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2025 Best Criminal Justice Associate Degree Schools in California

18 Colleges in California
5,303 Associate Degrees
Ranked #10 in popularity, criminal justice is one of the most sought-after associate degree programs in the nation. This makes choosing the right school a hard decision.

College Factual reviewed 18 schools in California to determine which ones were the best for associate degree seekers in the field of criminal justice. When you put them all together, these colleges and universities awarded 5,303 associate degrees in criminal justice during the 2022-2023 academic year.

What's on this page: * Our Methodology

Choosing a Great Criminal Justice School for Your Associate Degree

Best Criminal Justice Associate Degree Schools in California The criminal justice associate degree program you select can have a big impact on your future. This section explores some of the factors we include in our ranking and how much they vary depending on the school you select. When choosing a school we recommend considering some of the following factors:

Quality Overall Is Important

A school that excels in educating for a particular major and degree level must be a great school overall as well. To take this into account we include a school's overall Best Colleges ranking which itself looks at a combination of different factors like degree completion, educational resources, student body caliber and post-graduation earnings for the school as a whole.

Other Factors We Consider

The metrics below are just some of the other metrics that we use to determine our rankings.

Our full ranking methodology documents in more detail how we consider these factors to identify the best schools for criminal justice students working on their associate degree.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Rankings by Location Check Out Other Locales
More Criminal Justice Rankings Other Ranking Categories

Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we've developed a number of rankings, including this Best Criminal Justice Associate Degree Schools in California list, to help you choose the best school for you.

Best Schools for Associate Students to Study Criminal Justice in California

The following list ranks the best colleges and universities for pursuing an associate degree in criminal justice.

10 Top California Schools for an Associate in Criminal Justice

1
Associate Degree Highest Degree Type
51 Annual Graduates

Every student pursuing a degree in an associate degree in criminal justice needs to take a look at Santa Rosa Junior College. Located in the medium-sized city of Santa Rosa, SRJC is a public college with a large student population.More information about a associate in criminal justice from Santa Rosa Junior College

2
Butte College crest
Butte College
Oroville, CA
Associate Degree Highest Degree Type
57 Annual Graduates

It is difficult to beat Butte College if you want to pursue an associate degree in criminal justice. Butte College is a large public college located in the rural area of Oroville.More information about a associate in criminal justice from Butte College

3
SWC Chula Vista crest
Southwestern College
Chula Vista, CA
Associate Degree Highest Degree Type
148 Annual Graduates

Southwestern College is a wonderful choice for individuals pursuing an associate degree in criminal justice. SWC Chula Vista is a fairly large public college located in the large city of Chula Vista.More information about a associate in criminal justice from Southwestern College

4
Moreno Valley College crest
Moreno Valley College
Moreno Valley, CA
Associate Degree Highest Degree Type
37 Annual Graduates

Moreno Valley College is one of the finest schools in the country for getting an associate degree in criminal justice. Moreno Valley College is a large public college located in the suburb of Moreno Valley.More information about a associate in criminal justice from Moreno Valley College

5
Associate Degree Highest Degree Type
86 Annual Graduates

Located in the medium-sized city of Modesto, MJC is a public college with a large student population.More information about a associate in criminal justice from Modesto Junior College

6
College of the Desert crest
College of the Desert
Palm Desert, CA
Associate Degree Highest Degree Type
65 Annual Graduates

Located in the city of Palm Desert, College of the Desert is a public college with a fairly large student population.More information about a associate in criminal justice from College of the Desert

7
Yuba College crest
Yuba College
Marysville, CA
Associate Degree Highest Degree Type
80 Annual Graduates

Located in the midsize suburb of Marysville, Yuba College is a public college with a moderately-sized student population.More information about a associate in criminal justice from Yuba College

8
East Los Angeles College crest
East Los Angeles College
Monterey Park, CA
Associate Degree Highest Degree Type
228 Annual Graduates

East Los Angeles College is a very large public college located in the suburb of Monterey Park.More information about a associate in criminal justice from East Los Angeles College

9
Associate Degree Highest Degree Type
125 Annual Graduates

Located in the large city of Fresno, Fresno City College is a public college with a fairly large student population.More information about a associate in criminal justice from Fresno City College

10
Sacramento City crest
Sacramento City College
Sacramento, CA
Associate Degree Highest Degree Type
125 Annual Graduates

Located in the city of Sacramento, Sacramento City is a public college with a fairly large student population.More information about a associate in criminal justice from Sacramento City College

Best Criminal Justice Colleges in the Far Western US Region

Explore all the Best Criminal Justice Schools in the Far Western US Area or other specific states within that region.

State Colleges Degrees Awarded
Washington 288 113
Oregon 260 0
Nevada 185 16
Hawaii 79 1

View All Rankings >

One of 21 majors within the Criminal Justice & Corrections area of study, Criminal Justice has other similar majors worth exploring.

Majors Similar to Criminal Justice

Related Major Annual Graduates
Criminal Justice & Police Science 508
Corrections 178
Criminal Justice Studies 25

Notes and References

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