Best Online Criminal Justice Programs in Lawrence, IN (2026)

Lawrence, Indiana has a population of about 49,284. The city’s median household income is $73,455 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 35.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. There are 5 accredited criminal justice programs within 100 miles of Lawrence, with tuition ranging from $35,640 to $49,098 per year. In the Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN metro area, the top-earning criminal justice-related role is Judge or Magistrate at a median $177,180 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2024).


Closest Criminal Justice Schools to Lawrence

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

SchoolCityDistanceTuitionOnline
Martin UniversityIndianapolis, IN7.7 miContact school for pricing
Ivy Tech Community CollegeIndianapolis, IN10.5 miContact school for pricing
Indiana University-IndianapolisIndianapolis, IN11.8 miContact school for pricing
University of IndianapolisIndianapolis, IN13.3 miContact school for pricing
Anderson UniversityAnderson, IN24.2 mi$35,640 - $49,098

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


Criminal Justice Wages Near Lawrence

Lawrence is part of the Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN metro area (BLS area code 26900). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Indiana statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Attorney$135,660Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN$141,755
Judge or Magistrate$177,180Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN$185,141
Police Supervisor$109,320Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN$114,232
Detective or Criminal Investigator$78,550Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN$82,079
Police or Sheriff’s Patrol Officer$80,700Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN$84,326
Correctional Officer$45,710Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN$47,764
Probation Officer$65,390Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN$68,328
Forensic Science Technician$65,770Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN$68,725
Paralegal or Legal Assistant$57,910Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN$60,512
Information Security Analyst$78,290IN statewide$81,808

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.


Lawrence at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population49,284Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$73,455Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+35.4%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)95.7 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Lawrence-Area Cities With Criminal Justice Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited criminal justice programs are near Lawrence, IN?

Our directory lists 5 criminal justice programs within 100 miles of Lawrence. The closest is Martin University in Indianapolis, IN (7.7 miles), and the farthest in our top picks is Anderson University (24.2 miles). 0 of these programs are offered fully online.

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

Based on BLS OEWS May 2024 wage data, the top-paying criminal justice-related roles near Lawrence are: Judge or Magistrate ($177,180), Attorney ($135,660), Police Supervisor ($109,320). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Indiana statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Fishers instead of Lawrence?

Fishers, IN is 6.4 miles from Lawrence 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 Lawrence an affordable place to study criminal justice?

Lawrence’s median household income of $73,455 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Lawrence while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Indiana 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.