Best Forensic Science Schools Near Bakersfield, CA (2026)

Updated August 11, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Bakersfield, California has 1 accredited school offering forensic science programs, with tuition ranging from $10,440 to $10,440 per year for indexed programs. Bakersfield has a population of about 408,366. Median household income is $77,397 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 23.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Bakersfield-Delano, CA metro area, the top-earning forensic science-related role is Detective and Criminal Investigator at a median $96,760 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Forensic Science Schools to Bakersfield

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

#1

California State University-Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA 101.6 miles from Bakersfield 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

#2

Rio Hondo College

Whittier, CA 108.3 miles from Bakersfield 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

#3

Loma Linda University

Loma Linda, CA 135.1 miles from Bakersfield BOC Score 96.6
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 92%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $89,816
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 33

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey

Monterey, CA 181.7 miles from Bakersfield BOC Score 92.0
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 85%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $76,310
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 6

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

National University

San Diego, CA 205.7 miles from Bakersfield BOC Score 44.2
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 42%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $67,548
Avg net price $22,878/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 53%
  • Programs offered: 53

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

San Jose State University

San Jose, CA 209.4 miles from Bakersfield BOC Score 86.3
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
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: 40

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

University of California-Davis

Davis, CA 267.3 miles from Bakersfield BOC Score 90.0
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 42%
Graduation rate 85%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $80,838
Avg net price $14,741/yr
Tuition
In‑state$16,774
Out‑of‑state$50,974
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 93%
  • Programs offered: 27

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

#8

Feather River Community College District

Quincy, CA 334.8 miles from Bakersfield BOC Score 43.0
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 21%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $38,142
Avg net price $10,800/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 78%
  • Programs offered: 20

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Forensic Science Wages Near Bakersfield

Bakersfield 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.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Forensic Science Technician$79,970Bakersfield-Delano, CA$79,257
Detective and Criminal Investigator$96,760Bakersfield-Delano, CA$95,897
Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officer$78,130Bakersfield-Delano, CA$77,433

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.

Bakersfield at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population408,366Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$77,397Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+23.3%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)100.9 (above U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Bakersfield-Area Cities With Forensic Science Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited forensic science schools are near Bakersfield, CA?

Our directory has 1 accredited schools offering forensic science programs near Bakersfield. The closest is Abraham Lincoln University in Glendale, CA (94.4 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Abraham Lincoln University (94.4 miles). 1 of the highlighted schools is flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying forensic science roles near Bakersfield?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying forensic science-related roles near Bakersfield are: Detective and Criminal Investigator ($96,760), Forensic Science Technician ($79,970), Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officer ($78,130). 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 Shafter instead of Bakersfield?

Shafter, CA is 12.6 miles from Bakersfield 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 Bakersfield an affordable place to study forensic science?

Bakersfield’s median household income of $77,397 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Bakersfield 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 Bakersfield

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

Data verified: August 11, 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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