Best Criminal Justice and Corrections Degrees in California by ROI
Colleges in California ranked by estimated 20-year net return on investment — calculated from median graduate earnings, total attendance cost, and average student debt. Data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
Programs in California
54
Colleges with salary data
Average 20-Yr Net ROI
-$179,047
Across California programs
Average Annual Cost
$20,350
Cost of attendance
| # | College | 20-Yr Net ROI | Median Salary | Annual Cost | Avg Debt | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
College of the Canyons
Grad rate: 43.4% |
+$268,894 | $56,469 | $10,243 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 2 |
College of San Mateo
Grad rate: 50.6% |
+$257,630 | $56,069 | $11,875 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 3 |
Mendocino College
Grad rate: 30.8% |
+$189,628 | $53,156 | $16,746 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 4 |
Grossmont College
Grad rate: 29.8% |
+$131,634 | $49,736 | $11,543 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 5 |
Sacramento City College
Grad rate: 28.5% |
+$79,840 | $48,092 | $13,062 | $11,760 | Full ROI → |
| 6 |
Gavilan College
Grad rate: 37.1% |
+$68,992 | $46,498 | $10,484 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 7 |
Mt San Antonio College
Grad rate: 39.6% |
+$35,346 | $44,975 | $12,077 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 8 |
Pasadena City College
Grad rate: 41.1% |
+$23,748 | $44,404 | $12,166 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 9 |
Santa Rosa Junior College
Grad rate: 32.2% |
+$6,362 | $43,683 | $13,649 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 10 |
Southwestern College
Grad rate: 31.4% |
+$686 | $44,006 | $19,717 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 11 |
Yuba College
Grad rate: 30.3% |
-$8,820 | $42,779 | $12,200 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 12 |
Cerritos College
Grad rate: 29.1% |
-$29,798 | $41,351 | $8,409 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 13 |
College of the Sequoias
Grad rate: 31.9% |
-$33,646 | $41,173 | $8,553 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 14 |
College of the Desert
Grad rate: 28.1% |
-$55,266 | $41,242 | $20,053 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 15 |
Rio Hondo College
Grad rate: 26.0% |
-$62,916 | $40,785 | $19,308 | N/A | Full ROI → |
How ROI is calculated
20-Year Net ROI = Gross Earnings (salary × 20) − Total Degree Cost (annual cost × programme years) − Debt Payoff (avg debt × 1.35) − Baseline Opportunity Cost ($42,000 × 20 = $840,000)
A positive ROI means a degree in this field pays off relative to entering the workforce without one. Data from the U.S. College Scorecard.
Find Best Criminal Justice and Corrections Degrees by State
Browse Criminal Justice and Corrections programs ranked by 20-year ROI in every state that offers this degree.