Best Online Criminal Justice Programs in Lincoln, NE (2026)

Lincoln, Nebraska has 5 accredited schools offering criminal justice programs. Lincoln has a population of about 291,932. Median household income is $69,991 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 41.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Lincoln, NE metro area, the top-earning criminal justice-related role is Judge or Magistrate at a median $208,180 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Criminal Justice Schools to Lincoln

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

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

Criminal Justice Wages Near Lincoln

Lincoln is part of the Lincoln, NE metro area (BLS area code 30700). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Nebraska 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.

Lincoln at a Glance

Other Lincoln-Area Cities With Criminal Justice Programs

• Fremont, NE – 44.8 mi away (27,598 pop)
• Bellevue, NE – 45.5 mi away (53,505 pop)
• Omaha, NE – 45.6 mi away (792,463 pop)
• Council Bluffs, IA – 52.3 mi away (62,524 pop)
• Columbus, NE – 55.7 mi away (22,846 pop)

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited criminal justice schools are near Lincoln, NE?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering criminal justice programs near Lincoln. The closest is University of Nebraska-Lincoln in Lincoln, NE (1.1 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Concordia University-Nebraska (22.4 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying criminal justice-related roles near Lincoln are: Judge or Magistrate ($208,180), Police Supervisor ($117,860), Attorney ($101,300). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Nebraska statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Fremont instead of Lincoln?

Fremont, NE is 44.8 miles from Lincoln 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 Lincoln an affordable place to study criminal justice?

Lincoln’s median household income of $69,991 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Lincoln while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Nebraska 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 Nebraska
• 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.