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

Williamsburg, Virginia has a population of about 15,564. The city’s median household income is $70,206 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 48.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. There are 5 accredited criminal justice programs within 100 miles of Williamsburg, with tuition ranging from $4,958 to $12,149 per year. In the Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC metro area, the top-earning criminal justice-related role is Attorney at a median $126,250 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2024).


Closest Criminal Justice Schools to Williamsburg

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

SchoolCityDistanceTuitionOnline
Rappahannock Community CollegeGlenns, VA21.1 mi$4,958 - $12,149
Virginia Peninsula Community CollegeHampton, VA21.3 miContact school for pricing
Hampton UniversityHampton, VA26.7 miContact school for pricing
Tidewater Community CollegeNorfolk, VA37.0 miContact school for pricing
Norfolk State UniversityNorfolk, VA37.9 miContact school for pricing

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


Criminal Justice Wages Near Williamsburg

Williamsburg is part of the Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC metro area (BLS area code 47260). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Virginia statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Attorney$126,250Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC$128,958
Judge or Magistrate$104,000Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC$106,231
Police Supervisor$96,130Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC$98,192
Detective or Criminal Investigator$91,960Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC$93,933
Police or Sheriff’s Patrol Officer$59,030Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC$60,296
Correctional Officer$49,310Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC$50,368
Probation Officer$57,830Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC$59,070
Forensic Science Technician$59,230Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC$60,501
Paralegal or Legal Assistant$59,090Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC$60,358
Information Security Analyst$108,370Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC$110,695

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.


Williamsburg at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population15,564Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$70,206Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+48.5%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)97.9 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Williamsburg-Area Cities With Criminal Justice Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited criminal justice programs are near Williamsburg, VA?

Our directory lists 5 criminal justice programs within 100 miles of Williamsburg. The closest is Rappahannock Community College in Glenns, VA (21.1 miles), and the farthest in our top picks is Norfolk State University (37.9 miles). 0 of these programs are offered fully online.

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

Based on BLS OEWS May 2024 wage data, the top-paying criminal justice-related roles near Williamsburg are: Attorney ($126,250), Information Security Analyst ($108,370), Judge or Magistrate ($104,000). 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 Newport News instead of Williamsburg?

Newport News, VA is 15.4 miles from Williamsburg 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 Williamsburg an affordable place to study criminal justice?

Williamsburg’s median household income of $70,206 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Williamsburg 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.