Woodland, CA 87.4 miles from Sonora BOC Score 38.7
  • 2 year
Graduation rate 23%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $40,042
Avg net price $8,356/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 26

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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


Corrections Wages Near Sonora

OccupationMedian Annual Wage (California, statewide)
Correctional Officer and Jailer$96,370
Probation Officer and Correctional Treatment Specialist$103,640
First-Line Supervisor of Correctional Officers$131,210
Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officer$118,880

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.


Sonora at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population4,965Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$62,621Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+30.2%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)

Other Sonora-Area Cities With Corrections Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited corrections schools are near Sonora, CA?

Our directory has 16 accredited schools offering corrections programs near Sonora. The closest is San Joaquin Valley College-Modesto in Salida, CA (42.8 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Woodland Community College (87.0 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying corrections roles in California?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying corrections-related roles in California are: First-Line Supervisor of Correctional Officers ($131,210), Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officer ($118,880), Probation Officer and Correctional Treatment Specialist ($103,640). Wages for Sonora workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Oakdale instead of Sonora?

Oakdale, CA is 29.5 miles from Sonora and has its own set of local corrections programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Sonora an affordable place to study corrections?

Sonora’s median household income of $62,621 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Sonora 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 Corrections Programs

Other Programs Available in Sonora

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

Data verified: August 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.