Best Online Criminal Justice Programs in Reno, NV (2026)

Reno, Nevada has a population of about 268,959. The city’s median household income is $78,448 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 35.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. There are 5 accredited criminal justice programs within 100 miles of Reno. In the Reno, NV metro area, the top-earning criminal justice-related role is Attorney at a median $146,840 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2024).


Closest Criminal Justice Schools to Reno

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

SchoolCityDistanceTuitionOnline
University of Nevada-RenoReno, NV2.0 miContact school for pricing
Truckee Meadows Community CollegeReno, NV3.2 miContact school for pricing
Western Nevada CollegeCarson City, NV25.3 miContact school for pricing
Lake Tahoe Community CollegeSouth Lake Tahoe, CA43.5 miContact school for pricing
Feather River Community College DistrictQuincy, CA65.6 miContact school for pricing

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


Criminal Justice Wages Near Reno

Reno is part of the Reno, NV metro area (BLS area code 39900). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Nevada statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Attorney$146,840Reno, NV$145,386
Judge or Magistrate$118,690NV statewide$117,515
Police Supervisor$135,350Reno, NV$134,010
Detective or Criminal Investigator$98,890Reno, NV$97,911
Police or Sheriff’s Patrol Officer$80,060Reno, NV$79,267
Correctional Officer$79,550Reno, NV$78,762
Probation Officer$63,070Reno, NV$62,446
Forensic Science Technician$76,540NV statewide$75,782
Paralegal or Legal Assistant$60,110Reno, NV$59,515
Information Security Analyst$106,530NV statewide$105,475

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.


Reno at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population268,959Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$78,448Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+35.7%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)101.0 (above U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Reno-Area Cities With Criminal Justice Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited criminal justice programs are near Reno, NV?

Our directory lists 5 criminal justice programs within 100 miles of Reno. The closest is University of Nevada-Reno in Reno, NV (2.0 miles), and the farthest in our top picks is Feather River Community College District (65.6 miles). 0 of these programs are offered fully online.

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

Based on BLS OEWS May 2024 wage data, the top-paying criminal justice-related roles near Reno are: Attorney ($146,840), Police Supervisor ($135,350), Judge or Magistrate ($118,690). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Nevada statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Sparks instead of Reno?

Sparks, NV is 7.4 miles from Reno 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 Reno an affordable place to study criminal justice?

Reno’s median household income of $78,448 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Reno while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Nevada 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.