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
28
Colleges with salary data
Average 20-Yr Net ROI
-$131,556
Across California programs
Average Annual Cost
$29,048
Cost of attendance
| # | College | 20-Yr Net ROI | Median Salary | Annual Cost | Avg Debt | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
San Jose State University
Grad rate: 66.2% |
+$98,680 | $52,073 | $25,695 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 2 |
California State University-Sacramento
Grad rate: 55.1% |
+$36,148 | $49,278 | $22,714 | $13,745 | Full ROI → |
| 3 |
San Francisco State University
Grad rate: 52.2% |
+$11,538 | $48,541 | $25,258 | $13,518 | Full ROI → |
| 4 |
National University
Grad rate: 44.0% |
-$12,562 | $50,686 | $37,116 | $28,014 | Full ROI → |
| 5 |
Sonoma State University
Grad rate: 60.1% |
-$22,096 | $47,193 | $24,739 | $20,000 | Full ROI → |
| 6 |
California State University-East Bay
Grad rate: 45.5% |
-$23,597 | $46,427 | $22,803 | $15,500 | Full ROI → |
| 7 |
California Baptist University
Grad rate: 61.2% |
-$41,634 | $52,180 | $52,408 | $26,372 | Full ROI → |
| 8 |
California State University-Bakersfield
Grad rate: 49.5% |
-$45,660 | $43,480 | $18,815 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 9 |
California State University-Los Angeles
Grad rate: 52.0% |
-$49,298 | $43,754 | $17,153 | $11,679 | Full ROI → |
| 10 |
California State University-Stanislaus
Grad rate: 56.6% |
-$62,243 | $43,440 | $18,542 | $12,500 | Full ROI → |
| 11 |
California State University-Dominguez Hills
Grad rate: 46.7% |
-$67,221 | $42,556 | $15,449 | $12,256 | Full ROI → |
| 12 |
California Lutheran University
Grad rate: 73.6% |
-$68,812 | $52,663 | $63,768 | $20,000 | Full ROI → |
| 13 |
California State University-San Bernardino
Grad rate: 54.5% |
-$82,497 | $42,264 | $16,910 | $14,917 | Full ROI → |
| 14 |
California State University-Fullerton
Grad rate: 69.3% |
-$83,738 | $41,909 | $16,767 | $11,000 | Full ROI → |
| 15 |
California State University-Long Beach
Grad rate: 71.3% |
-$131,270 | $40,511 | $20,310 | $15,000 | 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.