Best Forensic Science Schools Near Fairfield, CA (2026)

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

Fairfield, California has 5 accredited schools offering forensic science programs, with tuition ranging from $16,774 to $50,974 per year for indexed programs. Fairfield has a population of about 119,985. Median household income is $102,321 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 26.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Vallejo, CA metro area, the top-earning forensic science-related role is Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officer at a median $129,900 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Forensic Science Schools to Fairfield

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

Diablo Valley College

Pleasant Hill, CA 20.2 miles from Fairfield
  • 2 year
  • Offers a fully online program
69.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 33%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $51,378
Avg net price $8,312/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 91

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

University of California-Davis

Davis, CA 24.7 miles from Fairfield
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
90.0 BOC Score
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: 153

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

#3

City College of San Francisco

San Francisco, CA 43.3 miles from Fairfield
  • 2 year
44.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 22%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $45,805
Avg net price $6,906/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 118

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

San Jose State University

San Jose, CA 64.3 miles from Fairfield
  • 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

De Anza College

Cupertino, CA 64.9 miles from Fairfield
  • 2 year
  • Offers a fully online program
80.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 44%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $56,596
Avg net price $6,642/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 72

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

California State University-Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA 360.9 miles from Fairfield
  • 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

#7

East Los Angeles College

Monterey Park, CA 363.1 miles from Fairfield
  • 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

El Camino Community College District

Torrance, CA 366.1 miles from Fairfield
  • 2 year
51.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 30%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $41,589
Avg net price $5,968/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 73

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Forensic Science Wages Near Fairfield

Fairfield is part of the Vallejo, CA metro area (BLS area code 46700). 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$102,100CA statewide$94,101
Detective and Criminal Investigator$108,430Vallejo, CA$99,935
Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officer$129,900Vallejo, CA$119,724

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.

Fairfield at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population119,985Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$102,321Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+26.7%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)108.5 (above U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Fairfield-Area Cities With Forensic Science Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

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

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering forensic science programs near Fairfield. The closest is Diablo Valley College in Pleasant Hill, CA (20.2 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is De Anza College (64.9 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying forensic science-related roles near Fairfield are: Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officer ($129,900), Detective and Criminal Investigator ($108,430), Forensic Science Technician ($102,100). 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 Suisun instead of Fairfield?

Suisun, CA is 1.5 miles from Fairfield 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 Fairfield an affordable place to study forensic science?

Fairfield’s median household income of $102,321 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Fairfield 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 Fairfield

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

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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