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 the Bakersfield-Delano, CA metro area, the top-earning strategic communications-related role is Marketing Manager at a median $149,960 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Closest Strategic Communications Schools to Ridgecrest
The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer strategic communications 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:
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 Ridgecrest.
Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.
Graduation rate
73%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$66,677
Avg net price
$22,212/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats- Retention rate: 84%
- Programs offered: 41
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
93%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$92,498
Avg net price
$32,740/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats- Retention rate: 96%
- Programs offered: 68
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
62%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$61,504
Avg net price
$26,285/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats- Retention rate: 74%
- Programs offered: 46
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
28%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$42,193
Avg net price
$2,779/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
70%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$56,778
Avg net price
$31,495/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats- Retention rate: 85%
- Programs offered: 26
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
84%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$82,939
Avg net price
$58,098/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats- Retention rate: 87%
- Programs offered: 32
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
82%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$70,070
Avg net price
$46,555/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats- Retention rate: 91%
- Programs offered: 29
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
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all California schools on the California strategic communications page.
Strategic Communications 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) |
|---|
| Public Relations Manager | $137,200 | Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $135,976 |
| Public Relations Specialist | $76,580 | Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $75,897 |
| Marketing Manager | $149,960 | Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $148,622 |
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 Strategic Communications Programs
- Barstow, CA – 63.3 mi away (30,503 pop)
- Lancaster, CA – 71.0 mi away (348,760 pop)
- Arvin, CA – 72.4 mi away (21,380 pop)
- Adelanto, CA – 73.2 mi away (33,391 pop)
- Palmdale, CA – 75.9 mi away (157,356 pop)
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the highest-paying strategic communications roles near Ridgecrest?
Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying strategic communications-related roles near Ridgecrest are: Marketing Manager ($149,960), Public Relations Manager ($137,200), Public Relations Specialist ($76,580). 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 strategic communications 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 strategic communications?
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 Strategic Communications Programs
Other Programs Available in Ridgecrest
Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Ridgecrest:
- Journalism programs in Ridgecrest, CA
- Public Relations programs in Ridgecrest, CA
- Communication Disorders programs in Ridgecrest, CA
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- Technical Communication programs in Ridgecrest, CA
- Professional Writing programs in Ridgecrest, CA
- Business Development programs in Ridgecrest, CA
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- Economics programs in Ridgecrest, CA
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- Forensic Accounting programs in Ridgecrest, CA
- Health Information Management programs in Ridgecrest, CA
- Hospitality Management programs in Ridgecrest, CA
- International Business programs in Ridgecrest, CA
- Organizational Leadership programs in Ridgecrest, CA
- Management Information Systems programs in Ridgecrest, CA
- Nonprofit Management programs in Ridgecrest, CA
- Operations Management programs in Ridgecrest, CA
- Public Administration programs in Ridgecrest, CA
- Real Estate programs in Ridgecrest, CA
- Recreation Management programs in Ridgecrest, CA
- Retail Management programs in Ridgecrest, CA
- Risk Management programs in Ridgecrest, CA
- Statistics programs in Ridgecrest, CA
- Taxation programs in Ridgecrest, CA
- Corrections programs in Ridgecrest, CA
- Crime Analysis programs in Ridgecrest, CA
- Criminal Justice Administration programs in Ridgecrest, CA
- Criminology programs in Ridgecrest, CA
- Cybercrime programs in Ridgecrest, CA
- Emergency Management programs in Ridgecrest, CA
- Fire Science programs in Ridgecrest, CA
- Forensic Science programs in Ridgecrest, CA
- Legal Services programs in Ridgecrest, CA
- Legal Studies programs in Ridgecrest, CA
- Paralegal programs in Ridgecrest, CA
- Security Management programs in Ridgecrest, CA
- Cloud Computing programs in Ridgecrest, CA
- Computer Engineering programs in Ridgecrest, CA
- Innovation programs in Ridgecrest, CA
- Mobile App Development programs in Ridgecrest, CA
- Software Development programs in Ridgecrest, CA
- User Experience programs in Ridgecrest, CA
- Web Development programs in Ridgecrest, CA
- Artificial Intelligence programs in Ridgecrest, CA
- Machine Learning programs in Ridgecrest, CA
- Supply Chain Management programs in Ridgecrest, CA
- Data Analytics programs in Ridgecrest, CA
- Public Health programs in Ridgecrest, CA
- Human Resources programs in Ridgecrest, CA
- Project Management programs in Ridgecrest, CA
- Special Education programs in Ridgecrest, CA
- Homeland Security programs in Ridgecrest, CA
- Marketing programs in Ridgecrest, CA
- Finance programs in Ridgecrest, CA
- Kinesiology programs in Ridgecrest, CA
- Sports Management programs in Ridgecrest, CA
- Early Childhood Education programs in Ridgecrest, CA
- Elementary Education programs in Ridgecrest, CA
- Biology programs in Ridgecrest, CA
- Communications programs in Ridgecrest, CA
- Graphic Design programs in Ridgecrest, CA
- Human Services programs in Ridgecrest, CA
- MBA programs in Ridgecrest, CA
- Criminal Justice programs in Ridgecrest, CA
- Nursing programs in Ridgecrest, CA
- Business Administration programs in Ridgecrest, CA
- Computer Science programs in Ridgecrest, CA
- Psychology programs in Ridgecrest, CA
- Education programs in Ridgecrest, CA
- Engineering programs in Ridgecrest, CA
- Technology programs in Ridgecrest, CA
- Liberal Arts programs in Ridgecrest, CA
- Healthcare programs in Ridgecrest, CA
- Cybersecurity programs in Ridgecrest, CA
- Accounting programs in Ridgecrest, CA
- Healthcare Administration programs in Ridgecrest, CA
- Social Work programs in Ridgecrest, CA
- Counseling programs in Ridgecrest, 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.
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