Best Online Criminal Justice Programs in Roanoke, VA (2026)

Roanoke, Virginia has 5 accredited schools offering criminal justice programs, with tuition ranging from $36,774 to $54,059 per year for indexed programs. Roanoke has a population of about 98,677. Median household income is $52,671 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 28.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Roanoke, VA metro area, the top-earning criminal justice-related role is Attorney at a median $134,440 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Criminal Justice Schools to Roanoke

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

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

Criminal Justice Wages Near Roanoke

Roanoke is part of the Roanoke, VA metro area (BLS area code 40220). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Virginia 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.

Roanoke at a Glance

Other Roanoke-Area Cities With Criminal Justice Programs

• Salem, VA – 5.4 mi away (25,549 pop)
• Blacksburg, VA – 26.0 mi away (93,560 pop)
• Christiansburg, VA – 26.2 mi away (22,088 pop)
• Martinsville, VA – 41.5 mi away (34,132 pop)
• Lynchburg, VA – 43.0 mi away (123,795 pop)

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited criminal justice schools are near Roanoke, VA?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering criminal justice programs near Roanoke. The closest is Virginia Western Community College in Roanoke, VA (2.4 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (26.1 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying criminal justice-related roles near Roanoke are: Attorney ($134,440), Information Security Analyst ($122,380), Detective or Criminal Investigator ($114,050). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Virginia statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Salem instead of Roanoke?

Salem, VA is 5.4 miles from Roanoke 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 Roanoke an affordable place to study criminal justice?

Roanoke’s median household income of $52,671 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Roanoke while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Virginia 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 Virginia
• 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.