Best Criminology Schools Near Shelbyville, KY (2026)

Updated August 11, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Shelbyville, Kentucky has 15 accredited schools offering criminology programs, with tuition ranging from $8,424 to $39,800 per year for indexed programs. Shelbyville has a population of about 17,436. Median household income is $73,733 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 25.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Kentucky, the top-earning criminology-related role is Sociologist at a median $136,870 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Criminology Schools to Shelbyville

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer criminology programs near Shelbyville, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Shelbyville 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 Shelbyville. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

#1

Kentucky State University

Frankfort, KY 20.1 miles from Shelbyville BOC Score 40.3
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 96%
Graduation rate 30%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $36,382
Avg net price $8,040/yr
Tuition
In‑state$9,387
Out‑of‑state$13,658
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 62%
  • Programs offered: 22

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

#2

Sullivan University

Louisville, KY 23.9 miles from Shelbyville BOC Score 43.9
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 36%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $38,008
Avg net price $25,532/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 40

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Spalding University

Louisville, KY 28.7 miles from Shelbyville BOC Score 39.5
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 54%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $49,438
Avg net price $25,491/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 67%
  • Programs offered: 17

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Eastern Kentucky University

Richmond, KY 59.9 miles from Shelbyville BOC Score 52.8
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 78%
Graduation rate 50%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $45,795
Avg net price $11,040/yr
Tuition
In‑state$10,320
Out‑of‑state$21,230
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 78%
  • Programs offered: 72

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

#5

Campbellsville University

Campbellsville, KY 60.0 miles from Shelbyville BOC Score 33.5
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 43%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $41,583
Avg net price $19,341/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 62%
  • Programs offered: 44

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Thomas More University

Crestview Hills, KY 66.9 miles from Shelbyville BOC Score 46.9
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 47%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $59,384
Avg net price $21,835/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 67%
  • Programs offered: 18

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Northern Kentucky University

Highland Heights, KY 70.6 miles from Shelbyville BOC Score 56.9
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 51%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $50,220
Avg net price $8,191/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 77%
  • Programs offered: 51

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Lindsey Wilson College

Columbia, KY 76.3 miles from Shelbyville BOC Score 39.7
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Graduation rate 41%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $41,129
Avg net price $15,070/yr
Tuition
In‑state$27,808
Out‑of‑state$27,808
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 63%
  • Programs offered: 23

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

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

Criminology Wages Near Shelbyville

Shelbyville is part of the Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN metro area (BLS area code 31140). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Kentucky statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Sociologist$136,870KY statewide$147,014
Detective and Criminal Investigator$83,620Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN$89,817
Probation Officer and Correctional Treatment Specialist$58,380Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN$62,707
Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officer$63,220Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN$67,905

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.

Shelbyville at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population17,436Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$73,733Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+25.3%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)93.1 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Shelbyville-Area Cities With Criminology Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited criminology schools are near Shelbyville, KY?

Our directory has 15 accredited schools offering criminology programs near Shelbyville. The closest is Kentucky State University in Frankfort, KY (20.4 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is University of Cincinnati-Main Campus (74.7 miles). 10 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying criminology roles near Shelbyville?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying criminology-related roles near Shelbyville are: Sociologist ($136,870), Detective and Criminal Investigator ($83,620), Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officer ($63,220). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Kentucky statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Jeffersontown instead of Shelbyville?

Jeffersontown, KY is 18.4 miles from Shelbyville 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 Shelbyville an affordable place to study criminology?

Shelbyville’s median household income of $73,733 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Shelbyville while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Kentucky 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 Shelbyville

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

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.

Back to Best Criminology Schools in Kentucky: Online Programs (2026)