Best Public Policy Schools Near Ridgecrest, CA (2026)

Updated September 5, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Ridgecrest, California is home to about 28,138 residents. Median household income is $88,107 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 31.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In California, the top-earning public policy-related role is Economists at a median $119,410 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Public Policy Schools to Ridgecrest

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

Pitzer College

Claremont, CA 105.5 miles from Ridgecrest
  • 4 year
64.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 87%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $69,512
Avg net price $34,191/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 94%
  • Programs offered: 53

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Scripps College

Claremont, CA 105.5 miles from Ridgecrest
  • 4 year
64.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 84%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $77,539
Avg net price $36,294/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 91%
  • Programs offered: 53

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

Claremont McKenna College

Claremont, CA 105.7 miles from Ridgecrest
  • 4 year
71.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 92%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $104,736
Avg net price $28,849/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 97%
  • Programs offered: 40

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Pomona College

Claremont, CA 105.9 miles from Ridgecrest
  • 4 year
  • Accredited
77.2 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 7%
Graduation rate 93%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $77,779
Avg net price $19,285/yr
Tuition
In‑state$65,420
Out‑of‑state$65,420
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 97%
  • Programs offered: 42

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

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#5

University of Redlands

Redlands, CA 111.9 miles from Ridgecrest
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
66.0 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 83%
Graduation rate 69%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $72,690
Avg net price $30,031/yr
Tuition
In‑state$60,878
Out‑of‑state$60,878
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 83%
  • Programs offered: 67

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

#6

University of California-Riverside

Riverside, CA 116.2 miles from Ridgecrest
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
84.1 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 76%
Graduation rate 76%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $67,699
Avg net price $14,304/yr
Tuition
In‑state$15,606
Out‑of‑state$49,806
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 88%
  • Programs offered: 87

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

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#7

University of California-Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA 116.5 miles from Ridgecrest
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
93.5 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 9%
Graduation rate 93%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $82,511
Avg net price $12,548/yr
Tuition
In‑state$15,203
Out‑of‑state$49,403
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 97%
  • Programs offered: 161

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

#8

Mount Saint Mary's University

Los Angeles, CA 116.5 miles from Ridgecrest
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
63.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 62%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $72,379
Avg net price $21,413/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 72%
  • Programs offered: 44

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Public Policy Wages Near Ridgecrest

Ridgecrest is part of the Bakersfield-Delano, CA metro area (BLS area code 12540). 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)
Political Scientists N/A CA statewide –
Management Analysts $96,580 Bakersfield-Delano, CA $95,719
Economists $119,410 CA statewide $118,345
Social and Community Service Managers $75,600 Bakersfield-Delano, CA $74,926
Survey Researchers $83,520 CA statewide $82,775
Compliance Officers $80,040 Bakersfield-Delano, CA $79,326
General and Operations Managers $104,460 Bakersfield-Delano, CA $103,528
Financial and Investment Analysts $101,230 Bakersfield-Delano, CA $100,327

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.

Ridgecrest at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 28,138 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $88,107 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 31.7% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 100.9 (above U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Ridgecrest-Area Cities With Public Policy Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the highest-paying public policy roles near Ridgecrest?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying public policy-related roles near Ridgecrest are: Economists ($119,410), General and Operations Managers ($104,460), Financial and Investment Analysts ($101,230). 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 Barstow instead of Ridgecrest?

Barstow, CA is 63.3 miles from Ridgecrest and has its own set of local public policy programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Ridgecrest an affordable place to study public policy?

Ridgecrest’s median household income of $88,107 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Ridgecrest 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 Public Policy Programs

Other Programs Available in Ridgecrest

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

Data verified: September 5, 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 Public Policy Schools in California (2026)