Best Online Criminal Justice Programs in Wilkes-Barre, PA (2026)

Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania has 5 accredited schools offering criminal justice programs, with tuition ranging from $6,450 to $15,810 per year for indexed programs. Wilkes-Barre has a population of about 44,217. Median household income is $47,970 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 19.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Pennsylvania, the top-earning criminal justice-related role is Judge or Magistrate at a median $110,580 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Criminal Justice Schools to Wilkes-Barre

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

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

Criminal Justice Wages Near Wilkes-Barre

Wilkes-Barre is part of the Scranton–Wilkes-Barre, PA metro area (BLS area code 42540). 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.

Wilkes-Barre at a Glance

Other Wilkes-Barre-Area Cities With Criminal Justice Programs

• Scranton, PA – 15.4 mi away (387,448 pop)
• Hazleton, PA – 21.1 mi away (55,301 pop)
• Mount Pocono, PA – 28.3 mi away (23,308 pop)
• Bloomsburg, PA – 34.6 mi away (52,637 pop)
• East Stroudsburg, PA – 40.1 mi away (56,230 pop)

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited criminal justice schools are near Wilkes-Barre, PA?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering criminal justice programs near Wilkes-Barre. The closest is King’s College in Wilkes-Barre, PA (0.3 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Lackawanna College (16.0 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying criminal justice roles near Wilkes-Barre?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying criminal justice-related roles near Wilkes-Barre are: Judge or Magistrate ($110,580), Attorney ($100,420), Information Security Analyst ($100,210). 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 Scranton instead of Wilkes-Barre?

Scranton, PA is 15.4 miles from Wilkes-Barre 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 Wilkes-Barre an affordable place to study criminal justice?

Wilkes-Barre’s median household income of $47,970 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Wilkes-Barre 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.