Best Online Criminal Justice Programs in Ellensburg, WA (2026)

Ellensburg, Washington has 5 accredited schools offering criminal justice programs. Ellensburg has a population of about 18,913. Median household income is $49,888 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 41.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Washington, the top-earning criminal justice-related role is Information Security Analyst at a median $154,940 annually (BLS, May 2025).


Closest Criminal Justice Schools to Ellensburg

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

How We Rank Schools

Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS). To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked against schools at the same credential level:

  • Graduation rate 30%
  • Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
  • Average net price (lower is better) 20%
  • Retention rate 15%
  • Fully online availability 10%

Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. On this page, schools are ordered by distance from Ellensburg. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

#1

Central Washington University

Ellensburg, WA 0.7 miles from Ellensburg BOC Score60.7
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

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#2

Yakima Valley College

Yakima, WA 28.8 miles from Ellensburg BOC Score55.9
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programs--

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#3

Wenatchee Valley College

Wenatchee, WA 31.3 miles from Ellensburg BOC Score54.1
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programs--

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#4

Heritage University

Toppenish, WA 43.9 miles from Ellensburg BOC Score50.5
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

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#5

Big Bend Community College

Moses Lake, WA 60.5 miles from Ellensburg BOC Score66.7
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

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


Criminal Justice Wages Near Ellensburg

OccupationMedian Annual Wage (Washington, statewide)
Attorney$154,130
Judge or Magistrate$134,270
Police Supervisor$136,280
Detective or Criminal Investigator$115,790
Police or Sheriff’s Patrol Officer$102,080
Correctional Officer$79,460
Probation Officer$82,750
Forensic Science Technician$81,310
Paralegal or Legal Assistant$79,400
Information Security Analyst$154,940

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.


Ellensburg at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population18,913Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$49,888Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+41.3%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)

Other Ellensburg-Area Cities With Criminal Justice Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited criminal justice schools are near Ellensburg, WA?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering criminal justice programs near Ellensburg. The closest is Central Washington University in Ellensburg, WA (0.7 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Big Bend Community College (60.5 miles). 3 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying criminal justice roles in Washington?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying criminal justice-related roles in Washington are: Information Security Analyst ($154,940), Attorney ($154,130), Police Supervisor ($136,280). Wages for Ellensburg workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Yakima instead of Ellensburg?

Yakima, WA is 28.2 miles from Ellensburg 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 Ellensburg an affordable place to study criminal justice?

Ellensburg’s median household income of $49,888 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Ellensburg while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Washington 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

Other Programs Available in Ellensburg

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Ellensburg:

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.