Best Online Criminal Justice Programs in Kearny, NJ (2026)

Kearny, New Jersey has a population of about 40,570. The city’s median household income is $83,212 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 29.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. There are 5 accredited criminal justice programs within 100 miles of Kearny. In the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metro area, the top-earning criminal justice-related role is Attorney at a median $203,450 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2024).


Closest Criminal Justice Schools to Kearny

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

SchoolCityDistanceTuitionOnline
Rutgers University-NewarkNewark, NJ3.0 miContact school for pricing
Saint Peter’s UniversityJersey City, NJ3.1 miContact school for pricing
Essex County CollegeNewark, NJ3.2 miContact school for pricing
Hudson County Community CollegeJersey City, NJ3.4 miContact school for pricing
New Jersey City UniversityJersey City, NJ3.5 miContact school for pricing

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


Criminal Justice Wages Near Kearny

Kearny is part of the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metro area (BLS area code 35620). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to New Jersey statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Attorney$203,450New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ$180,684
Judge or Magistrate$196,190New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ$174,236
Police Supervisor$137,520New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ$122,131
Detective or Criminal Investigator$106,540New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ$94,618
Police or Sheriff’s Patrol Officer$105,790New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ$93,952
Correctional Officer$92,190New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ$81,874
Probation Officer$78,920New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ$70,089
Forensic Science Technician$78,170New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ$69,423
Paralegal or Legal Assistant$73,470New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ$65,249
Information Security Analyst$138,360New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ$122,877

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.


Kearny at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population40,570Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$83,212Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+29.4%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)112.6 (above U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Kearny-Area Cities With Criminal Justice Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited criminal justice programs are near Kearny, NJ?

Our directory lists 5 criminal justice programs within 100 miles of Kearny. The closest is Rutgers University-Newark in Newark, NJ (3.0 miles), and the farthest in our top picks is New Jersey City University (3.5 miles). 0 of these programs are offered fully online.

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

Based on BLS OEWS May 2024 wage data, the top-paying criminal justice-related roles near Kearny are: Attorney ($203,450), Judge or Magistrate ($196,190), Information Security Analyst ($138,360). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with New Jersey statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Newark instead of Kearny?

Newark, NJ is 3.4 miles from Kearny 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 Kearny an affordable place to study criminal justice?

Kearny’s median household income of $83,212 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Kearny while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and New Jersey 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.