Best Online Criminal Justice Programs in Belvidere, IL (2026)

Belvidere, Illinois has 5 accredited schools offering criminal justice programs. Belvidere has a population of about 24,510. Median household income is $62,462 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 13.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Illinois, the top-earning criminal justice-related role is Forensic Science Technician at a median $124,790 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Criminal Justice Schools to Belvidere

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

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

Criminal Justice Wages Near Belvidere

Belvidere is part of the Rockford, IL metro area (BLS area code 40420). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Illinois 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.

Belvidere at a Glance

Other Belvidere-Area Cities With Criminal Justice Programs

• Loves Park, IL – 8.8 mi away (23,413 pop)
• Rockford, IL – 10.2 mi away (286,727 pop)
• Machesney Park, IL – 11.3 mi away (22,873 pop)
• Beloit, WI – 20.1 mi away (63,470 pop)
• Woodstock, IL – 22.3 mi away (25,628 pop)

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited criminal justice schools are near Belvidere, IL?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering criminal justice programs near Belvidere. The closest is Rock Valley College in Rockford, IL (7.6 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Blackhawk Technical College (30.7 miles). 3 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying criminal justice-related roles near Belvidere are: Forensic Science Technician ($124,790), Information Security Analyst ($119,400), Detective or Criminal Investigator ($104,150). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Illinois statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Loves Park instead of Belvidere?

Loves Park, IL is 8.8 miles from Belvidere 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 Belvidere an affordable place to study criminal justice?

Belvidere’s median household income of $62,462 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Belvidere while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Illinois 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 Illinois
• Criminal Justice programs by state

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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.