Best Online Criminal Justice Programs in Erie, PA (2026)

Erie, Pennsylvania has 5 accredited schools offering criminal justice programs, with tuition ranging from $7,272 to $16,744 per year for indexed programs. Erie has a population of about 94,156. Median household income is $43,397 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 22.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Erie, PA metro area, the top-earning criminal justice-related role is Attorney at a median $128,130 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Criminal Justice Schools to Erie

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

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

Criminal Justice Wages Near Erie

Erie is part of the Erie, PA metro area (BLS area code 21500). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Pennsylvania 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.

Erie at a Glance

Other Erie-Area Cities With Criminal Justice Programs

• Meadville, PA – 32.6 mi away (23,131 pop)
• Ashtabula, OH – 40.7 mi away (28,097 pop)
• Jamestown, NY – 42.9 mi away (41,492 pop)
• Dunkirk, NY – 45.4 mi away (24,248 pop)
• Mentor, OH – 71.3 mi away (46,732 pop)

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited criminal justice schools are near Erie, PA?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering criminal justice programs near Erie. The closest is Gannon University in Erie, PA (1.1 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Jamestown Community College (43.8 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying criminal justice-related roles near Erie are: Attorney ($128,130), Judge or Magistrate ($110,580), Police Supervisor ($97,860). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Pennsylvania statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Meadville instead of Erie?

Meadville, PA is 32.6 miles from Erie 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 Erie an affordable place to study criminal justice?

Erie’s median household income of $43,397 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Erie while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania
• 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.