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Need help deciding which college to go to for a criminal justice degree? This article will outline the best schools to major in criminal justice.
The criminal justice system deals with law enforcement, courts, and corrections. If you want to pursue a career in criminal justice, you can choose from a variety of majors like criminology, forensic science, sociology, and more. Most schools also offer a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice for a broader education.
This article outlines how to get into the best college for criminal justice colleges ranked by student resources, tuition costs, types of programs, and internship opportunities.
As ranked by US News, here are the top 10 colleges offering the best undergraduate majors in criminology. These colleges have criminal justice programs that will suit your needs perfectly!
The University of Maryland, College Park's Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice (CCJS) is a national and international leader in research and criminal justice education.
The CCJS department offers a Bachelor of Arts degree and is comprised of 36 credit hours of coursework in the CCJS Department. Students enrolled in the CCJS major are expected to meet specific learning outcomes and can substitute certain math courses to fulfill requirements
Arizona State University offers a comprehensive criminal justice program that prepares students for many careers in the field.
The program emphasizes practical experience and theoretical knowledge, ensuring that graduates are well-equipped to handle the challenges of the criminal justice system. The university's strong focus on research and community engagement provides students with ample opportunities to apply their learning in real-world settings.
The University of California--Irvine is a public institution where all of the online graduate-level criminal justice classes are recorded and archived, allowing students to access lecture material at their convenience.
UC Irvine is also ranked No. 1 out of 93 in Best Online Master's in Criminal Justice Programs, an example of its excellence in education and student support.
The University of Cincinnati offers a highly regarded criminal justice program known for its rigorous curriculum and strong emphasis on research.
The program provides students with a deep understanding of the criminal justice system, criminological theories, and the skills needed for effective practice in the field. The university's partnerships with local, state, and federal agencies offer students valuable internship and employment opportunities.
Pennsylvania State University--University Park's criminal justice program is designed to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of the criminal justice system, including law enforcement, courts, and corrections.
The program emphasizes critical thinking, ethical decision-making, and effective communication skills. Students benefit from the university's extensive resources and connections within the criminal justice community.
The University at Albany--SUNY offers a robust criminal justice program that combines theoretical knowledge with practical experience.
The program is known for its strong faculty, diverse course offerings, and opportunities for research and internships. Students are prepared for careers in various sectors of the criminal justice system, including law enforcement, corrections, and legal services.
Florida State University's criminal justice program is recognized for its excellence in teaching, research, and service.
The program offers a comprehensive curriculum that covers all aspects of the criminal justice system, from policing to corrections. Students have access to numerous resources, including research centers and internship opportunities, which enhance their educational experience and career prospects.
Rutgers University's criminal justice program is distinguished by its interdisciplinary approach, combining insights from sociology, psychology, and law.
The program prepares students for a wide range of careers in the criminal justice field and emphasizes the importance of research and evidence-based practices. Rutgers' strong connections with criminal justice agencies provide students with valuable networking and internship opportunities.
Michigan State University's criminal justice program is known for its comprehensive curriculum and strong emphasis on research.
The program covers various aspects of the criminal justice system, including criminology, law enforcement, and corrections. Students benefit from the university's extensive resources, experienced faculty, and opportunities for hands-on learning through internships and research projects.
George Mason University's criminal justice program offers a dynamic and interdisciplinary approach to the study of crime and justice.
The program emphasizes critical thinking, ethical decision-making, and the application of theoretical knowledge to real-world problems. Students have access to a wide range of resources, including research centers, internships, and opportunities for community engagement.
Investing in a career in criminal justice is a very studious endeavor. You need to select a college that best adheres to your interests, needs, and other circumstances. And there are plenty of criminal justice universities to choose from!
Here is a list of the best colleges for criminal justice with in-state tuition and acceptance rates for you to look at and choose which ones make your list.
You can earn a Bachelor of Science at UMSL through their interdisciplinary Criminology and Criminal Justice program. This program provides a thorough understanding of the justice system while integrating criminology, social science, law, public administration, and corrections.
As one of the best colleges with criminal justice degrees, UMSL opens the door to many career opportunities, such as a corrections officer, legal assistant, or private investigator. Their graduation rate is 53%, and the average starting salary for alumni is around $62,000.
Northeastern University offers a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice that offers students a way to understand, predict, and explain crime and discuss better development of public policies in communities. This program also allows you to combine majors and minors in subjects beyond the criminal justice system.
