Best Online Criminal Justice Programs in Saint Charles, MO (2026)

Saint Charles, Missouri has a population of about 71,048. The city’s median household income is $85,522 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 44.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. There are 5 accredited criminal justice programs within 100 miles of Saint Charles, with tuition ranging from $3,660 to $49,218 per year. In the St. Louis, MO-IL metro area, the top-earning criminal justice-related role is Judge or Magistrate at a median $156,210 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2024).


Closest Criminal Justice Schools to Saint Charles

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

SchoolCityDistanceTuitionOnline
Lindenwood UniversitySaint Charles, MO1.2 miContact school for pricing
Saint Louis Community CollegeBridgeton, MO5.5 mi$3,660 - $12,053
St Charles Community CollegeCottleville, MO7.2 miContact school for pricing
Missouri Baptist UniversitySaint Louis, MO11.0 miContact school for pricing
Webster UniversitySaint Louis, MO17.0 mi$30,730 - $49,218

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


Criminal Justice Wages Near Saint Charles

Saint Charles is part of the St. Louis, MO-IL metro area (BLS area code 41180). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Missouri statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Attorney$128,070St. Louis, MO-IL$134,669
Judge or Magistrate$156,210St. Louis, MO-IL$164,259
Police Supervisor$101,820St. Louis, MO-IL$107,066
Detective or Criminal Investigator$86,200St. Louis, MO-IL$90,641
Police or Sheriff’s Patrol Officer$72,020St. Louis, MO-IL$75,731
Correctional Officer$54,190St. Louis, MO-IL$56,982
Probation Officer$47,840St. Louis, MO-IL$50,305
Forensic Science Technician$64,700St. Louis, MO-IL$68,034
Paralegal or Legal Assistant$58,820St. Louis, MO-IL$61,851
Information Security Analyst$106,250St. Louis, MO-IL$111,725

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.


Saint Charles at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population71,048Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$85,522Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+44.2%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)95.1 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Saint Charles-Area Cities With Criminal Justice Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited criminal justice programs are near Saint Charles, MO?

Our directory lists 5 criminal justice programs within 100 miles of Saint Charles. The closest is Lindenwood University in Saint Charles, MO (1.2 miles), and the farthest in our top picks is Webster University (17.0 miles). 0 of these programs are offered fully online.

What are the highest-paying criminal justice roles near Saint Charles?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2024 wage data, the top-paying criminal justice-related roles near Saint Charles are: Judge or Magistrate ($156,210), Attorney ($128,070), Information Security Analyst ($106,250). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Missouri statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Saint Peters instead of Saint Charles?

Saint Peters, MO is 5.0 miles from Saint Charles 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 Saint Charles an affordable place to study criminal justice?

Saint Charles’s median household income of $85,522 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Saint Charles while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Missouri 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.