Best Online Criminal Justice Programs in Florence, KY (2026)

Florence, Kentucky has a population of about 32,334. The city’s median household income is $68,508 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 26.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. There are 5 accredited criminal justice programs within 100 miles of Florence. In the Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN metro area, the top-earning criminal justice-related role is Attorney at a median $126,530 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2024).


Closest Criminal Justice Schools to Florence

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

SchoolCityDistanceTuitionOnline
Gateway Community and Technical CollegeFlorence, KY1.3 miContact school for pricing
Thomas More UniversityCrestview Hills, KY4.8 miContact school for pricing
Northern Kentucky UniversityHighland Heights, KY10.4 miContact school for pricing
University of Cincinnati-Main CampusCincinnati, OH11.8 miContact school for pricing
Union Institute & UniversityCincinnati, OH12.0 miContact school for pricing

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


Criminal Justice Wages Near Florence

Florence is part of the Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN metro area (BLS area code 17140). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Kentucky statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Attorney$126,530Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN$132,631
Judge or Magistrate$123,120Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN$129,057
Police Supervisor$100,990Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN$105,860
Detective or Criminal Investigator$81,410Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN$85,335
Police or Sheriff’s Patrol Officer$80,410Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN$84,287
Correctional Officer$52,940Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN$55,493
Probation Officer$58,910Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN$61,751
Forensic Science Technician$64,280Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN$67,379
Paralegal or Legal Assistant$61,200Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN$64,151
Information Security Analyst$108,000Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN$113,208

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.


Florence at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population32,334Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$68,508Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+26.3%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)95.4 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Florence-Area Cities With Criminal Justice Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited criminal justice programs are near Florence, KY?

Our directory lists 5 criminal justice programs within 100 miles of Florence. The closest is Gateway Community and Technical College in Florence, KY (1.3 miles), and the farthest in our top picks is Union Institute & University (12.0 miles). 0 of these programs are offered fully online.

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

Based on BLS OEWS May 2024 wage data, the top-paying criminal justice-related roles near Florence are: Attorney ($126,530), Judge or Magistrate ($123,120), Information Security Analyst ($108,000). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Kentucky statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Independence instead of Florence?

Independence, KY is 5.9 miles from Florence 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 Florence an affordable place to study criminal justice?

Florence’s median household income of $68,508 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Florence while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Kentucky 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.