Best Intelligence Studies Schools Near Goleta, CA (2026)

Updated September 7, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Goleta, California is home to about 32,693 residents. Median household income is $118,039 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 48.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA metro area, the top-earning intelligence studies-related role is Managers, All Other at a median $167,090 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Intelligence Studies Schools to Goleta

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

California State University-San Bernardino

San Bernardino, CA 145.8 miles from Goleta
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
78.4 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 94%
Graduation rate 55%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $59,977
Avg net price $4,564/yr
Tuition
In‑state$8,093
Out‑of‑state$20,693
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 79%
  • Programs offered: 78

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

#2

Naval Postgraduate School

Monterey, CA 187.4 miles from Goleta
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 47

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey

Monterey, CA 188.4 miles from Goleta
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
92.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 85%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $76,310
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 9

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

San Diego State University

San Diego, CA 197.3 miles from Goleta
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
83.7 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 36%
Graduation rate 77%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $64,909
Avg net price $15,364/yr
Tuition
In‑state$8,728
Out‑of‑state$21,328
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 90%
  • Programs offered: 133

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

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

Intelligence Studies Wages Near Goleta

Goleta 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)
Detectives and Criminal Investigators $130,810 Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA $120,230
Political Scientists N/A CA statewide –
Management Analysts $99,990 Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA $91,903
Compliance Officers $85,780 Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA $78,842
Information Security Analysts $130,770 Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA $120,193
Private Detectives and Investigators $61,250 CA statewide $56,296
Managers, All Other $167,090 Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA $153,575
Business Operations Specialists, All Other $89,340 Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA $82,114

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.

Goleta at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 32,693 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $118,039 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 48.3% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 108.8 (above U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Goleta-Area Cities With Intelligence Studies Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the highest-paying intelligence studies roles near Goleta?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying intelligence studies-related roles near Goleta are: Managers, All Other ($167,090), Detectives and Criminal Investigators ($130,810), Information Security Analysts ($130,770). 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 Barbara instead of Goleta?

Santa Barbara, CA is 8.0 miles from Goleta and has its own set of local intelligence studies programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Goleta an affordable place to study intelligence studies?

Goleta’s median household income of $118,039 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Goleta 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 Intelligence Studies Programs

Other Programs Available in Goleta

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

Data verified: September 7, 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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