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Criminal justice programs in Virginia

12 criminal justice programs with costs, results and funding that can make them free

9 schools offer these criminal justice programs, and Virginia has approved every one for workforce funding. Each shows its price if you pay yourself and how past students did.

Police officers protect lives and property, and detectives gather facts and collect evidence of possible crimes. The education needed ranges from a high school diploma to a college degree, and new officers usually attend a training academy before they start.1

In Virginia, 4 of the 12 programs take students without a high school diploma, 7 ask for a diploma or equivalent and 1 asks for earlier courses first.

By kind, the 12 programs here are criminal justice certificate (6 programs), criminal justice, corrections or police science (associate degree, 3 programs), law enforcement and investigation certificate (1 program), crime scene and forensic science (1 program), and 1 more of one other kind.

See the 12 programs

How much do criminal justice programs cost in Virginia?

$8,955 to $10,075 is what most criminal justice programs in Virginia cost if you pay yourself

That is the middle half of the 12 programs with a price. All of them: $3,864 to $44,170

In the typical program

Finished the program
100%
Working 6 months later
Not enough data
2 programs report it; a typical figure needs 5
Earned a year, estimated
Not enough data
2 programs report it; a typical figure needs 5
Length
60 to 96 weeks

Source: US Department of Labor, program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025). Only programs approved for workforce funding are listed; other schools in Virginia may also offer criminal justice programs. How these figures are made

Are there free criminal justice programs in Virginia?

Who qualifies, and other ways to pay: financial aid, grants and the GI Bill

All 12 criminal justice programs in Virginia approved for WIOA funding

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12 programs

  • Law enforcement and investigation certificateIn personHigh school diploma or equivalent

    Police Science

    Wytheville Community College

    Wytheville

    Accredited school

    High school diploma or equivalent

    Wytheville Community College, WythevilleLaw enforcement and investigation certificate · Accredited schoolIn person · High school diploma or equivalent

    Earned a year, estimated$29,300
    Price if you pay yourself$10,033
    More details about Police Science at Wytheville Community College
    Finished
    100%
    Working at 6 months
    38%
    Earned in a quarter
    $7,313
    Length
    66 weeks, 34 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    $3,000
    Students counted
    54
    Earned a year, estimated
    $29,300
    Price if you pay yourself
    $10,033

  • Criminal justice certificateOnlineHigh school diploma or equivalent

    Adminstration of Justice

    Patrick Henry Community College

    Based in Martinsville, VA

    Accredited school

    High school diploma or equivalent

    Patrick Henry Community College, based in Martinsville, VACriminal justice certificate · Accredited schoolOnline · High school diploma or equivalent

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourself$4,640
    More details about Adminstration of Justice at Patrick Henry Community College
    Finished
    100%
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    60 weeks, 12 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    $5,075
    Students counted
    53
    Earned a year, estimated
    Not reported
    Price if you pay yourself
    $4,640

  • Criminal justice certificateHybridEducation and courses

    Administration of Justice

    Patrick Henry Community College

    Martinsville

    Accredited school

    Education and courses

    Patrick Henry Community College, MartinsvilleCriminal justice certificate · Accredited schoolHybrid · Education and courses

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourself$8,498
    More details about Administration of Justice at Patrick Henry Community College
    Finished
    100%
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    60 weeks, 12 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    $972
    Students counted
    53
    Earned a year, estimated
    Not reported
    Price if you pay yourself
    $8,498

  • Criminal justice, corrections or police science (associate degree)In personNo diploma needed

    Police Science, AAS

    New River Community College

    Dublin

    Accredited school

    No diploma needed

    New River Community College, DublinCriminal justice, corrections or police science (associate degree) · Accredited schoolIn person · No diploma needed

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourself$9,108
    More details about Police Science, AAS at New River Community College
    Finished
    100%
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    96 weeks, 40 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    $3,527
    Students counted
    46
    Earned a year, estimated
    Not reported
    Price if you pay yourself
    $9,108

  • Criminal justice certificateIn personNo diploma needed

    Administration of Justice

    Southside Virginia Community College

    Keysville

    Accredited school

    No diploma needed

    Southside Virginia Community College, KeysvilleCriminal justice certificate · Accredited schoolIn person · No diploma needed

