2023 Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Associate Degree Colleges for Veterans in California
24
Ranked Colleges
7,647
Degrees Awarded
$27,490
Avg Salary
When it comes to choosing a college, veterans have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Most Veteran Friendly in California for Criminal Justice for an Associate” ranking - to help you make that decision.
Criminal Justice & Corrections is one of the most popular majors in the nation, ranking 7th of all the majors we analyze. In 2020-2021, 113,121 degrees were awarded to students with this major. In 2019-2020, criminal justice and corrections graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $35,465 and had an average of $25,425 in loans still to pay off.
Across California, there were 15,960 criminal justice and corrections graduates with average earnings and debt of $32,381 and $19,225 respectively. At the associate degree level specifically, there were 7,647 criminal justice and corrections graduates with average earnings and debt of $38,972 and $17,699 respectively.
This year’s “Most Veteran Friendly in California for Criminal Justice for an Associate” ranking looked at 24 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in criminal justice and corrections. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great criminal justice and corrections programs and a strong support system for veterans and active service members.
Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the criminal justice and corrections program at the school, veteran affordability, and veteran population. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.
One Size Does Not Fit All
The criminal justice school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Most Veteran Friendly in California for Criminal Justice for an Associate”.
In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head! If you don’t have time right now, you can bookmark it for later.
Most Veteran Friendly in California for Criminal Justice for an Associate
The following schools top our list of the Best “Most Veteran Friendly in California for Criminal Justice for an Associate”.
Top 24 Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Associate Degree Colleges for Veterans in California
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Southwestern College. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in California for Criminal Justice for an Associate list. Southwestern College is a public institution located in Chula Vista, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 190 associates’s degrees in 2020-2021.
SWC Chula Vista not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #3 on our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Associate Degree Schools in California” list.Among the 17,621 students enrolled at Southwestern College, 941 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 562 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $427. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
Read More…
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Golden West College. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in California for Criminal Justice for an Associate list. Huntington Beach, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associates’s criminal justice degrees to 117 students in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our california associate degree vets studying criminal justice list, Golden West College has also earned the #1 rank in our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Associate Degree Schools in California” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 160 of the 11,396 students enrolled at Golden West College were GI Bill® students, of which 126 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $442. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
Read More…
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Santa Rosa Junior College. The school came in at #3 for the Most Veteran Friendly in California for Criminal Justice for an Associate. Located in Santa Rosa, California, this fairly large public school handed out 68 degrees to qualified associates’s criminal justice students in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at SRJC, the school also landed the #2 spot in our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Associate Degree Schools in California” ranking.Of the 16,757 students enrolled at SRJC, 289 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 223 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $578. During this same period, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
Full SRJC Veteran Student Life Report
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Napa Valley College. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in California for Criminal Justice for an Associate list. Napa Valley College is a public institution located in Napa, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 41 associates’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Napa Valley College also took the #7 spot in our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Associate Degree Schools in California” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 93 of the 4,931 students enrolled at Napa Valley College were GI Bill® students, of which 61 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $877. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Napa Valley College offers credit for military training for eligible students.
[Read full report on veteran student life at Napa Valley College]](/colleges/napa-valley-college/student-life/veterans/)
Out of the 24 schools in the Most Veteran Friendly in California for Criminal Justice for an Associate that were part of this year’s ranking, Fresno City College landed the #5 spot on the list. Fresno, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associates’s criminal justice degrees to 148 students in 2020-2021.
Fresno City College also took the #6 spot in our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Associate Degree Schools in California” ranking.Of the 22,278 students enrolled at Fresno City College, 370 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 210 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $329. During this same period, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
[Read full report on veteran student life at Fresno City College]](/colleges/fresno-city-college/student-life/veterans/)
San Diego Miramar College landed the #6 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in California for Criminal Justice for an Associate ranking. San Diego Miramar College is a public institution located in San Diego, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 118 associates’s degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at San Diego Miramar College, the school also landed the #11 spot in our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Associate Degree Schools in California” ranking.According to our most recent data, San Diego Miramar College supports 13,408 students, and 661 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 483 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $405. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
[Read full report on veteran student life at San Diego Miramar College]](/colleges/san-diego-miramar-college/student-life/veterans/)
College of the Sequoias came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly in California for Criminal Justice for an Associate ranking. College of the Sequoias is a fairly large public school situated in Visalia, California. It awarded 129 associates’s criminal justice degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our california associate degree vets studying criminal justice list, College of the Sequoias has also earned the #16 rank in our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Associate Degree Schools in California” ranking.According to our most recent data, College of the Sequoias supports 12,571 students, and 201 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 120 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $336. During this same period, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
Read More…
Ventura College did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in California for Criminal Justice for an Associate ranking, coming in at #8. Ventura College is a fairly large school located in Ventura, California that handed out 131 associates’s criminal justice degrees in 2020-2021.
