Best Education Schools Near Ridgecrest, CA (2026)

Updated September 6, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Ridgecrest, California has 5 accredited schools offering education programs. Ridgecrest has a population of about 28,138. Median household income is $88,107 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 31.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Bakersfield-Delano, CA metro area, the top-earning education-related role is Education Administrator, K-12 at a median $154,410 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Education Schools to Ridgecrest

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer education programs near Ridgecrest, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Ridgecrest 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 Ridgecrest. 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

Antelope Valley Community College District

Lancaster, CA 72.3 miles from Ridgecrest
  • 4 year
40.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 29%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $36,526
Avg net price $3,860/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 71

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Bakersfield College

Bakersfield, CA 75.3 miles from Ridgecrest
  • 4 year
24.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 26%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $37,291
Avg net price $14,621/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 82

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

California State University-Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA 83.5 miles from Ridgecrest
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
74.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 64%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $59,009
Avg net price $5,652/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 79%
  • Programs offered: 45

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

The Master's University and Seminary

Santa Clarita, CA 99.0 miles from Ridgecrest
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
57.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 64%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $57,106
Avg net price $32,647/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 85%
  • Programs offered: 40

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

California State University-San Bernardino

San Bernardino, CA 101.9 miles from Ridgecrest
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
78.4 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 94%
Graduation rate 55%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $59,977
Avg net price $4,564/yr
Tuition
In‑state$8,093
Out‑of‑state$20,693
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 79%
  • Programs offered: 78

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

#6

Azusa Pacific University

Azusa, CA 104.5 miles from Ridgecrest
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
72.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 73%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $66,677
Avg net price $22,212/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 84%
  • Programs offered: 75

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#7

Los Angeles Pacific University

San Dimas, CA 105.5 miles from Ridgecrest
  • 4 year
  • Exclusively online
35.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 48%
Avg net price $22,677/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 48%
  • Programs offered: 17

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Pitzer College

Claremont, CA 105.5 miles from Ridgecrest
  • 4 year
64.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 87%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $69,512
Avg net price $34,191/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 94%
  • Programs offered: 53

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Education Wages Near Ridgecrest

Ridgecrest is part of the Bakersfield-Delano, CA metro area (BLS area code 12540). 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)
Secondary School Teacher $99,150 Bakersfield-Delano, CA $98,266
Elementary School Teacher $79,900 Bakersfield-Delano, CA $79,187
Middle School Teacher $93,480 Bakersfield-Delano, CA $92,646
Education Teacher, Postsecondary $111,850 CA statewide $110,852
Education Administrator, K-12 $154,410 Bakersfield-Delano, CA $153,033
Education Administrator, Postsecondary $119,160 Bakersfield-Delano, CA $118,097
Tutor $39,470 Bakersfield-Delano, CA $39,118
Educational and Career Counselor $97,700 Bakersfield-Delano, CA $96,829

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.

Ridgecrest at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 28,138 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $88,107 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 31.7% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 100.9 (above U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024
Education-related employment in Kern County 2,243 workers, 155 establishments BLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Ridgecrest-Area Cities With Education Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited education schools are near Ridgecrest, CA?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering education programs near Ridgecrest. The closest is Antelope Valley Community College District in Lancaster, CA (72.3 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is College of the Canyons (99.1 miles). 2 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying education roles near Ridgecrest?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying education-related roles near Ridgecrest are: Education Administrator, K-12 ($154,410), Education Administrator, Postsecondary ($119,160), Education Teacher, Postsecondary ($111,850). 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 Barstow instead of Ridgecrest?

Barstow, CA is 63.3 miles from Ridgecrest and has its own set of local education programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Ridgecrest an affordable place to study education?

Ridgecrest’s median household income of $88,107 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Ridgecrest 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 Education Programs

Other Programs Available in Ridgecrest

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

Data verified: September 6, 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.

Back to Best Education Schools in California: Online Programs (2026)