Virginia Community Colleges
Criminal Justice Programs
Criminal justice programs at community colleges in this state. Law-enforcement, corrections, and pre-law pathways.
23 colleges · 511 sections · 80 unique courses · Fall 2026 · Updated today
Virginia community college criminal-justice programs feed directly into law enforcement, corrections, court, and victim-services careers across the state. The 511 sections at 23 VCCS colleges this term cover criminology, criminal law, evidence and procedure, corrections theory, and the field-applicable foundation police academies expect from recruits.
The CC criminal-justice associate isn't a shortcut to becoming a police officer — most Virginia departments still require academy graduation regardless of degree — but it counts strongly during the hiring process, qualifies you for higher entry pay grades at many agencies, and is the standard prep for federal law-enforcement, probation officer, and corrections-officer roles that increasingly prefer degree holders.
Earnings & outcomes for Criminal Justice graduates
Federal College Scorecard data on what graduates of this program actually earn after completion. Where a school’s cohort is too small to publish, we show the national benchmark for the same field of study.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, per-program (4-digit CIP) data. CIP 4301 — Criminal Justice and Corrections. School cohorts are suppressed by the federal source when fewer than ~30 completers in the reporting cohort.
Colleges offering Criminal Justice
| College | Sections | Courses | Online | Awards/yr | 5-yr earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northern Virginia Community College | 104 | 27 | 44 | 363 | $55,496 |
| Tidewater Community College | 84 | 39 | 54 | 147 | $43,945 |
| Virginia Peninsula Community College | 32 | 17 | 14 | 23 | — |
| Virginia Western Community College | 29 | 17 | 16 | 34 | — |
| Central Virginia Community College | 23 | 7 | 11 | 31 | — |
| Laurel Ridge Community College | 23 | 15 | 16 | 27 | — |
| Mountain Empire Community College | 22 | 21 | 13 | 27 | — |
| Reynolds Community College | 20 | 18 | 9 | 22 | $45,398 |
| Brightpoint Community College | 19 | 14 | 15 | 45 | — |
| Camp Community College | 18 | 8 | 11 | 8 | — |
| New River Community College | 18 | 10 | 11 | 6 | — |
| Southside Virginia Community College | 18 | 9 | 10 | 11 | $40,143 |
| Germanna Community College | 15 | 12 | 14 | 56 | — |
| Wytheville Community College | 14 | 14 | 5 | 36 | $40,904 |
| Blue Ridge Community College | 11 | 8 | 4 | 29 | — |
| Patrick & Henry Community College | 11 | 11 | 7 | 13 | $42,072 |
| Virginia Highlands Community College | 11 | 9 | 2 | 24 | — |
| Rappahannock Community College | 9 | 7 | 9 | 17 | — |
| Danville Community College | 8 | 6 | 6 | 20 | — |
| Piedmont Virginia Community College | 8 | 7 | 6 | 20 | — |
| Mountain Gateway Community College | 5 | 5 | 3 | 5 | — |
| Southwest Virginia Community College | 5 | 5 | 5 | 18 | — |
| Eastern Shore Community College | 4 | 4 | 4 | — | — |
Criminal Justice Availability Snapshot
How criminal justice sections are being offered across 23 colleges in Virginia this term (511 sections total).
Delivery format
- online278 (54%)
- in person118 (23%)
- hybrid104 (20%)
- zoom11 (2%)
When sections meet
- Morning (before noon)138
- Afternoon (noon–5 PM)40
- Evening (5 PM and after)76
- Asynchronous / TBA257
Start dates
Sections begin on 20 distinct dates. 149 late-start more than two weeks after the term's earliest start.
Degree requirements by college
Expand a college to see the courses required for graduation. Data sourced from each college's official catalog.
