Best Criminology Schools Near Okeechobee, FL (2026)

Okeechobee, Florida has 12 accredited schools offering criminology programs, with tuition ranging from $2,694 to $44,040 per year for indexed programs. Okeechobee has a population of about 5,376. Median household income is $50,365 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 20.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Florida, the top-earning criminology-related role is Detective and Criminal Investigator at a median $77,060 annually (BLS, May 2025).


Closest Criminology Schools to Okeechobee

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer criminology programs near Okeechobee, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Okeechobee city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.

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 Okeechobee. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

#1

Indian River State College

Fort Pierce, FL 31.4 miles from Okeechobee BOC Score 68.6
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 44%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $38,315
Avg net price $3,815/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 125

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Florida Atlantic University

Boca Raton, FL 74.8 miles from Okeechobee BOC Score 72.8
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 63%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $56,746
Avg net price $8,752/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 84%
  • Programs offered: 53

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Polk State College

Winter Haven, FL 76.8 miles from Okeechobee BOC Score 54.3
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 33%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $40,624
Avg net price $9,427/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 47

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Florida Gulf Coast University

Fort Myers, FL 79.2 miles from Okeechobee BOC Score 68.7
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 63%
Graduation rate 57%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $54,560
Avg net price $12,568/yr
Tuition
In‑state$6,118
Out‑of‑state$25,162
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 83%
  • Programs offered: 32

Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Southeastern University

Lakeland, FL 86.1 miles from Okeechobee BOC Score 32.6
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 53%
Graduation rate 43%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $46,744
Avg net price $31,942/yr
Tuition
In‑state$32,950
Out‑of‑state$32,950
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 71%
  • Programs offered: 39

Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Nova Southeastern University

Fort Lauderdale, FL 90.1 miles from Okeechobee BOC Score 55.7
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 64%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $59,209
Avg net price $30,371/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 76%
  • Programs offered: 65

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

University of Central Florida

Orlando, FL 96.5 miles from Okeechobee BOC Score 80.8
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 40%
Graduation rate 77%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $58,308
Avg net price $10,411/yr
Tuition
In‑state$6,368
Out‑of‑state$22,467
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 92%
  • Programs offered: 56

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

St. Thomas University

Miami Gardens, FL 97.6 miles from Okeechobee BOC Score 37.8
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 98%
Graduation rate 46%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $54,272
Avg net price $26,312/yr
Tuition
In‑state$34,770
Out‑of‑state$34,770
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 56%
  • Programs offered: 20

Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Florida schools on the Florida criminology page.


Criminology Wages Near Okeechobee

OccupationMedian Annual Wage (Florida, statewide)
Sociologist$46,950
Detective and Criminal Investigator$77,060
Probation Officer and Correctional Treatment Specialist$50,960
Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officer$74,470

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.


Okeechobee at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population5,376Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$50,365Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+20.5%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)

Other Okeechobee-Area Cities With Criminology Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited criminology schools are near Okeechobee, FL?

Our directory has 12 accredited schools offering criminology programs near Okeechobee. The closest is Indian River State College in Fort Pierce, FL (31.6 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is University of Central Florida (96.7 miles). 10 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying criminology roles in Florida?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying criminology-related roles in Florida are: Detective and Criminal Investigator ($77,060), Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officer ($74,470), Probation Officer and Correctional Treatment Specialist ($50,960). Wages for Okeechobee workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Port Saint Lucie instead of Okeechobee?

Port Saint Lucie, FL is 27.3 miles from Okeechobee and has its own set of local criminology programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Okeechobee an affordable place to study criminology?

Okeechobee’s median household income of $50,365 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Okeechobee while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Florida 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 Criminology Programs

Other Programs Available in Okeechobee

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

Data verified: August 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.