Best Online Criminal Justice Programs in Atlanta, GA (2026)

Atlanta, Georgia has 5 accredited schools offering criminal justice programs, with tuition ranging from $13,420 to $27,195 per year for indexed programs. Atlanta has a population of about 499,287. Median household income is $81,938 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 58.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA metro area, the top-earning criminal justice-related role is Judge or Magistrate at a median $144,790 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Criminal Justice Schools to Atlanta

The 5 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 5 schools in our directory that offer criminal justice programs near Atlanta. Distances are calculated from Atlanta city center.

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

Criminal Justice Wages Near Atlanta

Atlanta is part of the Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA metro area (BLS area code 12060). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Georgia statewide.

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.

Atlanta at a Glance

Other Atlanta-Area Cities With Criminal Justice Programs

• East Point, GA – 7.0 mi away (35,471 pop)
• Decatur, GA – 7.3 mi away (22,813 pop)
• Smyrna, GA – 8.8 mi away (56,664 pop)
• Brookhaven, GA – 9.4 mi away (52,444 pop)
• Chamblee, GA – 10.9 mi away (28,306 pop)

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited criminal justice schools are near Atlanta, GA?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering criminal justice programs near Atlanta. The closest is Clark Atlanta University in Atlanta, GA (1.1 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Atlanta Technical College (3.6 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying criminal justice-related roles near Atlanta are: Judge or Magistrate ($144,790), Attorney ($138,210), Information Security Analyst ($131,490). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Georgia statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in East Point instead of Atlanta?

East Point, GA is 7.0 miles from Atlanta 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 Atlanta an affordable place to study criminal justice?

Atlanta’s median household income of $81,938 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Atlanta while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Georgia 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 Criminal Justice Programs

• Criminal Justice accreditation: what to look for
• Criminal Justice concentrations and specializations
• Is a Criminal Justice degree worth it?
• Main Criminal Justice degree guide
• Online Criminal Justice programs in Georgia
• Criminal Justice programs by state

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Related from Our Editorial Library

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Data verified: June 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.