Best Online Education Programs in South Pasadena, CA (2026)

South Pasadena, California has 5 accredited schools offering education programs, with tuition ranging from $6,813 to $18,698 per year for indexed programs. South Pasadena has a population of about 26,297. Median household income is $128,105 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 72.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metro area, the top-earning education-related role is Education Administrator, K-12 at a median $161,590 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).


Closest Education Schools to South Pasadena

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

#1

University of the People

Pasadena, CA 2.7 miles from South Pasadena BOC Score 36.7
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 17%
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 79%
  • Programs offered: 7

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Pacific Oaks College

Pasadena, CA 3.0 miles from South Pasadena BOC Score 58.9
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 62%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $52,485
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 6

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

California State University-Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA 3.1 miles from South Pasadena BOC Score 73.0
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 91%
Graduation rate 53%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $59,211
Avg net price $3,967/yr
Tuition
In‑state$7,160
Out‑of‑state$19,760
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 72%
  • Programs offered: 33

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

#4

Southern California Institute of Architecture

Los Angeles, CA 6.3 miles from South Pasadena BOC Score 59.2
  • 4 year
Graduation rate 76%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $71,909
Avg net price $43,923/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 87%
  • Programs offered: 2

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

The Chicago School at Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA 7.1 miles from South Pasadena BOC Score 32.6
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 21%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $56,899
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 33%
  • Programs offered: 14

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA 9.3 miles from South Pasadena BOC Score 80.2
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
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: 68

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Rio Hondo College

Whittier, CA 9.5 miles from South Pasadena BOC Score 59.2
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Graduation rate 26%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $44,950
Avg net price $14,379/yr
Tuition
In‑state$1,388
Out‑of‑state$9,884
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 100%
  • Programs offered: 63

Source:Accreditor: Western Association of Schools and Colleges Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Whittier College

Whittier, CA 11.7 miles from South Pasadena BOC Score 44.1
  • 4 year
Graduation rate 67%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $59,492
Avg net price $25,757/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 58%
  • Programs offered: 9

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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


Education Wages Near South Pasadena

South Pasadena is part of the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metro area (BLS area code 31080). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to California statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Secondary School Teacher$100,960Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA$88,873
Elementary School Teacher$101,860Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA$89,665
Middle School Teacher$98,370Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA$86,593
Education Teacher, Postsecondary$105,730Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA$93,072
Education Administrator, K-12$161,590Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA$142,245
Education Administrator, Postsecondary$125,230Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA$110,238
Tutor$45,400Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA$39,965
Educational and Career Counselor$79,000Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA$69,542

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.


South Pasadena at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population26,297Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$128,105Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+72.7%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)113.6 (above U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024
Education-related employment in Los Angeles County123,686 workers, 4,718 establishmentsBLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other South Pasadena-Area Cities With Education Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited education schools are near South Pasadena, CA?

Accredited schools offering education programs near South Pasadena 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 education roles near South Pasadena?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying education-related roles near South Pasadena are: Education Administrator, K-12 ($161,590), Education Administrator, Postsecondary ($125,230), Education Teacher, Postsecondary ($105,730). 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 Alhambra instead of South Pasadena?

Alhambra, CA is 2.2 miles from South Pasadena 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 South Pasadena an affordable place to study education?

South Pasadena’s median household income of $128,105 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in South Pasadena 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 South Pasadena

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

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.