Best Online Criminal Justice Programs in Hercules, CA (2026)

Hercules, California has 5 accredited schools offering criminal justice programs. Hercules has a population of about 26,245. Median household income is $130,583 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 46.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro area, the top-earning criminal justice-related role is Attorney at a median $212,500 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).


Closest Criminal Justice Schools to Hercules

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

#1

Solano Community College

Fairfield, CA 17.5 miles from Hercules BOC Score 61.5
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 26%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $44,170
Avg net price $4,669/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 50

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

San Francisco State University

San Francisco, CA 23.1 miles from Hercules BOC Score 78.9
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 67%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $68,077
Avg net price $12,278/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 83%
  • Programs offered: 36

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

California State University-East Bay

Hayward, CA 26.6 miles from Hercules BOC Score 79.2
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 97%
Graduation rate 47%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $71,401
Avg net price $9,320/yr
Tuition
In‑state$7,583
Out‑of‑state$20,183
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 77%
  • Programs offered: 24

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

#4

Skyline College

San Bruno, CA 28.4 miles from Hercules BOC Score 70.7
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 27%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $55,702
Avg net price $1,738/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 42

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Sonoma State University

Rohnert Park, CA 32.3 miles from Hercules BOC Score 76.2
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 69%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $65,986
Avg net price $12,885/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 77%
  • Programs offered: 12

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

University of California-Davis

Davis, CA 44.3 miles from Hercules BOC Score 90.0
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 42%
Graduation rate 85%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $80,838
Avg net price $14,741/yr
Tuition
In‑state$16,774
Out‑of‑state$50,974
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 93%
  • Programs offered: 27

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

#7

San Jose State University

San Jose, CA 50.7 miles from Hercules BOC Score 86.3
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
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: 40

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Humphreys University-Stockton and Modesto Campuses

Stockton, CA 51.1 miles from Hercules BOC Score 58.5
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Graduation rate 67%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $39,248
Avg net price $5,524/yr
Tuition
In‑state$13,500
Out‑of‑state$13,500
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 100%
  • Programs offered: 9

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

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


Criminal Justice Wages Near Hercules

Hercules is part of the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro area (BLS area code 41860). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to California statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Attorney$212,500San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$183,824
Judge or MagistrateN/ACA statewide
Police Supervisor$175,840San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$152,111
Detective or Criminal Investigator$126,700San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$109,602
Police or Sheriff’s Patrol Officer$132,000San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$114,187
Correctional Officer$99,880San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$86,401
Probation Officer$135,890San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$117,552
Forensic Science Technician$109,930San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$95,095
Paralegal or Legal Assistant$84,030San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$72,690
Information Security Analyst$162,310San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$140,407

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.


Hercules at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population26,245Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$130,583Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+46.3%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)115.6 (above U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Hercules-Area Cities With Criminal Justice Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited criminal justice schools are near Hercules, CA?

Accredited schools offering criminal justice programs near Hercules are listed on this page, ranked by BOC Score and distance from the city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS and College Scorecard data on every site update, so it stays current as programs open and close.

What are the highest-paying criminal justice roles near Hercules?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying criminal justice-related roles near Hercules are: Attorney ($212,500), Police Supervisor ($175,840), Information Security Analyst ($162,310). 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 San Pablo instead of Hercules?

San Pablo, CA is 5.6 miles from Hercules and has its own set of local criminal justice programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Hercules an affordable place to study criminal justice?

Hercules’s median household income of $130,583 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Hercules 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 Criminal Justice Programs

Other Programs Available in Hercules

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

Data verified: July 23, 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.