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

Oakland, California has a population of about 438,072. The city’s median household income is $97,369 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 47.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. Our directory has 47 accredited schools offering criminal justice programs near Oakland, with tuition ranging from $7,055 to $22,803 per year for indexed programs. In the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro area, the top-earning criminal justice-related role is Attorney at a median $215,090 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2024).

Closest Criminal Justice Schools to Oakland

The 10 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 47 schools in our directory that offer criminal justice programs near Oakland. Distances are calculated from Oakland city center.

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

Criminal Justice Wages Near Oakland

Oakland 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.

Source: BLS, May 2024 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.

Oakland at a Glance

Other Oakland-Area Cities With Criminal Justice Programs

• Alameda, CA – 3.2 mi away (78,906 pop)
• San Leandro, CA – 6.5 mi away (90,465 pop)
• Berkeley, CA – 6.5 mi away (121,240 pop)
• Lafayette, CA – 8.8 mi away (26,103 pop)
• El Cerrito, CA – 10.1 mi away (25,400 pop)

Frequently Asked Questions

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

Our directory has 47 accredited schools offering criminal justice programs near Oakland. The closest is Merritt College in Oakland, CA (2.7 miles), and the farthest in our top picks is College of San Mateo (18.7 miles). 0 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS OEWS May 2024 wage data, the top-paying criminal justice-related roles near Oakland are: Attorney ($215,090), Police Supervisor ($173,900), Information Security Analyst ($168,160). 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 Alameda instead of Oakland?

Alameda, CA is 3.2 miles from Oakland 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 Oakland an affordable place to study criminal justice?

Oakland’s median household income of $97,369 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Oakland 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.

Related Resources

• Online Criminal Justice Programs in California
• Main Criminal Justice Degree Guide
• Criminal Justice Programs by State

Data verified: May 5, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2024; 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.