Santa Barbara, California has 5 accredited schools offering forensic science programs, with tuition ranging from $1,144 to $19,760 per year for indexed programs. Santa Barbara has a population of about 88,024. Median household income is $101,672 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 50.2% 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 Santa Barbara
The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer forensic science programs near Santa Barbara, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Santa Barbara 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 Santa Barbara.
Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.
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
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
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 Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara 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.
| Occupation | Median Wage | Source | COL-Adjusted (US=100) |
|---|
| Forensic Science Technician | $102,100 | CA statewide | $93,842 |
| Detective and Criminal Investigator | $130,810 | Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $120,230 |
| Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officer | $120,900 | Santa 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.
Santa Barbara at a Glance
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|
| Population | 88,024 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003) |
| Median household income | $101,672 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013) |
| Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ | 50.2% | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003) |
| Regional Price Parity (US=100) | 108.8 (above U.S. average) | BEA RPP 2024 |
Other Santa Barbara-Area Cities With Forensic Science Programs
- Goleta, CA – 8.0 mi away (30,850 pop)
- Oxnard, CA – 34.7 mi away (385,837 pop)
- Port Hueneme, CA – 34.8 mi away (22,277 pop)
- Santa Paula, CA – 37.5 mi away (30,770 pop)
- Camarillo, CA – 41.7 mi away (74,152 pop)
Frequently Asked Questions
How many accredited forensic science schools are near Santa Barbara, CA?
Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering forensic science programs near Santa Barbara. The closest is Abraham Lincoln University in Glendale, CA (85.8 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Long Beach City College (99.5 miles). 2 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.
What are the highest-paying forensic science roles near Santa Barbara?
Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying forensic science-related roles near Santa Barbara 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 Goleta instead of Santa Barbara?
Goleta, CA is 8.0 miles from Santa Barbara 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 Santa Barbara an affordable place to study forensic science?
Santa Barbara’s median household income of $101,672 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Santa Barbara 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 Santa Barbara
Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Santa Barbara:
- Business Development programs in Santa Barbara, CA
- Construction Management programs in Santa Barbara, CA
- Economics programs in Santa Barbara, CA
- Financial Technology programs in Santa Barbara, CA
- Forensic Accounting programs in Santa Barbara, CA
- Health Information Management programs in Santa Barbara, CA
- Hospitality Management programs in Santa Barbara, CA
- International Business programs in Santa Barbara, CA
- Organizational Leadership programs in Santa Barbara, CA
- Management Information Systems programs in Santa Barbara, CA
- Nonprofit Management programs in Santa Barbara, CA
- Operations Management programs in Santa Barbara, CA
- Public Administration programs in Santa Barbara, CA
- Real Estate programs in Santa Barbara, CA
- Recreation Management programs in Santa Barbara, CA
- Retail Management programs in Santa Barbara, CA
- Risk Management programs in Santa Barbara, CA
- Statistics programs in Santa Barbara, CA
- Taxation programs in Santa Barbara, CA
- Corrections programs in Santa Barbara, CA
- Crime Analysis programs in Santa Barbara, CA
- Criminal Justice Administration programs in Santa Barbara, CA
- Criminology programs in Santa Barbara, CA
- Cybercrime programs in Santa Barbara, CA
- Emergency Management programs in Santa Barbara, CA
- Fire Science programs in Santa Barbara, CA
- Legal Services programs in Santa Barbara, CA
- Legal Studies programs in Santa Barbara, CA
- Paralegal programs in Santa Barbara, CA
- Security Management programs in Santa Barbara, CA
- Cloud Computing programs in Santa Barbara, CA
- Computer Engineering programs in Santa Barbara, CA
- Innovation programs in Santa Barbara, CA
- Mobile App Development programs in Santa Barbara, CA
- Software Development programs in Santa Barbara, CA
- User Experience programs in Santa Barbara, CA
- Web Development programs in Santa Barbara, CA
- Artificial Intelligence programs in Santa Barbara, CA
- Machine Learning programs in Santa Barbara, CA
- Supply Chain Management programs in Santa Barbara, CA
- Data Analytics programs in Santa Barbara, CA
- Public Health programs in Santa Barbara, CA
- Human Resources programs in Santa Barbara, CA
- Project Management programs in Santa Barbara, CA
- Special Education programs in Santa Barbara, CA
- Homeland Security programs in Santa Barbara, CA
- Marketing programs in Santa Barbara, CA
- Finance programs in Santa Barbara, CA
- Kinesiology programs in Santa Barbara, CA
- Sports Management programs in Santa Barbara, CA
- Early Childhood Education programs in Santa Barbara, CA
- Elementary Education programs in Santa Barbara, CA
- Biology programs in Santa Barbara, CA
- Communications programs in Santa Barbara, CA
- Graphic Design programs in Santa Barbara, CA
- Human Services programs in Santa Barbara, CA
- MBA programs in Santa Barbara, CA
- Criminal Justice programs in Santa Barbara, CA
- Nursing programs in Santa Barbara, CA
- Business Administration programs in Santa Barbara, CA
- Computer Science programs in Santa Barbara, CA
- Psychology programs in Santa Barbara, CA
- Education programs in Santa Barbara, CA
- Engineering programs in Santa Barbara, CA
- Technology programs in Santa Barbara, CA
- Liberal Arts programs in Santa Barbara, CA
- Healthcare programs in Santa Barbara, CA
- Cybersecurity programs in Santa Barbara, CA
- Accounting programs in Santa Barbara, CA
- Healthcare Administration programs in Santa Barbara, CA
- Social Work programs in Santa Barbara, CA
- Counseling programs in Santa Barbara, 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)
