Best Innovation Schools Near Anaheim, CA (2026)

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

Anaheim, California has 52 accredited schools offering innovation programs, with tuition ranging from $1,150 to $48,984 per year for indexed programs. Anaheim has a population of about 344,553. Median household income is $90,583 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 28.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metro area, the top-earning innovation-related role is Computer and Information Systems Manager at a median $204,370 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Innovation Schools to Anaheim

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

#1

Santa Ana College

Santa Ana, CA 5.9 miles from Anaheim BOC Score 65.7
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Graduation rate 31%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $43,552
Avg net price $3,133/yr
Tuition
In‑state$1,180
Out‑of‑state$10,756
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 100%
  • Programs offered: 70

Source:Accreditor: Western Association of Schools and Colleges Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Cypress College

Cypress, CA 9.7 miles from Anaheim BOC Score 49.5
  • 4 year
Graduation rate 30%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $43,533
Avg net price $4,606/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 63

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Biola University

La Mirada, CA 10.2 miles from Anaheim BOC Score 61.2
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 70%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $56,778
Avg net price $31,495/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 85%
  • Programs offered: 26

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Westcliff University

Irvine, CA 10.6 miles from Anaheim BOC Score 51.4
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 67%
Avg net price $35,426/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 73%
  • Programs offered: 24

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

University of California-Irvine

Irvine, CA 13.2 miles from Anaheim BOC Score 90.2
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 29%
Graduation rate 86%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $80,735
Avg net price $14,251/yr
Tuition
In‑state$15,722
Out‑of‑state$49,922
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 94%
  • Programs offered: 28

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

#6

Rio Hondo College

Whittier, CA 16.0 miles from Anaheim 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

#7

University of La Verne

La Verne, CA 18.7 miles from Anaheim BOC Score 62.5
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 71%
Graduation rate 64%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $65,464
Avg net price $20,161/yr
Tuition
In‑state$49,470
Out‑of‑state$49,470
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 70%
  • Programs offered: 30

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

#8

Azusa Pacific University

Azusa, CA 20.2 miles from Anaheim BOC Score 72.9
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 73%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $66,677
Avg net price $22,212/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 84%
  • Programs offered: 41

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Innovation Wages Near Anaheim

Anaheim 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.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
General and Operations Manager$125,830Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA$110,766
Management Analyst$104,930Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA$92,368
Marketing Manager$171,900Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA$151,320
Computer and Information Systems Manager$204,370Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA$179,903

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.

Anaheim at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population344,553Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$90,583Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+28.8%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)113.6 (above U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Anaheim-Area Cities With Innovation Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited innovation schools are near Anaheim, CA?

Our directory has 52 accredited schools offering innovation programs near Anaheim. The closest is Fullerton College in Fullerton, CA (4.3 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Irvine Valley College (12.2 miles). 6 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying innovation roles near Anaheim?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying innovation-related roles near Anaheim are: Computer and Information Systems Manager ($204,370), Marketing Manager ($171,900), General and Operations Manager ($125,830). 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 Placentia instead of Anaheim?

Placentia, CA is 2.9 miles from Anaheim and has its own set of local innovation programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Anaheim an affordable place to study innovation?

Anaheim’s median household income of $90,583 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Anaheim 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 Innovation Programs

Other Programs Available in Anaheim

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

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 Innovation Schools in California: Online Programs (2026)