    Earned a year, estimated$36,700
    Price if you pay yourself$10,200

    4 students trained with WIOA funding

    More details about Administration of Justice at Southside Virginia Community College
    Finished
    100%
    Working at 6 months
    75%
    Earned in a quarter
    $9,171
    Length
    96 weeks, 40 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    $200
    Students counted
    43
    Earned a year, estimated
    $36,700
    Price if you pay yourself
    $10,200
    students trained with WIOA funding
    4

  • Crime scene and forensic scienceIn personNo diploma needed

    Forensic Science, AAS

    New River Community College

    Dublin

    Accredited school

    No diploma needed

    New River Community College, DublinCrime scene and forensic science · Accredited schoolIn person · No diploma needed

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourself$9,108
    More details about Forensic Science, AAS at New River Community College
    Finished
    100%
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    96 weeks, 40 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    $4,021
    Students counted
    28
    Earned a year, estimated
    Not reported
    Price if you pay yourself
    $9,108

  • Criminal justice certificateIn personHigh school diploma or equivalent

    Administration of Justice

    Virginia Highlands Community College

    Abingdon

    Accredited school

    High school diploma or equivalent

    Virginia Highlands Community College, AbingdonCriminal justice certificate · Accredited schoolIn person · High school diploma or equivalent

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourself$10,000
    School website, Administration of Justice at Virginia Highlands Community College
    More details about Administration of Justice at Virginia Highlands Community College
    Finished
    100%
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    98 weeks, 18 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    $1,200
    Students counted
    19
    Earned a year, estimated
    Not reported
    Price if you pay yourself
    $10,000
    School website, Administration of Justice at Virginia Highlands Community College

  • Criminal justice, corrections or police science (associate degree)HybridHigh school diploma or equivalent

    Criminal Justice Studies Associate Degree

    Bryant and Stratton College-Virginia Beach

    Virginia Beach

    Accredited school

    High school diploma or equivalent

    Bryant and Stratton College-Virginia Beach, Virginia BeachCriminal justice, corrections or police science (associate degree) · Accredited schoolHybrid · High school diploma or equivalent

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourself$44,170
    School website, Criminal Justice Studies Associate Degree at Bryant and Stratton College-Virginia Beach
    More details about Criminal Justice Studies Associate Degree at Bryant and Stratton College-Virginia Beach
    Finished
    Not reported
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    60 weeks, 1 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    None listed
    Students counted
    13
    Earned a year, estimated
    Not reported
    Price if you pay yourself
    $44,170
    School website, Criminal Justice Studies Associate Degree at Bryant and Stratton College-Virginia Beach

  • Corrections certificateIn personHigh school diploma or equivalent

    Corrections

    Wytheville Community College

    Wytheville

    Accredited school

    High school diploma or equivalent

    Wytheville Community College, WythevilleCorrections certificate · Accredited schoolIn person · High school diploma or equivalent

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourself$10,033
    More details about Corrections at Wytheville Community College
    Finished
    Not reported
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    66 weeks, 34 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    $3,000
    Students counted
    10
    Earned a year, estimated
    Not reported
    Price if you pay yourself
    $10,033

  • Criminal justice certificateHybridHigh school diploma or equivalent

    Foundations of Criminal Justice Career Studies Certificate

    Piedmont Virginia Community College

    Charlottesville

    Accredited school

    High school diploma or equivalent

    Piedmont Virginia Community College, CharlottesvilleCriminal justice certificate · Accredited schoolHybrid · High school diploma or equivalent

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourself$3,864
    More details about Foundations of Criminal Justice Career Studies Certificate at Piedmont Virginia Community College
    Finished
    Not reported
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    32 weeks, 21 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    $1,064
    Students counted
    Not reported
    Earned a year, estimated
    Not reported
    Price if you pay yourself
    $3,864

  • Criminal justice, corrections or police science (associate degree)HybridHigh school diploma or equivalent

