Best Forensic Science Schools Near Apple Valley, CA (2026)

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

Apple Valley, California has 5 accredited schools offering forensic science programs, with tuition ranging from $1,428 to $16,911 per year for indexed programs. Apple Valley has a population of about 75,478. Median household income is $65,926 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 19.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA metro area, the top-earning forensic science-related role is Detective and Criminal Investigator at a median $127,420 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Forensic Science Schools to Apple Valley

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

Riverside City College

Riverside, CA 40.1 miles from Apple Valley
  • 2 year
  • Accredited
45.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 34%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $41,091
Avg net price $8,377/yr
Tuition
In‑state$1,428
Out‑of‑state$12,498
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 75

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

#2

California Baptist University

Riverside, CA 43.5 miles from Apple Valley
  • 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

#3

Moreno Valley College

Moreno Valley, CA 44.6 miles from Apple Valley
  • 2 year
50.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 25%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $52,133
Avg net price $6,483/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 51

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Norco College

Norco, CA 47.2 miles from Apple Valley
  • 2 year
57.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 26%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $51,206
Avg net price $5,169/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 50

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Mt San Jacinto Community College District

San Jacinto, CA 52.0 miles from Apple Valley
  • 2 year
40.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 27%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $38,319
Avg net price $6,806/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 67

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Rio Hondo College

Whittier, CA 58.9 miles from Apple Valley
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
59.2 BOC Score
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: 90

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

#7

East Los Angeles College

Monterey Park, CA 63.5 miles from Apple Valley
  • 2 year
41.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 27%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $42,006
Avg net price $10,852/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 88

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

California State University-Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA 63.5 miles from Apple Valley
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
73.0 BOC Score
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: 79

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

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

Forensic Science Wages Near Apple Valley

Apple Valley is part of the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA metro area (BLS area code 40140). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to California statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Forensic Science Technician$82,320Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA$77,368
Detective and Criminal Investigator$127,420Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA$119,756
Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officer$101,870Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA$95,742

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.

Apple Valley at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population75,478Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$65,926Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+19.5%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)106.4 (above U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Apple Valley-Area Cities With Forensic Science Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited forensic science schools are near Apple Valley, CA?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering forensic science programs near Apple Valley. The closest is Riverside City College in Riverside, CA (40.1 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Mt San Jacinto Community College District (52.0 miles). 1 of the highlighted schools is flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying forensic science roles near Apple Valley?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying forensic science-related roles near Apple Valley are: Detective and Criminal Investigator ($127,420), Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officer ($101,870), Forensic Science Technician ($82,320). 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 Victorville instead of Apple Valley?

Victorville, CA is 8.2 miles from Apple Valley and has its own set of local forensic science programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Apple Valley an affordable place to study forensic science?

Apple Valley’s median household income of $65,926 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Apple Valley 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 Science Programs

Other Programs Available in Apple Valley

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

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.

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