Best Online Criminal Justice Programs in Wilmington, DE (2026)

Wilmington, Delaware has a population of about 71,124. The city’s median household income is $55,269 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 33.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. There are 5 accredited criminal justice programs within 100 miles of Wilmington, with tuition ranging from $12,330 to $24,633 per year. In the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro area, the top-earning criminal justice-related role is Judge or Magistrate at a median $200,150 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2024).


Closest Criminal Justice Schools to Wilmington

The five accredited institutions below are the closest options indexed in our directory that offer criminal justice programs. Distances are calculated from Wilmington city center.

SchoolCityDistanceTuitionOnline
Strayer University-DelawareWilmington, DE1.2 mi$13,920
Goldey-Beacom CollegeWilmington, DE1.2 mi$13,440 - $24,633
Salem Community CollegeCarneys Point, NJ3.7 miContact school for pricing
Wilmington UniversityNew Castle, DE4.7 mi$12,330 - $19,326
Neumann UniversityAston, PA10.6 miContact school for pricing

Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Delaware schools on the Delaware criminal justice page.


Criminal Justice Wages Near Wilmington

Wilmington is part of the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro area (BLS area code 37980). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Delaware statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Attorney$148,030Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD$144,279
Judge or Magistrate$200,150Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD$195,078
Police Supervisor$120,960Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD$117,895
Detective or Criminal Investigator$98,740Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD$96,238
Police or Sheriff’s Patrol Officer$90,640Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD$88,343
Correctional Officer$64,520Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD$62,885
Probation Officer$73,890Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD$72,018
Forensic Science Technician$58,120Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD$56,647
Paralegal or Legal Assistant$63,010Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD$61,413
Information Security Analyst$124,270Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD$121,121

Source: BLS, May 2024 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.


Wilmington at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population71,124Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$55,269Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+33.1%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)102.6 (above U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Wilmington-Area Cities With Criminal Justice Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited criminal justice programs are near Wilmington, DE?

Our directory lists 5 criminal justice programs within 100 miles of Wilmington. The closest is Strayer University-Delaware in Wilmington, DE (1.2 miles), and the farthest in our top picks is Neumann University (10.6 miles). 0 of these programs are offered fully online.

What are the highest-paying criminal justice roles near Wilmington?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2024 wage data, the top-paying criminal justice-related roles near Wilmington are: Judge or Magistrate ($200,150), Attorney ($148,030), Information Security Analyst ($124,270). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Delaware statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Chester instead of Wilmington?

Chester, PA is 11.3 miles from Wilmington and has its own set of local criminal justice programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Wilmington an affordable place to study criminal justice?

Wilmington’s median household income of $55,269 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Wilmington while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Delaware 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.