Best Online Criminal Justice Programs in East Saint Louis, IL (2026)

East Saint Louis, Illinois has a population of about 18,278. The city’s median household income is $30,992 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 14.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. There are 5 accredited criminal justice programs within 100 miles of East Saint Louis, with tuition ranging from $30,730 to $49,218 per year. In the St. Louis, MO-IL metro area, the top-earning criminal justice-related role is Judge or Magistrate at a median $156,210 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2024).


Closest Criminal Justice Schools to East Saint Louis

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

SchoolCityDistanceTuitionOnline
Harris-Stowe State UniversitySaint Louis, MO5.1 miContact school for pricing
Saint Louis UniversitySaint Louis, MO5.6 miContact school for pricing
Webster UniversitySaint Louis, MO11.7 mi$30,730 - $49,218
Southwestern Illinois CollegeBelleville, IL13.1 miContact school for pricing
Southern Illinois University-EdwardsvilleEdwardsville, IL14.2 miContact school for pricing

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


Criminal Justice Wages Near East Saint Louis

East Saint Louis is part of the St. Louis, MO-IL metro area (BLS area code 41180). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Illinois statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Attorney$128,070St. Louis, MO-IL$134,669
Judge or Magistrate$156,210St. Louis, MO-IL$164,259
Police Supervisor$101,820St. Louis, MO-IL$107,066
Detective or Criminal Investigator$86,200St. Louis, MO-IL$90,641
Police or Sheriff’s Patrol Officer$72,020St. Louis, MO-IL$75,731
Correctional Officer$54,190St. Louis, MO-IL$56,982
Probation Officer$47,840St. Louis, MO-IL$50,305
Forensic Science Technician$64,700St. Louis, MO-IL$68,034
Paralegal or Legal Assistant$58,820St. Louis, MO-IL$61,851
Information Security Analyst$106,250St. Louis, MO-IL$111,725

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.


East Saint Louis at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population18,278Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$30,992Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+14.7%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)95.1 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other East Saint Louis-Area Cities With Criminal Justice Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited criminal justice programs are near East Saint Louis, IL?

Our directory lists 5 criminal justice programs within 100 miles of East Saint Louis. The closest is Harris-Stowe State University in Saint Louis, MO (5.1 miles), and the farthest in our top picks is Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville (14.2 miles). 0 of these programs are offered fully online.

What are the highest-paying criminal justice roles near East Saint Louis?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2024 wage data, the top-paying criminal justice-related roles near East Saint Louis are: Judge or Magistrate ($156,210), Attorney ($128,070), Information Security Analyst ($106,250). 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 Saint Louis instead of East Saint Louis?

Saint Louis, MO is 6.3 miles from East Saint Louis 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 East Saint Louis an affordable place to study criminal justice?

East Saint Louis’s median household income of $30,992 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in East Saint Louis 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.