Best Corrections Schools Near Salem, VA (2026)

Salem, Virginia has 3 accredited schools offering corrections programs, with tuition ranging from $5,007 to $12,084 per year for indexed programs. Salem has a population of about 25,477. Median household income is $66,716 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 31.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Virginia, the top-earning corrections-related role is First-Line Supervisor of Correctional Officers at a median $64,190 annually (BLS, May 2025).


Closest Corrections Schools to Salem

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer corrections programs near Salem, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Salem 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 Salem. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

#1

Central Virginia Community College

Lynchburg, VA 48.1 miles from Salem BOC Score 50.4
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Graduation rate 43%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $36,627
Avg net price $6,928/yr
Tuition
In‑state$5,157
Out‑of‑state$11,595
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 37

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

#2

Wytheville Community College

Wytheville, VA 60.5 miles from Salem BOC Score 54.3
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 43%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $34,303
Avg net price $4,622/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 37

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Virginia Highlands Community College

Abingdon, VA 114.9 miles from Salem BOC Score 47.3
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 34%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $32,681
Avg net price $5,375/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 35

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Germanna Community College

Locust Grove, VA 141.3 miles from Salem BOC Score 61.1
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 34%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $39,644
Avg net price $5,541/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 44

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Mountain Empire Community College

Big Stone Gap, VA 152.0 miles from Salem BOC Score 49.2
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 42%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $32,622
Avg net price $8,852/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 34

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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


Corrections Wages Near Salem

Salem is part of the Roanoke, VA metro area (BLS area code 40220). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Virginia statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Correctional Officer and Jailer$50,070Roanoke, VA$53,494
Probation Officer and Correctional Treatment Specialist$57,930Roanoke, VA$61,891
First-Line Supervisor of Correctional Officers$64,190VA statewide$68,579
Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officer$59,900Roanoke, VA$63,996

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.


Salem at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population25,477Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$66,716Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+31.1%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)93.6 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Salem-Area Cities With Corrections Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited corrections schools are near Salem, VA?

Our directory has 3 accredited schools offering corrections programs near Salem. The closest is Central Virginia Community College in Lynchburg, VA (48.1 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Blue Ridge Community College (91.8 miles). 3 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying corrections roles near Salem?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying corrections-related roles near Salem are: First-Line Supervisor of Correctional Officers ($64,190), Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officer ($59,900), Probation Officer and Correctional Treatment Specialist ($57,930). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Virginia statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Roanoke instead of Salem?

Roanoke, VA is 5.4 miles from Salem 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 Salem an affordable place to study corrections?

Salem’s median household income of $66,716 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Salem while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Virginia 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 Salem

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

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.