    Associate's Degree in Administration of Justice

    Mountain Gateway Community College

    Clifton Forge

    Accredited school

    High school diploma or equivalent

    Mountain Gateway Community College, Clifton ForgeCriminal justice, corrections or police science (associate degree) · Accredited schoolHybrid · High school diploma or equivalent

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourself$9,796
    More details about Associate's Degree in Administration of Justice at Mountain Gateway Community College
    Finished
    Not reported
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    64 weeks, 40 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    $2,000
    Students counted
    Not reported
    Earned a year, estimated
    Not reported
    Price if you pay yourself
    $9,796

  • Criminal justice certificateHybridNo diploma needed

    Administration of Justice

    Danville Community College

    Danville

    Accredited school

    No diploma needed

    Danville Community College, DanvilleCriminal justice certificate · Accredited schoolHybrid · No diploma needed

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourself$10,600
    More details about Administration of Justice at Danville Community College
    Finished
    Not reported
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    52 weeks, 5 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    $900
    Students counted
    Not reported
    Earned a year, estimated
    Not reported
    Price if you pay yourself
    $10,600

How to pay for criminal justice programs in Virginia

WIOA funding can pay for criminal justice programs in Virginia

Every program on this page is approved for it. Whether you qualify, how much your local area pays and how to apply are on our page Does WIOA pay for job training?

Financial aid and grants for criminal justice programs

Most students can get federal student aid for college, career school or trade school. A Federal Pell Grant, unlike a loan, usually doesn't have to be repaid. Ask the school whether its program qualifies.67

GI Bill for criminal justice programs

Veterans, service members and qualified dependents can use GI Bill benefits for non-college training programs.8

The program list does not show which programs accept these. Ask the school.

Quick facts: Criminal justice programs in Virginia

programs with a price cost under $10,000
7 of 12
lowest typical price among the states with enough programs to compare
18th of 24
criminal justice programs here, against the typical state's 8
12 vs 8

State comparisons use the same figures as the criminal justice programs by state table: the middle program of each state, and only states with three or more schools for prices. Source: US Department of Labor, program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025).

Criminal justice programs in Blacksburg, Martinsville, Kingsport and other Virginia cities

Choosing an area filters the program list above. 4 in smaller cities and towns and 1 online.

Other training in Virginia

How criminal justice programs compare with the rest of public safety: First responder training in Virginia

Where the Virginia criminal justice program numbers come from

Which Virginia criminal justice programs are on this list?

These are the criminal justice programs Virginia approved for WIOA funding (public workforce funding under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act), as reported to the US Department of Labor for program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025). Each state keeps its approved programs on an eligible training provider list (ETPL).9 The list here covers programs approved as of June 30, 2025. Schools that never applied for approval are missing, so this is a part of what Virginia offers.

How the prices and results of Virginia criminal justice programs are measured

Prices are tuition and required fees for someone paying without workforce funding, as the school reported them; check the current price with the school. Results describe students who left each program in recent years, so they are no guarantee, and the yearly earnings are the reported quarter times four, an estimate. A program without a "Trained with WIOA funding" line may still take WIOA students. Where a field was left empty or withheld, the page says "Not reported", and "Left out" where a figure was filed but failed one of our checks; nothing is estimated to fill a gap. Where the numbers come from explains each figure in full.

Sources for the facts about criminal justice programs in Virginia

Show the 9 sourcesHide the sources
  1. US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook: Police and Detectives
  2. US Department of Labor, TrainingProviderResults.gov: About This Site
  3. US Department of Labor: WIOA Adult Program
  4. Code of Federal Regulations, title 20, part 680, sections 680.220, 680.230 and 680.310: career services before training, other grants such as Pell Grants first, and limits on Individual Training Accounts (GovInfo, 2024 edition)
  5. US Department of Labor: American Job Centers
  6. US Department of Education, Federal Student Aid: Eligibility for Federal Student Aid
  7. US Department of Education, Federal Student Aid: Don't Miss Out on Federal Pell Grants
  8. US Department of Veterans Affairs: GI Bill benefits for non-college degree programs
  9. US Department of Labor, Training and Employment Guidance Letter 8-19, Attachment I: Requirements for Training Providers, Program Eligibility, and the State Eligible Training Provider (ETP) List