Best Forensic Science Schools Near Montclair, CA (2026)

Montclair, California has 5 accredited schools offering forensic science programs, with tuition ranging from $1,388 to $21,391 per year for indexed programs. Montclair has a population of about 37,809. Median household income is $76,338 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 17.8% 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 Montclair

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

Norco College

Norco, CA 12.9 miles from Montclair
  • 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

#2

California Baptist University

Riverside, CA 18.4 miles from Montclair
  • 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

Riverside City College

Riverside, CA 19.3 miles from Montclair
  • 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

#4

Rio Hondo College

Whittier, CA 19.5 miles from Montclair
  • 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

#5

East Los Angeles College

Monterey Park, CA 25.9 miles from Montclair
  • 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

#6

California State University-Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA 27.0 miles from Montclair
  • 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

Long Beach City College

Long Beach, CA 30.0 miles from Montclair
  • 2 year
43.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 24%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $38,870
Avg net price $6,202/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 105

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Moreno Valley College

Moreno Valley, CA 31.1 miles from Montclair
  • 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

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


Forensic Science Wages Near Montclair

Montclair 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.


Montclair at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population37,809Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$76,338Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+17.8%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)106.4 (above U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Montclair-Area Cities With Forensic Science Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

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

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering forensic science programs near Montclair. The closest is Norco College in Norco, CA (12.9 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is East Los Angeles College (25.9 miles). 2 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying forensic science-related roles near Montclair 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 Pomona instead of Montclair?

Pomona, CA is 3.8 miles from Montclair 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 Montclair an affordable place to study forensic science?

Montclair’s median household income of $76,338 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Montclair 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 Montclair

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

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.