Best Online Criminal Justice Programs in Baton Rouge, LA (2026)

Baton Rouge, Louisiana has a population of about 223,699. The city’s median household income is $49,944 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 35.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. Our directory has 20 accredited schools offering criminal justice programs near Baton Rouge, with tuition ranging from $4,219 to $27,314 per year for indexed programs. In the Baton Rouge, LA metro area, the top-earning criminal justice-related role is Attorney at a median $103,990 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2024).


Closest Criminal Justice Schools to Baton Rouge

The 10 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 20 schools in our directory that offer criminal justice programs near Baton Rouge. Distances are calculated from Baton Rouge city center.

SchoolCityDistanceTuitionOnline
Baton Rouge Community CollegeBaton Rouge, LA0.6 mi$4,221 - $16,303
Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady UniversityBaton Rouge, LA3.1 mi$15,690 - $27,314
Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical CollegeBaton Rouge, LA3.4 miContact school for pricing
Southern University and A & M CollegeBaton Rouge, LA6.7 mi$9,940 - $26,076
Southeastern Louisiana UniversityHammond, LA39.8 mi$8,373 - $22,647
Nicholls State UniversityThibodaux, LA48.9 miContact school for pricing
Fletcher Technical Community CollegeSchriever, LA55.3 mi$4,219 - $16,674
University of Louisiana at LafayetteLafayette, LA55.3 mi$10,418 - $24,631
South Louisiana Community CollegeLafayette, LA57.0 miContact school for pricing
Herzing University-New OrleansMetairie, LA65.2 miContact school for pricing

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


Criminal Justice Wages Near Baton Rouge

Baton Rouge is part of the Baton Rouge, LA metro area (BLS area code 12940). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Louisiana statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Attorney$103,990Baton Rouge, LA$114,526
Judge or Magistrate$70,610LA statewide$77,764
Police Supervisor$74,120Baton Rouge, LA$81,630
Detective or Criminal Investigator$59,780Baton Rouge, LA$65,837
Police or Sheriff’s Patrol Officer$51,000Baton Rouge, LA$56,167
Correctional Officer$43,070Baton Rouge, LA$47,434
Probation Officer$57,190Baton Rouge, LA$62,985
Forensic Science Technician$60,270Baton Rouge, LA$66,377
Paralegal or Legal Assistant$50,240Baton Rouge, LA$55,330
Information Security Analyst$95,670Baton Rouge, LA$105,363

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.


Baton Rouge at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population223,699Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$49,944Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+35.8%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)90.8 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Baton Rouge-Area Cities With Criminal Justice Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited criminal justice schools are near Baton Rouge, LA?

Our directory has 20 accredited schools offering criminal justice programs near Baton Rouge. The closest is Baton Rouge Community College in Baton Rouge, LA (0.6 miles), and the farthest in our top picks is Herzing University-New Orleans (65.2 miles). 0 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying criminal justice roles near Baton Rouge?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2024 wage data, the top-paying criminal justice-related roles near Baton Rouge are: Attorney ($103,990), Information Security Analyst ($95,670), Police Supervisor ($74,120). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Louisiana statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Central instead of Baton Rouge?

Central, LA is 9.9 miles from Baton Rouge 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 Baton Rouge an affordable place to study criminal justice?

Baton Rouge’s median household income of $49,944 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Baton Rouge while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Louisiana 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.


Data verified: May 5, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2024; 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.