Best Space Studies Schools Near El Centro, CA (2026)

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

El Centro, California has 1 accredited school offering space studies programs, with tuition ranging from $8,728 to $27,780 per year for indexed programs. El Centro has a population of about 44,186. Median household income is $56,093 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 15.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In California, the top-earning space studies-related role is Natural Sciences Managers at a median $210,230 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Space Studies Schools to El Centro

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

San Diego State University

San Diego, CA 87.9 miles from El Centro
  • 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

#2

California Institute of Technology

Pasadena, CA 175.0 miles from El Centro
  • 4 year
82.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 95%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $128,566
Avg net price $16,075/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 98%
  • Programs offered: 30

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA 178.9 miles from El Centro
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
80.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 93%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $92,498
Avg net price $32,740/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 96%
  • Programs offered: 267

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

University of California-Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA 188.5 miles from El Centro
  • 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

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#5

Naval Postgraduate School

Monterey, CA 444.9 miles from El Centro
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 47

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

University of California-Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz, CA 469.1 miles from El Centro
  • 4 year
  • Accredited
71.8 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 66%
Graduation rate 75%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $68,396
Avg net price $17,890/yr
Tuition
In‑state$16,005
Out‑of‑state$50,205
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 89%
  • Programs offered: 81

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

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#7

University of California-Berkeley

Berkeley, CA 515.6 miles from El Centro
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
93.9 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 11%
Graduation rate 93%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $92,446
Avg net price $13,481/yr
Tuition
In‑state$16,347
Out‑of‑state$50,547
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 97%
  • Programs offered: 127

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

#8

San Francisco State University

San Francisco, CA 518.0 miles from El Centro
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
78.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 67%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $68,077
Avg net price $12,278/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 83%
  • Programs offered: 102

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Space Studies Wages Near El Centro

Occupation Median Annual Wage (California, statewide)
Astronomers $123,540
Physicists $207,490
Aerospace Engineers $157,620
Natural Sciences Managers $210,230
Atmospheric and Space Scientists $124,920
Engineers, All Other $130,850
Atmospheric, Earth, Marine, and Space Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary $133,230
Physical Scientists, All Other $130,610

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.

El Centro at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 44,186 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $56,093 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 15.8% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 95.2 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other El Centro-Area Cities With Space Studies Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited space studies schools are near El Centro, CA?

Our directory has 1 accredited schools offering space studies programs near El Centro. The closest is San Diego State University in San Diego, CA (87.9 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is San Diego State University (87.9 miles). 1 of the highlighted schools is flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying space studies roles in California?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying space studies-related roles in California are: Natural Sciences Managers ($210,230), Physicists ($207,490), Aerospace Engineers ($157,620). Wages for El Centro workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Calexico instead of El Centro?

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

Is El Centro an affordable place to study space studies?

El Centro’s median household income of $56,093 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in El Centro 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 Space Studies Programs

Other Programs Available in El Centro

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

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.

Back to Best Space Studies Schools in California (2026)