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

Winchester, Kentucky has 5 accredited schools offering criminal justice programs, with tuition ranging from $4,706 to $13,281 per year for indexed programs. Winchester has a population of about 19,133. Median household income is $57,653 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 21.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Kentucky, the top-earning criminal justice-related role is Judge or Magistrate at a median $150,650 annually (BLS, May 2025).


Closest Criminal Justice Schools to Winchester

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer criminal justice programs near Winchester, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Winchester city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.

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 Winchester. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

#1

Eastern Kentucky University

Richmond, KY 18.9 miles from Winchester BOC Score 52.8
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 78%
Graduation rate 50%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $45,795
Avg net price $11,040/yr
Tuition
In‑state$10,320
Out‑of‑state$21,230
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 78%
  • Programs offered: 72

Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Midway University

Midway, KY 28.0 miles from Winchester BOC Score 32.2
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 50%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $44,246
Avg net price $29,579/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 68%
  • Programs offered: 11

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Kentucky State University

Frankfort, KY 38.9 miles from Winchester BOC Score 40.3
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 96%
Graduation rate 30%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $36,382
Avg net price $8,040/yr
Tuition
In‑state$9,387
Out‑of‑state$13,658
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 62%
  • Programs offered: 22

Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Northern Kentucky University

Highland Heights, KY 72.8 miles from Winchester BOC Score 56.9
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 51%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $50,220
Avg net price $8,191/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 77%
  • Programs offered: 51

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Thomas More University

Crestview Hills, KY 73.5 miles from Winchester BOC Score 46.9
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 47%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $59,384
Avg net price $21,835/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 67%
  • Programs offered: 18

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Campbellsville University

Campbellsville, KY 78.0 miles from Winchester BOC Score 33.5
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 43%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $41,583
Avg net price $19,341/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 62%
  • Programs offered: 44

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Union Commonwealth University

Barbourville, KY 80.0 miles from Winchester BOC Score 30.6
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 40%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $42,002
Avg net price $21,311/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 61%
  • Programs offered: 31

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Sullivan University

Louisville, KY 81.8 miles from Winchester BOC Score 43.9
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 36%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $38,008
Avg net price $25,532/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 40

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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


Criminal Justice Wages Near Winchester

Winchester is part of the Lexington-Fayette, KY metro area (BLS area code 30460). 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$111,040Lexington-Fayette, KY$119,526
Judge or Magistrate$150,650KY statewide$162,164
Police Supervisor$96,140Lexington-Fayette, KY$103,488
Detective or Criminal Investigator$84,900Lexington-Fayette, KY$91,389
Police or Sheriff’s Patrol Officer$61,720Lexington-Fayette, KY$66,437
Correctional Officer$51,510Lexington-Fayette, KY$55,447
Probation Officer$59,610Lexington-Fayette, KY$64,166
Forensic Science Technician$61,470KY statewide$66,168
Paralegal or Legal Assistant$63,640Lexington-Fayette, KY$68,504
Information Security Analyst$102,190Lexington-Fayette, KY$110,000

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.


Winchester at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population19,133Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$57,653Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+21.0%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)92.9 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Winchester-Area Cities With Criminal Justice Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited criminal justice schools are near Winchester, KY?

Accredited schools offering criminal justice programs near Winchester are listed on this page, ranked by BOC Score and distance from the city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS and College Scorecard data on every site update, so it stays current as programs open and close.

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

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying criminal justice-related roles near Winchester are: Judge or Magistrate ($150,650), Attorney ($111,040), Information Security Analyst ($102,190). 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 Lexington instead of Winchester?

Lexington, KY is 14.9 miles from Winchester 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 Winchester an affordable place to study criminal justice?

Winchester’s median household income of $57,653 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Winchester 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.


Learn More About Criminal Justice Programs

Other Programs Available in Winchester

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

Data verified: July 23, 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.