Laguna Beach, California has 19 accredited schools offering forensic science programs, with tuition ranging from $1,144 to $41,228 per year for indexed programs. Laguna Beach has a population of about 22,777. Median household income is $140,508 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 67.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metro area, the top-earning forensic science-related role is Detective and Criminal Investigator at a median $127,890 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Closest Forensic Science Schools to Laguna Beach
The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer forensic science programs near Laguna Beach, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Laguna Beach 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:
BOCSCORE
- 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 Laguna Beach.
Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.
Graduation rate
26%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$44,950
Avg net price
$14,379/yr
TuitionIn‑state$1,388
Out‑of‑state$9,884
Key stats- Retention rate: 100%
- Programs offered: 63
Source:Accreditor: Western Association of Schools and Colleges Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges · IPEDS · College Scorecard
Acceptance rate
91%
Graduation rate
53%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$59,211
Avg net price
$3,967/yr
TuitionIn‑state$7,160
Out‑of‑state$19,760
Key stats- Retention rate: 72%
- Programs offered: 33
Source:Accreditor: Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission · IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
92%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$89,816
TuitionContact school for pricing
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
42%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$67,548
Avg net price
$22,878/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats- Retention rate: 53%
- Programs offered: 53
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
85%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$76,310
TuitionContact school for pricing
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
78%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$78,988
Avg net price
$13,760/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats- Retention rate: 87%
- Programs offered: 40
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Acceptance rate
42%
Graduation rate
85%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$80,838
Avg net price
$14,741/yr
TuitionIn‑state$16,774
Out‑of‑state$50,974
Key stats- Retention rate: 93%
- Programs offered: 27
Source:Accreditor: Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission · IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
21%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$38,142
Avg net price
$10,800/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats- Retention rate: 78%
- Programs offered: 20
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all California schools on the California forensic science page.
Forensic Science Wages Near Laguna Beach
Laguna Beach is part of the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metro area (BLS area code 31080). 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) |
|---|
| Forensic Science Technician | $104,410 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $91,910 |
| Detective and Criminal Investigator | $127,890 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $112,579 |
| Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officer | $121,980 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $107,377 |
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.
Laguna Beach at a Glance
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|
| Population | 22,777 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003) |
| Median household income | $140,508 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013) |
| Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ | 67.1% | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003) |
| Regional Price Parity (US=100) | 113.6 (above U.S. average) | BEA RPP 2024 |
Other Laguna Beach-Area Cities With Forensic Science Programs
- Aliso Viejo, CA – 3.0 mi away (51,424 pop)
- Laguna Niguel, CA – 3.5 mi away (65,328 pop)
- Laguna Hills, CA – 4.8 mi away (31,509 pop)
- Dana Point, CA – 6.2 mi away (34,012 pop)
- San Juan Capistrano, CA – 6.9 mi away (36,276 pop)
Frequently Asked Questions
How many accredited forensic science schools are near Laguna Beach, CA?
Our directory has 19 accredited schools offering forensic science programs near Laguna Beach. The closest is Golden West College in Huntington Beach, CA (19.0 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is East Los Angeles College (40.8 miles). 3 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.
What are the highest-paying forensic science roles near Laguna Beach?
Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying forensic science-related roles near Laguna Beach are: Detective and Criminal Investigator ($127,890), Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officer ($121,980), Forensic Science Technician ($104,410). 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 Aliso Viejo instead of Laguna Beach?
Aliso Viejo, CA is 3.0 miles from Laguna Beach 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 Laguna Beach an affordable place to study forensic science?
Laguna Beach’s median household income of $140,508 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Laguna Beach 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 Laguna Beach
Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Laguna Beach:
- Business Development programs in Laguna Beach, CA
- Construction Management programs in Laguna Beach, CA
- Economics programs in Laguna Beach, CA
- Financial Technology programs in Laguna Beach, CA
- Forensic Accounting programs in Laguna Beach, CA
- Health Information Management programs in Laguna Beach, CA
- Hospitality Management programs in Laguna Beach, CA
- International Business programs in Laguna Beach, CA
- Organizational Leadership programs in Laguna Beach, CA
- Management Information Systems programs in Laguna Beach, CA
- Nonprofit Management programs in Laguna Beach, CA
- Operations Management programs in Laguna Beach, CA
- Public Administration programs in Laguna Beach, CA
- Real Estate programs in Laguna Beach, CA
- Recreation Management programs in Laguna Beach, CA
- Retail Management programs in Laguna Beach, CA
- Risk Management programs in Laguna Beach, CA
- Statistics programs in Laguna Beach, CA
- Taxation programs in Laguna Beach, CA
- Corrections programs in Laguna Beach, CA
- Crime Analysis programs in Laguna Beach, CA
- Criminal Justice Administration programs in Laguna Beach, CA
- Criminology programs in Laguna Beach, CA
- Cybercrime programs in Laguna Beach, CA
- Emergency Management programs in Laguna Beach, CA
- Fire Science programs in Laguna Beach, CA
- Legal Services programs in Laguna Beach, CA
- Legal Studies programs in Laguna Beach, CA
- Paralegal programs in Laguna Beach, CA
- Security Management programs in Laguna Beach, CA
- Cloud Computing programs in Laguna Beach, CA
- Computer Engineering programs in Laguna Beach, CA
- Innovation programs in Laguna Beach, CA
- Mobile App Development programs in Laguna Beach, CA
- Software Development programs in Laguna Beach, CA
- User Experience programs in Laguna Beach, CA
- Web Development programs in Laguna Beach, CA
- Artificial Intelligence programs in Laguna Beach, CA
- Machine Learning programs in Laguna Beach, CA
- Supply Chain Management programs in Laguna Beach, CA
- Data Analytics programs in Laguna Beach, CA
- Public Health programs in Laguna Beach, CA
- Human Resources programs in Laguna Beach, CA
- Project Management programs in Laguna Beach, CA
- Special Education programs in Laguna Beach, CA
- Homeland Security programs in Laguna Beach, CA
- Marketing programs in Laguna Beach, CA
- Finance programs in Laguna Beach, CA
- Kinesiology programs in Laguna Beach, CA
- Sports Management programs in Laguna Beach, CA
- Early Childhood Education programs in Laguna Beach, CA
- Elementary Education programs in Laguna Beach, CA
- Biology programs in Laguna Beach, CA
- Communications programs in Laguna Beach, CA
- Graphic Design programs in Laguna Beach, CA
- Human Services programs in Laguna Beach, CA
- MBA programs in Laguna Beach, CA
- Criminal Justice programs in Laguna Beach, CA
- Nursing programs in Laguna Beach, CA
- Business Administration programs in Laguna Beach, CA
- Computer Science programs in Laguna Beach, CA
- Psychology programs in Laguna Beach, CA
- Education programs in Laguna Beach, CA
- Engineering programs in Laguna Beach, CA
- Technology programs in Laguna Beach, CA
- Liberal Arts programs in Laguna Beach, CA
- Healthcare programs in Laguna Beach, CA
- Cybersecurity programs in Laguna Beach, CA
- Accounting programs in Laguna Beach, CA
- Healthcare Administration programs in Laguna Beach, CA
- Social Work programs in Laguna Beach, CA
- Counseling programs in Laguna Beach, CA
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.
← Back to Best Forensic Science Schools in California (2026)
