Best Forensic Psychology Schools Near Chico, CA (2026)

Chico, California is home to about 102,032 residents. Median household income is $67,929 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 41.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In California, the top-earning forensic psychology-related role is Psychologists, All Other at a median $157,540 annually (BLS, May 2025).


Closest Forensic Psychology Schools to Chico

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

California State University-Fresno

Fresno, CA 232.5 miles from Chico
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
78.5 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 95%
Graduation rate 56%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $61,244
Avg net price $7,000/yr
Tuition
In‑state$7,350
Out‑of‑state$19,950
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 80%
  • Programs offered: 96

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

#2

The Chicago School at Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA 440.5 miles from Chico
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
32.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 21%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $56,899
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 33%
  • Programs offered: 21

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

Touro University Worldwide

Los Alamitos, CA 460.5 miles from Chico
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
39.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 49%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $40,803
Avg net price $19,058/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 72%
  • Programs offered: 21

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

The Chicago School at Anaheim

Anaheim, CA 465.2 miles from Chico
  • 4 year
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $56,899
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 5

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

California Baptist University

Riverside, CA 470.0 miles from Chico
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
56.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 62%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $61,504
Avg net price $26,285/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 74%
  • Programs offered: 98

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

University of California-Irvine

Irvine, CA 475.9 miles from Chico
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
90.2 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 29%
Graduation rate 86%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $80,735
Avg net price $14,251/yr
Tuition
In‑state$15,722
Out‑of‑state$49,922
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 94%
  • Programs offered: 134

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

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#7

Alliant International University-San Diego

San Diego, CA 541.8 miles from Chico
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
65.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 52%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $66,666
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 24

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Northcentral University

San Diego, CA 545.0 miles from Chico
  • 4 year
  • Exclusively online
  • Accredited
35.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 38%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $48,414
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 30

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

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


Forensic Psychology Wages Near Chico

Chico is part of the Chico, CA metro area (BLS area code 17020). 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)
Clinical and Counseling Psychologists $116,000 CA statewide $114,625
Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists $76,250 Chico, CA $75,346
Detectives and Criminal Investigators $124,840 CA statewide $123,360
Forensic Science Technicians $102,100 CA statewide $100,889
Psychologists, All Other $157,540 CA statewide $155,672
Social and Human Service Assistants $48,890 Chico, CA $48,310
First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives $124,660 Chico, CA $123,182
Rehabilitation Counselors $39,950 Chico, CA $39,476

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.


Chico at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 102,032 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $67,929 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 41.3% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 101.2 (above U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Chico-Area Cities With Forensic Psychology Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

What are the highest-paying forensic psychology roles near Chico?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying forensic psychology-related roles near Chico are: Psychologists, All Other ($157,540), Detectives and Criminal Investigators ($124,840), First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives ($124,660). 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 Paradise instead of Chico?

Paradise, CA is 11.1 miles from Chico and has its own set of local forensic psychology programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Chico an affordable place to study forensic psychology?

Chico’s median household income of $67,929 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Chico 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 Psychology Programs

Other Programs Available in Chico

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

Data verified: September 5, 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.