Best Corrections Schools Near Paducah, KY (2026)

Updated August 11, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Paducah, Kentucky has 3 accredited schools offering corrections programs, with tuition ranging from $4,500 to $9,903 per year for indexed programs. Paducah has a population of about 26,894. Median household income is $51,243 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 28.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Kentucky, the top-earning corrections-related role is First-Line Supervisor of Correctional Officers at a median $62,780 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Corrections Schools to Paducah

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer corrections programs near Paducah, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Paducah city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.

How We Rank Schools

Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS). To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked against schools at the same credential level:

  • Graduation rate 30%
  • Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
  • Average net price (lower is better) 20%
  • Retention rate 15%
  • Fully online availability 10%

Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. On this page, schools are ordered by distance from Paducah. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

#1

Kentucky State University

Frankfort, KY 221.1 miles from Paducah BOC Score 40.3
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 96%
Graduation rate 30%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $36,382
Avg net price $8,040/yr
Tuition
In‑state$9,387
Out‑of‑state$13,658
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 62%
  • Programs offered: 22

Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Eastern Kentucky University

Richmond, KY 242.7 miles from Paducah BOC Score 52.8
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 78%
Graduation rate 50%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $45,795
Avg net price $11,040/yr
Tuition
In‑state$10,320
Out‑of‑state$21,230
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 78%
  • Programs offered: 72

Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

University of Pikeville

Pikeville, KY 337.7 miles from Paducah BOC Score 45.8
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 58%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $48,231
Avg net price $20,311/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 67%
  • Programs offered: 20

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Kentucky schools on the Kentucky corrections page.

Corrections Wages Near Paducah

Paducah is part of the Paducah, KY-IL metro area (BLS area code 37140). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Kentucky statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Correctional Officer and Jailer$39,120Paducah, KY-IL$45,436
Probation Officer and Correctional Treatment Specialist$59,610KY statewide$69,233
First-Line Supervisor of Correctional Officers$62,780KY statewide$72,915
Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officer$59,730Paducah, KY-IL$69,373

Source: BLS, May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.

Paducah at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population26,894Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$51,243Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+28.4%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)86.1 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Paducah-Area Cities With Corrections Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited corrections schools are near Paducah, KY?

Our directory has 3 accredited schools offering corrections programs near Paducah. The closest is Southeastern Illinois College in Harrisburg, IL (48.4 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Rend Lake College (74.8 miles). 1 of the highlighted schools is flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying corrections roles near Paducah?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying corrections-related roles near Paducah are: First-Line Supervisor of Correctional Officers ($62,780), Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officer ($59,730), Probation Officer and Correctional Treatment Specialist ($59,610). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Kentucky statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Murray instead of Paducah?

Murray, KY is 36.2 miles from Paducah and has its own set of local corrections programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Paducah an affordable place to study corrections?

Paducah’s median household income of $51,243 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Paducah while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Kentucky public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.

How do I verify a program is accredited?

Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.

Learn More About Corrections Programs

Other Programs Available in Paducah

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Paducah:

Data verified: August 11, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.

Back to Best Corrections Schools in Kentucky: Online Programs (2026)