Criminology · California

Criminology colleges in California

CampusPin lists 279 U.S. colleges in California that offer Criminology programs. Compare tuition, acceptance rate, and enrollment in the table below, every figure links back to the institution's official IPEDS data.

Criminology applies social science to understand why crime happens, how offenders behave, and how laws, courts, and corrections respond, suiting students drawn to research and policy.

Schools in California that offer Criminology

Criminology programs in California: by the numbers

A quick comparison of the 50 schools (of 279 total) listed above, drawn from each institution's published IPEDS data.

Schools listed

279

Public / private

19 / 31

Universities / 2-year

41 / 9

Cities represented

36

In-state tuition range

$1,104–$63,255

Median in-state tuition

$15,195

Lowest published in-state tuition

Barstow Community College

$1,104

Most selective

California Institute of Technology

3% acceptance

Largest by enrollment

California State University-Fullerton

41,793 students

Figures reflect the schools currently listed and each institution's most recent reported data. Verify current tuition and admissions details with the school before applying.

What you'll study in a Criminology program

  • Criminological theory and explanations of offending
  • Research methods and study design for social science
  • Quantitative analysis of crime and justice data
  • Penology, corrections, and the study of recidivism
  • Criminal law and the structure of the justice system
  • Victimology and the impact of crime on victims
  • Policing, courts, and corrections as social institutions
  • Juvenile delinquency and life-course patterns of crime
  • Crime policy analysis and program evaluation

Where a Criminology degree can lead

  • Criminologist
  • Crime Analyst
  • Research Analyst
  • Corrections Specialist
  • Victim Advocate
  • Policy Researcher

Typical pay: Early-career wages vary by employer, region, and experience (BLS, 2024 sociologists median $101,690).

Criminology students examine crime as a social problem: what drives offending, how victims are affected, and how the institutions built to respond, from policing and courts to prisons and parole, actually function. Coursework blends sociology, psychology, and law, with students reading criminological theory, analyzing patterns in offense data, debating how societies define and punish wrongdoing, and studying specific issues like recidivism, rehabilitation, juvenile offending, and policy reform. Unlike criminal justice, which trains people for the operational roles of officer, court clerk, or correctional staff, criminology centers on the why behind crime, leaning on research design and statistical analysis to test ideas and inform decisions rather than on day-to-day enforcement procedure.

Many entry roles are open to graduates of a bachelor's program, while research, analysis, and faculty positions in this field often expect a master's degree, and some applied research careers favor doctoral training; aspiring students should verify the requirements for their intended role. Programs typically culminate in a capstone project, a research methods sequence, or a supervised internship with an agency or nonprofit rather than a clinical placement or studio. There is no single license tied to the major itself, though work in certain government or analytic settings can require background clearance, which should be confirmed locally. Graduates work in law enforcement and intelligence analysis units, courts and corrections agencies, victim-services and advocacy organizations, research institutes, think tanks, and public-policy offices.

In federal data for the closely related occupation of sociologists, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a 2024 median wage of $101,690 and projects employment to grow about 3.6% from 2024 to 2034; a master's degree is the typical entry-level education for that occupation. National figures are occupation-wide medians across all experience levels, not starting wages or graduate outcomes.

Criminology in other states

Other majors in California

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Use CampusPin's filter-first search to narrow 279+ Criminology programs in California by tuition, school size, acceptance rate, and campus setting.

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