Best Online Criminal Justice Programs in Gaithersburg, MD (2026)

Gaithersburg, Maryland has 5 accredited schools offering criminal justice programs, with tuition ranging from $6,152 to $71,549 per year for indexed programs. Gaithersburg has a population of about 69,225. Median household income is $107,496 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 52.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area, the top-earning criminal justice-related role is Attorney at a median $195,190 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Criminal Justice Schools to Gaithersburg

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

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

Criminal Justice Wages Near Gaithersburg

Gaithersburg is part of the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area (BLS area code 47900). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Maryland statewide.

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.

Gaithersburg at a Glance

Other Gaithersburg-Area Cities With Criminal Justice Programs

• Rockville, MD – 4.7 mi away (66,940 pop)
• Herndon, VA – 14.7 mi away (24,393 pop)
• College Park, MD – 17.8 mi away (32,275 pop)
• Leesburg, VA – 18.4 mi away (52,607 pop)
• Laurel, MD – 19.0 mi away (25,853 pop)

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited criminal justice schools are near Gaithersburg, MD?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering criminal justice programs near Gaithersburg. The closest is Montgomery College in Rockville, MD (3.8 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is University of Maryland Global Campus (16.7 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying criminal justice-related roles near Gaithersburg are: Attorney ($195,190), Detective or Criminal Investigator ($156,750), Information Security Analyst ($148,950). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Maryland statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Rockville instead of Gaithersburg?

Rockville, MD is 4.7 miles from Gaithersburg 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 Gaithersburg an affordable place to study criminal justice?

Gaithersburg’s median household income of $107,496 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Gaithersburg while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Maryland 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

• Criminal Justice accreditation: what to look for
• Criminal Justice concentrations and specializations
• Is a Criminal Justice degree worth it?
• Main Criminal Justice degree guide
• Online Criminal Justice programs in Maryland
• Criminal Justice programs by state

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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.