Home > Programs > Criminal Justice > States > California
| Metric | Detail |
|---|---|
| Median Criminal Justice Salary | $124,537 |
| Salary Outlook | California offers competitive wages for criminal justice professionals, reflected in the state-specific Bureau of Labor Statistics median salaries shown below. |
| Primary Licensing Body | California POST Commission |
| Accreditation Required | Institutional + Regional |
Earning an online criminal justice degree in California offers a flexible path to a high-demand career. California offers competitive wages for criminal justice professionals, reflected in the state-specific Bureau of Labor Statistics median salaries shown below. Whether you’re looking for an affordable in-state option or a top-ranked national program, California students have access to a variety of accredited online choices that balance quality and cost.
The following schools offer accredited online criminal justice programs and are ranked based on affordability, graduation rates, and student outcomes in California.
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:
Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.
Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard
Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard
Source:Accreditor: Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard
Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard
Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard
Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard
Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard
Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard
Criminal Justice professionals in California experience a dynamic job market with competitive wages. Below are the median annual salaries for key roles in the field, based on the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data for California.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary (California) |
|---|---|
| Attorney | $195,080 |
| Police Supervisor | $163,960 |
| Detective or Criminal Investigator | $124,840 |
| Police or Sheriff’s Patrol Officer | $118,880 |
| Correctional Officer | $96,370 |
| Probation Officer | $103,640 |
| Forensic Science Technician | $102,100 |
| Paralegal or Legal Assistant | $77,390 |
| Information Security Analyst | $138,570 |
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.
Choosing a program in California can provide several advantages:
Yes, the programs listed above are accredited by recognized regional or national agencies. For California, this includes accreditation from agencies recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, ensuring your degree meets high academic standards.
California offers competitive wages for criminal justice professionals, reflected in the state-specific Bureau of Labor Statistics median salaries shown below. This makes California a strong choice for students looking to maximize their ROI after graduation.
The California POST Commission oversees professional standards and licensure for the field in California. Most accredited programs are designed to align with their specific requirements.