Ventura College not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #18 on our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Associate Degree Schools in California” list.Of the 11,789 students enrolled at Ventura College, 275 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 213 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $458. During this same period, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
Full Ventura College Veteran Student Life Report
West Hills College-Lemoore did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in California for Criminal Justice for an Associate ranking, coming in at #9. West Hills College-Lemoore is a public institution located in Lemoore, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 67 associates’s degrees in 2020-2021.
West Hills College-Lemoore also took the #19 spot in our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Associate Degree Schools in California” ranking.According to our most recent data, West Hills College-Lemoore supports 3,932 students, and 86 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 47 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $606. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
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Santa Ana College landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in California for Criminal Justice for an Associate ranking. This large school is located in Santa Ana, California, and it awarded 80 associates’s criminal justice degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at SAC, the school also landed the #9 spot in our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Associate Degree Schools in California” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 283 of the 20,118 students enrolled at SAC were GI Bill® students, of which 222 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $355. During this same period, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. SAC offers credit for military training for eligible students.
[Read full report on veteran student life at Santa Ana College]](/colleges/santa-ana-college/student-life/veterans/)
San Joaquin Delta College did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in California for Criminal Justice for an Associate ranking, coming in at #11. San Joaquin Delta College is located in Stockton, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 115 associates’s criminal justice degrees to qualified students.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Delta, the school also landed the #14 spot in our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Associate Degree Schools in California” ranking.According to our most recent data, Delta supports 18,224 students, and 151 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 43 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $812. During this same period, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
Full Delta Veteran Student Life Report
Victor Valley College landed the #12 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in California for Criminal Justice for an Associate ranking. Victor Valley College is located in Victorville, California and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 99 associates’s criminal justice degrees to qualified students.
In addition to being on our california associate degree vets studying criminal justice list, Victor Valley College has also earned the #20 rank in our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Associate Degree Schools in California” ranking.According to our most recent data, Victor Valley College supports 10,777 students, and 369 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 185 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $408. During this same period, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Victor Valley College does offer credit for military training for eligible students.
Full Victor Valley College Veteran Student Life Report
Mt. San Antonio College landed the #13 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in California for Criminal Justice for an Associate ranking. Mt. SAC is a large public school situated in Walnut, California. It awarded 108 associates’s criminal justice degrees in 2020-2021.
Mt. SAC did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #10 on our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Associate Degree Schools in California” list.Our most recent data shows that 581 of the 28,393 students enrolled at Mt. San Antonio College were GI Bill® students, of which 435 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $276. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
Full Mt. San Antonio College Veteran Student Life Report
East Los Angeles College came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly in California for Criminal Justice for an Associate ranking. This large school is located in Monterey Park, California, and it awarded 388 associates’s criminal justice degrees in 2020-2021.
East Los Angeles College did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #4 on our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Associate Degree Schools in California” list.Among the 33,397 students enrolled at East Los Angeles College, 198 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 139 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $377. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program.
Full East Los Angeles College Veteran Student Life Report
Sacramento City College came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly in California for Criminal Justice for an Associate ranking. Located in Sacramento, California, this fairly large public school awarded 132 diplomas to qualified associates’s criminal justice students in 2020-2021.
Sacramento City also made our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Associate Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #8.Of the 20,027 students enrolled at Sacramento City, 421 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 270 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $365. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
Read More…
Moreno Valley College landed the #16 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in California for Criminal Justice for an Associate ranking. Moreno Valley, California is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associates’s criminal justice degrees to 53 students in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our california associate degree vets studying criminal justice list, Moreno Valley College has also earned the #5 rank in our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Associate Degree Schools in California” ranking.According to our most recent data, Moreno Valley College supports 9,158 students, and 171 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 111 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $375. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Moreno Valley College does offer credit for military training for eligible students.
