Best Online Criminal Justice Programs in Hickory, NC (2026)

Hickory, North Carolina has 5 accredited schools offering criminal justice programs, with tuition ranging from $2,367 to $18,703 per year for indexed programs. Hickory has a population of about 43,747. Median household income is $63,361 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 35.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC metro area, the top-earning criminal justice-related role is Information Security Analyst at a median $115,250 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Criminal Justice Schools to Hickory

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

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

Criminal Justice Wages Near Hickory

Hickory is part of the Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC metro area (BLS area code 25860). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to North Carolina 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.

Hickory at a Glance

Other Hickory-Area Cities With Criminal Justice Programs

• Lincolnton, NC – 19.1 mi away (23,264 pop)
• Statesville, NC – 25.5 mi away (26,506 pop)
• Mooresville, NC – 30.0 mi away (36,543 pop)
• Cornelius, NC – 30.9 mi away (28,515 pop)
• Shelby, NC – 33.7 mi away (27,288 pop)

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited criminal justice schools are near Hickory, NC?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering criminal justice programs near Hickory. The closest is Lenoir-Rhyne University in Hickory, NC (0.5 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Mitchell Community College (24.2 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying criminal justice-related roles near Hickory are: Information Security Analyst ($115,250), Attorney ($97,330), Police Supervisor ($75,190). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with North Carolina statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Lincolnton instead of Hickory?

Lincolnton, NC is 19.1 miles from Hickory 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 Hickory an affordable place to study criminal justice?

Hickory’s median household income of $63,361 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Hickory while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and North Carolina 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 North Carolina
• Criminal Justice programs by state

Other Programs Available in Hickory

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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.