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

Ridgewood, New Jersey has a population of about 26,076. The city’s median household income is $217,250 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 80.6% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. There are 5 accredited criminal justice programs within 100 miles of Ridgewood, with tuition ranging from $4,757 to $38,702 per year. 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 Ridgewood

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

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

Criminal Justice Wages Near Ridgewood

Ridgewood 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.

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.

Ridgewood at a Glance

Other Ridgewood-Area Cities With Criminal Justice Programs

• Fair Lawn, NJ – 3.2 mi away (33,453 pop)
• Paramus, NJ – 3.3 mi away (26,880 pop)
• Paterson, NJ – 5.3 mi away (147,000 pop)
• Elmwood Park, NJ – 5.4 mi away (20,295 pop)
• Garfield, NJ – 7.1 mi away (31,876 pop)

Frequently Asked Questions

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

Our directory lists 5 criminal justice programs within 100 miles of Ridgewood. The closest is Bergen Community College in Paramus, NJ (2.5 miles), and the farthest in our top picks is Fairleigh Dickinson University-Metropolitan Campus (7.4 miles). 0 of these programs are offered fully online.

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

Based on BLS OEWS May 2024 wage data, the top-paying criminal justice-related roles near Ridgewood 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 Fair Lawn instead of Ridgewood?

Fair Lawn, NJ is 3.2 miles from Ridgewood 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 Ridgewood an affordable place to study criminal justice?

Ridgewood’s median household income of $217,250 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Ridgewood 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.

Related Resources

• Online Criminal Justice Programs in New Jersey
• Main Criminal Justice Degree Guide
• Criminal Justice Programs by State