Read More…
El Camino College did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in California for Criminal Justice for an Associate ranking, coming in at #17. This fairly large school is located in Torrance, California, and it awarded 105 associates’s criminal justice degrees in 2020-2021.
El Camino College also took the #12 spot in our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Associate Degree Schools in California” ranking.Among the 20,418 students enrolled at El Camino College, 282 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 175 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $432. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program.
Read More…
Reedley College landed the #18 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in California for Criminal Justice for an Associate ranking. Reedley College is a public institution located in Reedley, California. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 67 associates’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Reedley College also took the #21 spot in our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Associate Degree Schools in California” ranking.According to our most recent data, Reedley College supports 6,796 students, and 111 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 58 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $3,918. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
Full Reedley College Veteran Student Life Report
With a ranking of #19, Riverside City College did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in California for Criminal Justice for an Associate list. Riverside City College is a fairly large school located in Riverside, California that handed out 118 associates’s criminal justice degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our california associate degree vets studying criminal justice list, Riverside City College has also earned the #13 rank in our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Associate Degree Schools in California” ranking.Among the 20,080 students enrolled at Riverside City College, 327 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 195 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $295. To help with additional expenses, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
Read More…
Antelope Valley College came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly in California for Criminal Justice for an Associate ranking. Antelope Valley College is a fairly large school located in Lancaster, California that handed out 140 associates’s criminal justice degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Antelope Valley College, the school also landed the #22 spot in our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Associate Degree Schools in California” ranking.According to our most recent data, Antelope Valley College supports 12,057 students, and 232 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 116 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $315. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program.
[Read full report on veteran student life at Antelope Valley College]](/colleges/antelope-valley-college/student-life/veterans/)
College of the Desert came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly in California for Criminal Justice for an Associate ranking. College of the Desert is located in Palm Desert, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 87 associates’s criminal justice degrees to qualified students.
College of the Desert did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #17 on our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Associate Degree Schools in California” list.Among the 10,932 students enrolled at College of the Desert, 203 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 128 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $436. During this same period, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program.
[Read full report on veteran student life at College of the Desert]](/colleges/college-of-the-desert/student-life/veterans/)
Humphreys University - Stockton and Modesto Campuses did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in California for Criminal Justice for an Associate ranking, coming in at #22. Humphreys University is located in Stockton, California and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 10 associates’s criminal justice degrees to qualified students.
In addition to being on our california associate degree vets studying criminal justice list, Humphreys University has also earned the #24 rank in our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Associate Degree Schools in California” ranking.According to our most recent data, Humphreys University - Stockton and Modesto Campuses supports 401 students, and 13 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 7 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $8,202. To help with additional expenses, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 100%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
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Platt College - Ontario did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in California for Criminal Justice for an Associate ranking, coming in at #23. Platt College - Ontario is a small private for-profit school situated in Ontario, California. It awarded 9 associates’s criminal justice degrees in 2020-2021.
According to our most recent data, Platt College - Ontario supports 522 students, and 65 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 60 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $16,208. On top of their other funding sources, 8 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Read More…
West Hills College-Coalinga did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in California for Criminal Justice for an Associate ranking, coming in at #24. West Hills College-Coalinga is located in Coalinga, California and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 29 associates’s criminal justice degrees to qualified students.
West Hills College-Coalinga also made our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Associate Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #25.According to our most recent data, West Hills College-Coalinga supports 4,229 students, and 11 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 8 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $960. To help with additional expenses, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
Full West Hills College-Coalinga Veteran Student Life Report
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Notes and References
References
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
- Veteran-specific data can be found at the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs.
- Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.
Read more about our data sources and methodologies
- *Avg Salary and Avg 4-Year Grad Rate are for the top schools only.
- **GI Bill® student total includes all chapters of the GI Bill® program (e.g., Post-9/11, Montgomery GI Bill, Reserve Education Assistance Program, and Veteran Readiness and Employment)
- Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.
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