Best Online Criminal Justice Programs in Bay City, MI (2026)

Bay City, Michigan has a population of about 32,445. The city’s median household income is $47,904 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 18.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. There are 5 accredited criminal justice programs within 100 miles of Bay City. In Michigan, the top-earning criminal justice-related role is Information Security Analyst at a median $104,540 annually (BLS, May 2024).


Closest Criminal Justice Schools to Bay City

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

SchoolCityDistanceTuitionOnline
Delta CollegeUniversity Center, MI5.2 miContact school for pricing
Saginaw Valley State UniversityUniversity Center, MI6.5 miContact school for pricing
Mott Community CollegeFlint, MI41.3 miContact school for pricing
Central Michigan UniversityMount Pleasant, MI44.3 miContact school for pricing
Mid Michigan CollegeHarrison, MI53.5 miContact school for pricing

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


Criminal Justice Wages Near Bay City

Bay City is part of the Bay City, MI metro area (BLS area code 13020). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Michigan statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Attorney$99,630Bay City, MI$108,411
Judge or Magistrate$51,250MI statewide$55,767
Police Supervisor$99,130MI statewide$107,867
Detective or Criminal Investigator$92,560MI statewide$100,718
Police or Sheriff’s Patrol Officer$70,240Bay City, MI$76,431
Correctional Officer$60,640Bay City, MI$65,985
Probation Officer$63,930Bay City, MI$69,565
Forensic Science Technician$69,040MI statewide$75,125
Paralegal or Legal Assistant$49,000Bay City, MI$53,319
Information Security Analyst$104,540MI statewide$113,754

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.


Bay City at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population32,445Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$47,904Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+18.2%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)91.9 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Bay City-Area Cities With Criminal Justice Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited criminal justice programs are near Bay City, MI?

Our directory lists 5 criminal justice programs within 100 miles of Bay City. The closest is Delta College in University Center, MI (5.2 miles), and the farthest in our top picks is Mid Michigan College (53.5 miles). 0 of these programs are offered fully online.

What are the highest-paying criminal justice roles near Bay City?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2024 wage data, the top-paying criminal justice-related roles near Bay City are: Information Security Analyst ($104,540), Attorney ($99,630), Police Supervisor ($99,130). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Michigan statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Saginaw instead of Bay City?

Saginaw, MI is 12.2 miles from Bay City 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 Bay City an affordable place to study criminal justice?

Bay City’s median household income of $47,904 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Bay City while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Michigan 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.