Best Online Criminal Justice Programs in Hays, KS (2026)

Updated June 11, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Hays, Kansas has 5 accredited schools offering criminal justice programs, with tuition ranging from $32,200 to $44,836 per year for indexed programs. Hays has a population of about 21,078. Median household income is $56,861 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 43.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Kansas, the top-earning criminal justice-related role is Judge or Magistrate at a median $148,910 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Criminal Justice Schools to Hays

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

How We Rank Schools

Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS). To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked against schools at the same credential level:

  • Graduation rate 30%
  • Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
  • Average net price (lower is better) 20%
  • Retention rate 15%
  • Fully online availability 10%

Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. On this page, schools are ordered by distance from Hays. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

#1

Fort Hays State University

Hays, KS 1.4 miles from Hays BOC Score59.6
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

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#2

Barton County Community College

Great Bend, KS 45.9 miles from Hays BOC Score50.8
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

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#3

Sterling College

Sterling, KS 75.5 miles from Hays BOC Score30.9
Published tuition$32,200 - $44,836
Online programsYes

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#4

Dodge City Community College

Dodge City, KS 85.6 miles from Hays BOC Score45.2
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programs--

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#5

Barclay College

Haviland, KS 88.0 miles from Hays BOC Score23.3
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

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

Criminal Justice Wages Near Hays

OccupationMedian Annual Wage (Kansas, statewide)
Attorney$106,650
Judge or Magistrate$148,910
Police Supervisor$82,950
Detective or Criminal Investigator$75,740
Police or Sheriff’s Patrol Officer$59,230
Correctional Officer$56,120
Probation Officer$61,890
Forensic Science TechnicianN/A
Paralegal or Legal Assistant$55,000
Information Security Analyst$100,620

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.

Hays at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population21,078Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$56,861Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+43.9%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)

Other Hays-Area Cities With Criminal Justice Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited criminal justice schools are near Hays, KS?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering criminal justice programs near Hays. The closest is Fort Hays State University in Hays, KS (1.4 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Barclay College (88.0 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying criminal justice roles in Kansas?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying criminal justice-related roles in Kansas are: Judge or Magistrate ($148,910), Attorney ($106,650), Information Security Analyst ($100,620). Wages for Hays workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Dodge City instead of Hays?

Dodge City, KS is 86.1 miles from Hays 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 Hays an affordable place to study criminal justice?

Hays’s median household income of $56,861 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Hays while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Kansas 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

Other Programs Available in Hays

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Hays:

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.

Back to Best Online Criminal Justice Programs in Kansas (2026)

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