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

York, Pennsylvania has a population of about 44,830. The city’s median household income is $47,115 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 17.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. There are 5 accredited criminal justice programs within 100 miles of York. In the York-Hanover, PA metro area, the top-earning criminal justice-related role is Attorney at a median $124,110 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2024).


Closest Criminal Justice Schools to York

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

SchoolCityDistanceTuitionOnline
York College of PennsylvaniaYork, PA1.2 miContact school for pricing
Elizabethtown CollegeElizabethtown, PA14.6 miContact school for pricing
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State HarrisburgMiddletown, PA16.1 miContact school for pricing
Messiah UniversityMechanicsburg, PA20.4 miContact school for pricing
Harrisburg Area Community CollegeHarrisburg, PA24.5 miContact school for pricing

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


Criminal Justice Wages Near York

York is part of the York-Hanover, PA metro area (BLS area code 49620). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Pennsylvania statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Attorney$124,110York-Hanover, PA$129,281
Judge or MagistrateN/APA statewide
Police Supervisor$108,780York-Hanover, PA$113,312
Detective or Criminal Investigator$94,070York-Hanover, PA$97,990
Police or Sheriff’s Patrol Officer$82,050York-Hanover, PA$85,469
Correctional Officer$63,540PA statewide$66,188
Probation Officer$52,820York-Hanover, PA$55,021
Forensic Science Technician$57,820PA statewide$60,229
Paralegal or Legal Assistant$49,850York-Hanover, PA$51,927
Information Security Analyst$84,070York-Hanover, PA$87,573

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.


York at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population44,830Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$47,115Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+17.1%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)96.0 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other York-Area Cities With Criminal Justice Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited criminal justice programs are near York, PA?

Our directory lists 5 criminal justice programs within 100 miles of York. The closest is York College of Pennsylvania in York, PA (1.2 miles), and the farthest in our top picks is Harrisburg Area Community College (24.5 miles). 0 of these programs are offered fully online.

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

Based on BLS OEWS May 2024 wage data, the top-paying criminal justice-related roles near York are: Attorney ($124,110), Police Supervisor ($108,780), Detective or Criminal Investigator ($94,070). 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 Hanover instead of York?

Hanover, PA is 17.0 miles from York 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 York an affordable place to study criminal justice?

York’s median household income of $47,115 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in York 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.