Best Online Criminal Justice Programs in Bloomington, MN (2026)

Bloomington, Minnesota has a population of about 88,838. The city’s median household income is $90,677 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 45.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. There are 5 accredited criminal justice programs within 100 miles of Bloomington. In the Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI metro area, the top-earning criminal justice-related role is Judge or Magistrate at a median $182,790 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2024).


Closest Criminal Justice Schools to Bloomington

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

SchoolCityDistanceTuitionOnline
Normandale Community CollegeBloomington, MN0.7 miContact school for pricing
St Catherine UniversitySaint Paul, MN9.2 miContact school for pricing
University of St ThomasSaint Paul, MN9.9 miContact school for pricing
Minneapolis Community and Technical CollegeMinneapolis, MN9.9 miContact school for pricing
Capella UniversityMinneapolis, MN10.4 miContact school for pricing

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


Criminal Justice Wages Near Bloomington

Bloomington is part of the Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI metro area (BLS area code 33460). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Minnesota statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Attorney$150,110Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI$143,235
Judge or Magistrate$182,790Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI$174,418
Police Supervisor$108,040Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI$103,092
Detective or Criminal Investigator$84,340Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI$80,477
Police or Sheriff’s Patrol Officer$95,920Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI$91,527
Correctional Officer$75,410Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI$71,956
Probation Officer$77,750Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI$74,189
Forensic Science Technician$73,070Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI$69,723
Paralegal or Legal Assistant$74,750Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI$71,326
Information Security Analyst$129,380Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI$123,454

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.


Bloomington at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population88,838Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$90,677Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+45.3%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)104.8 (above U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Bloomington-Area Cities With Criminal Justice Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited criminal justice programs are near Bloomington, MN?

Our directory lists 5 criminal justice programs within 100 miles of Bloomington. The closest is Normandale Community College in Bloomington, MN (0.7 miles), and the farthest in our top picks is Capella University (10.4 miles). 0 of these programs are offered fully online.

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

Based on BLS OEWS May 2024 wage data, the top-paying criminal justice-related roles near Bloomington are: Judge or Magistrate ($182,790), Attorney ($150,110), Information Security Analyst ($129,380). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Minnesota statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Richfield instead of Bloomington?

Richfield, MN is 3.5 miles from Bloomington 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 Bloomington an affordable place to study criminal justice?

Bloomington’s median household income of $90,677 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Bloomington while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Minnesota 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.