Best Forensic Science Schools Near Lompoc, CA (2026)

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

Lompoc, California is home to about 43,819 residents. Median household income is $70,038 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 12.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA metro area, the top-earning forensic science-related role is Detective and Criminal Investigator at a median $130,810 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Forensic Science Schools to Lompoc

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

#1

California State University-Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA 137.7 miles from Lompoc 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 146.0 miles from Lompoc 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

Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey

Monterey, CA 156.0 miles from Lompoc 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

#4

Loma Linda University

Loma Linda, CA 187.9 miles from Lompoc 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

#5

San Jose State University

San Jose, CA 200.8 miles from Lompoc 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

#6

National University

San Diego, CA 230.0 miles from Lompoc 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

#7

University of California-Davis

Davis, CA 277.4 miles from Lompoc 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 366.4 miles from Lompoc 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 Lompoc

Lompoc is part of the Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA metro area (BLS area code 42200). 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$93,842
Detective and Criminal Investigator$130,810Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA$120,230
Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officer$120,900Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA$111,121

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.

Lompoc at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population43,819Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$70,038Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+12.8%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)108.8 (above U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Lompoc-Area Cities With Forensic Science Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

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

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying forensic science-related roles near Lompoc are: Detective and Criminal Investigator ($130,810), Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officer ($120,900), 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 Santa Maria instead of Lompoc?

Santa Maria, CA is 18.8 miles from Lompoc 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 Lompoc an affordable place to study forensic science?

Lompoc’s median household income of $70,038 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Lompoc 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 Lompoc

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

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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