Best Forensic Accounting Schools Near Merced, CA (2026)

Updated August 31, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Merced, California has 5 accredited schools offering forensic accounting programs, with tuition ranging from $13,500 to $20,918 per year for indexed programs. Merced has a population of about 89,766. Median household income is $59,938 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 18.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In California, the top-earning forensic accounting-related role is Detective and Criminal Investigator at a median $124,840 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Forensic Accounting Schools to Merced

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

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

Sort:
#1

Fresno Pacific University

Fresno, CA 57.3 miles from Merced
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
68.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 65%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $58,896
Avg net price $13,630/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 75%
  • Programs offered: 52

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

University of the Pacific

Stockton, CA 65.3 miles from Merced
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
75.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 75%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $78,445
Avg net price $25,447/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 89%
  • Programs offered: 82

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Humphreys University-Stockton and Modesto Campuses

Stockton, CA 67.0 miles from Merced
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
58.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 67%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $39,248
Avg net price $5,524/yr
Tuition
In‑state$13,500
Out‑of‑state$13,500
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 100%
  • Programs offered: 14

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

#4

San Jose State University

San Jose, CA 77.1 miles from Merced
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
86.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 78%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $78,988
Avg net price $13,760/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 87%
  • Programs offered: 118

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Santa Clara University

Santa Clara, CA 80.3 miles from Merced
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
77.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 90%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $109,183
Avg net price $50,062/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 94%
  • Programs offered: 65

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

California State University-East Bay

Hayward, CA 89.8 miles from Merced
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
79.2 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 97%
Graduation rate 47%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $71,401
Avg net price $9,320/yr
Tuition
In‑state$7,583
Out‑of‑state$20,183
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 77%
  • Programs offered: 59

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

#7

Menlo College

Atherton, CA 94.6 miles from Merced
  • 4 year
45.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 60%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $76,419
Avg net price $31,100/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 70%
  • Programs offered: 11

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Saint Mary's College of California

Moraga, CA 96.7 miles from Merced
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
72.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 76%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $78,812
Avg net price $30,378/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 85%
  • Programs offered: 67

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Forensic Accounting Wages Near Merced

Merced is part of the Merced, CA metro area (BLS area code 32900). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to California statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Accountant and Auditor$80,420Merced, CA$81,811
Financial Examiner$106,000CA statewide$107,833
Detective and Criminal Investigator$124,840CA statewide$126,999

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.

Merced at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population89,766Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$59,938Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+18.0%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)98.3 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Merced-Area Cities With Forensic Accounting Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited forensic accounting schools are near Merced, CA?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering forensic accounting programs near Merced. The closest is Fresno Pacific University in Fresno, CA (57.3 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Santa Clara University (80.3 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying forensic accounting roles near Merced?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying forensic accounting-related roles near Merced are: Detective and Criminal Investigator ($124,840), Financial Examiner ($106,000), Accountant and Auditor ($80,420). 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 Atwater instead of Merced?

Atwater, CA is 7.4 miles from Merced and has its own set of local forensic accounting programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Merced an affordable place to study forensic accounting?

Merced’s median household income of $59,938 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Merced 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 Forensic Accounting Programs

Other Programs Available in Merced

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

Data verified: August 31, 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 Forensic Accounting Schools in California (2026)