Best Digital Forensics Schools Near Lompoc, CA (2026)

Updated September 7, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Lompoc, California is home to about 43,819 residents. Median household income is $70,038 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 12.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA metro area, the top-earning digital forensics-related role is Detectives and Criminal Investigators at a median $130,810 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Digital Forensics Schools to Lompoc

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

Ranked by BOC Score — U.S. Dept. of Education outcome data. Advertising never affects rankings.

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#1

Abraham Lincoln University

Glendale, CA 131.2 miles from Lompoc
  • 4 year
  • Exclusively online
23.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 22%
Avg net price $28,584/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 62%
  • Programs offered: 5

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA 132.4 miles from Lompoc
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
80.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 93%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $92,498
Avg net price $32,740/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 96%
  • Programs offered: 267

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

University of San Diego

San Diego, CA 229.3 miles from Lompoc
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
76.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 81%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $86,522
Avg net price $30,365/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 91%
  • Programs offered: 77

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

National University

San Diego, CA 230.1 miles from Lompoc
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
44.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 42%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $67,548
Avg net price $22,878/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 53%
  • Programs offered: 73

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Digital Forensics Wages Near Lompoc

Lompoc is part of the Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA metro area (BLS area code 42200). 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)
Information Security Analysts $130,770 Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA $120,193
Computer Occupations, All Other $128,390 Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA $118,006
Detectives and Criminal Investigators $130,810 Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA $120,230
Forensic Science Technicians $102,100 CA statewide $93,842
Computer Systems Analysts $120,680 Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA $110,919
Computer Network Support Specialists $88,670 Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA $81,498
Private Detectives and Investigators $61,250 CA statewide $56,296
Network and Computer Systems Administrators $101,310 Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA $93,116

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.

Lompoc at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 43,819 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $70,038 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 12.8% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 108.8 (above U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Lompoc-Area Cities With Digital Forensics Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the highest-paying digital forensics roles near Lompoc?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying digital forensics-related roles near Lompoc are: Detectives and Criminal Investigators ($130,810), Information Security Analysts ($130,770), Computer Occupations, All Other ($128,390). 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 Santa Maria instead of Lompoc?

Santa Maria, CA is 18.8 miles from Lompoc and has its own set of local digital forensics programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Lompoc an affordable place to study digital forensics?

Lompoc’s median household income of $70,038 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Lompoc 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 Digital Forensics Programs

Other Programs Available in Lompoc

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

Data verified: September 7, 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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