Blue Ridge Community College5 programs
Brightpoint Community College2 programs
Central Virginia Community College6 programs
Danville Community College3 programs
Eastern Shore Community College1 program
1st Session
2nd Session
- ADJ 105The Juvenile Justice System(3 cr)1 section
3rd Session
- ADJ 236Principles of Criminal Investigation(3 cr)not offered
Source: College catalog
Germanna Community College5 programs
Laurel Ridge Community College4 programs
Mountain Empire Community College1 program
First Year Fall
First Year Spring
Second Year Fall
- ADJ 111Law Enfor Org & Adm I1 section
- ADJ 133Ethics and the Criminal Justice Professional1 section
- ELEC XXXHumanities Elective 3 Creditsnot offered
- MTH 154Quantitative Reasoning4 sections
- ADJ 234Terrorism/Counter Terrorism1 section
- SOC 200Introduction to Sociology5 sections
- ELEC XXXornot offered
- PSY 200Principles of Psychology4 sections
Second Year Spring
Source: College catalog
Mountain Gateway Community College2 programs
New River Community College3 programs
Northern Virginia Community College7 programs
Patrick & Henry Community College2 programs
Piedmont Virginia Community College3 programs
Rappahannock Community College5 programs
Reynolds Community College2 programs
Southside Virginia Community College3 programs
Southwest Virginia Community College3 programs
Tidewater Community College4 programs
Virginia Highlands Community College1 program
Recommended Course Sequence
61 credits- SDV 101Orientation to College Success(1 cr)13 sections
- ADJ 100Survey of Criminal Justice(3 cr)1 section
- ENG 111College Composition I(3 cr)15 sections
- ADJ 233Multiculturalism in Policing(3 cr)1 section
- ADJ 140Introduction to Corrections(3 cr)not offered
- ADJ 130Criminal Law(3 cr)not offered
- ADJ 236Principles of Investigation(3 cr)not offered
- ENG 112College Composition II(3 cr)5 sections
- MTH 155Statistical Reasoning1(3 cr)3 sections
- ADJ 133Ethics and the Criminal Justice Professional(3 cr)1 section
- ADJ 171Forensic Science I2(4 cr)1 section
- ADJ 237Advanced Criminal Investigation2(3 cr)1 section
- SOC 235Juvenile Delinquency(3 cr)1 section
- ADJ 111Law Enforcement Organization & Administration I(3 cr)not offered
- ADJ 227Constitutional Law for Justice Personnel(3 cr)not offered
- ADJ 229Community Policing in Modern Society(3 cr)not offered
- SOC 236Criminology(3 cr)not offered
- ADJ 138Defensive Tactics3(2 cr)not offered
Source: College catalog
Virginia Peninsula Community College3 programs
Virginia Western Community College3 programs
Wytheville Community College6 programs
Common Criminal Justice courses
- PLS 135U.S. Government and Politics(95 sections)
- ADJ 100Survey of Criminal Justice(54 sections)
- ADJ 201Criminology(21 sections)
- ADJ 133Ethics and the Criminal Justice Professional(17 sections)
- PLS 241Introduction to International Relations(17 sections)
- ADJ 211Criminal Law, Evidence and Procedures I(16 sections)
- ADJ 140Introduction to Corrections(15 sections)
- LGL 110Introduction to the Law and the Paralegal(15 sections)
- PLS 136State and Local Government and Politics(15 sections)
- ADJ 229Community Policing in Modern Society(14 sections)
- ADJ 105The Juvenile Justice System(13 sections)
- ADJ 236Principles of Criminal Investigation(12 sections)
Career outlook for Criminal Justice graduates
Federal Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data for the primary career outcome of this program (2024 OEWS release). Compare Virginia’s typical pay to the national picture before choosing where to study.
Virginia's typical pay is about 8% below the typical state — common for lower cost-of-living states, but worth weighing against tuition savings.
Wage data reflects all workers in the occupation, not just recent CC graduates — entry-level pay is typically lower. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS.
Frequently asked questions
- Do I need a criminal-justice degree to become a police officer in Virginia?
- No — police academies in Virginia accept candidates with just a high school diploma or GED plus background-check clearance. But a CJ associate's makes a difference in three ways: it boosts your competitive ranking in hiring, qualifies you for higher entry pay at most municipal agencies (typically a $1–3k starting-salary bump), and lets you sit for promotional exams sooner.
- What jobs does this degree qualify me for besides policing?
- Corrections officer (county jail, state prison), probation/parole officer, court clerk, victim advocate, security supervisor, juvenile-justice case manager, federal-agency entry roles (CBP, TSA, US Marshals support staff). Many graduates work corrections or court roles for a few years while preparing for police-academy admission.
- Can I transfer CJ credits to a four-year program?
- Yes — most Virginia state universities have criminal-justice bachelor's programs with articulated transfer from the VCCS associate. Some specialized degrees (forensic science, cybersecurity-focused CJ, pre-law CJ) require specific lower-division courses, so confirm with the target university's transfer office before locking your schedule.
- How long does the criminal-justice associate take?
- Two years full-time. Many Virginia community colleges offer evening and online sections aimed at working students — current corrections officers, security personnel, and military veterans use those formats to complete the degree while staying in their current jobs.
Compare Criminal Justice programs in other states
Same comparison view, different state systems. Useful if you’re considering an out-of-state community college or just want to see how Virginia’s criminal justice programs stack up.
Other programs in Virginia
Some programs may not be offered at every college — pages render only when the program meets a coverage threshold for the state.