Best Online Criminal Justice Programs in Worcester, MA (2026)

Worcester, Massachusetts has 5 accredited schools offering criminal justice programs, with tuition ranging from $11,286 to $61,106 per year for indexed programs. Worcester has a population of about 205,501. Median household income is $67,544 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 34.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Massachusetts, the top-earning criminal justice-related role is Judge or Magistrate at a median $221,710 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Criminal Justice Schools to Worcester

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

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

Criminal Justice Wages Near Worcester

Worcester is part of the Worcester, MA metro area (BLS area code 49340). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Massachusetts 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.

Worcester at a Glance

Other Worcester-Area Cities With Criminal Justice Programs

• Marlborough, MA – 14.4 mi away (39,697 pop)
• Leominster, MA – 17.4 mi away (119,538 pop)
• Fitchburg, MA – 22.2 mi away (40,414 pop)
• Gardner, MA – 23.5 mi away (20,430 pop)
• Woonsocket, RI – 24.4 mi away (41,406 pop)

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited criminal justice schools are near Worcester, MA?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering criminal justice programs near Worcester. The closest is Clark University in Worcester, MA (1.6 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Nichols College (17.5 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying criminal justice-related roles near Worcester are: Judge or Magistrate ($221,710), Attorney ($129,400), Information Security Analyst ($128,630). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Massachusetts statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Marlborough instead of Worcester?

Marlborough, MA is 14.4 miles from Worcester 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 Worcester an affordable place to study criminal justice?

Worcester’s median household income of $67,544 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Worcester while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Massachusetts 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 Massachusetts
• 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.