Students can also participate in neighborhood agencies such as schools, health clinics, and nonprofit organizations. They also offer abroad programs with the immersive Dialogue of Civilizations program alongside international co-ops. They have a graduation rate of 91.2%, and alumni have a starting salary of $79,000.
The Criminology and Criminal Justice degree at the University of Nebraska at Omaha is geared towards those who want to make a positive impact on their community. Program courses focus on prevention, intervention, and responses to offenses as well as ways to support victims and improve approaches to justice.
Like many other colleges offering a criminal justice major, UNO offers their students extensive internships with various organizations and the chance to engage in hands-on study relating to criminal justice. Most alumni have a starting salary of $60,700, and their graduation rate is around 50%.
Temple’s Criminal Justice BA program helps students to form a deep understanding of the criminal justice system and how it works, both historically and in today’s society. The program emphasizes problem-solving and critical thinking in students and allows for plenty of immersive learning experiences.
Temple University also offers a program known as the Inside-Out Prison Exchange Program, allowing students to understand how prisoners live in a truly meaningful way. Temple’s graduation rate is 57%, and its alumni have a starting salary of $65,500.
The John Jay College of Criminal Justice offers a variety of undergraduate programs in criminal justice. They offer links to financial aid programs and scholarships for students seeking it.
Each major and minor involves a highly revolutionized curriculum that covers humanities, natural sciences, arts, and social sciences, which will allow you to choose from a full range of academic interests and opportunities.
This college has 11,200 students per year, with a graduation rate of 52% and alumni earning a starting salary of $31,700.
Sam Houston State University offers a Criminal Justice degree as either a BA or a BS. Through one of the oldest and most prestigious programs in the US, students will get access to various internships and a close-knit learning community.
Popular courses taken in this program include Cyber Crime, Victimology, and Understanding Human Behavior. Sam Houston State University’s graduation rate is about 50%, and graduates tend to have a starting salary of about $58,300.
The Criminology program at the University of Florida focuses mainly on the function of law within society. This involves how and why laws have developed, why people break laws, and general reactions to the breaking of laws.
Many students who graduate with a BA in Criminology go on to attend law school. Many others pursue careers in the criminal or justice systems. The University of Florida has a graduation rate of 72.2%. Most of their alumni begin their careers with a salary of $71,900.
Georgia State University offers a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice that has been designed by award-winning faculty in criminology research. You can choose between two concentrations, Crime and Justice or Legal Studies, depending on what your career aspirations look like.
The Criminal Justice program at GSU emphasizes fair and open dialogue, implementing theory with current events, and prioritizing the success of their students. Their graduation rate is 91%, and alumni have a starting salary of about $63,500.
The University of Delaware’s Criminal Justice BA program integrates a variety of disciplines in its study of the criminal justice system. Students are also given the opportunity to participate in a practicum with a criminal justice agency, graded on a pass/fail basis.
Graduates from the University of Delaware will find themselves equipped with the breadth of knowledge needed to succeed in a criminal justice career path. The average starting salary for alumni is $71,600, and their graduation rate is 73.7%.
The Criminology program at USF prepares students for both a career in the criminal justice system and the pursuit of a graduate degree in Criminology or a related discipline. Students will learn the theory, issues, and methodology of crime and justice as well as necessary critical thinking skills.
The graduation rate of students at USF is 64%. Many alumni find success after graduation, as the average starting salary for graduates of USF is $64,600.
American University offers a BA program in Justice and Law with an introduction to Criminology. This program intends to familiarize students with the American justice system and help them compare it with systems in other nations.
Students in this program will discuss and analyze critical issues in justice and consider their impact on society as a whole. American University graduates are successful, with an average early career salary of $71,000 and a graduation rate of 74.3%.
If you want to broaden your knowledge of crime and society’s control mechanisms, then the BA in Criminal Justice at UCF is for you. You’ll dive deep into the workings of many different criminal justice professions and have access to experiential learning and hands-on application opportunities.
UCF prepares students for a successful career in the criminal justice field. Their graduation rate is 76%, and alumni earn an average starting salary of $47,300.
The Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice at UMass Lowell not only ensures that students receive a strong foundational knowledge of the criminal justice system, but also provides a well-rounded liberal arts education. Students learn about the inner workings of the systems as well as how to apply their knowledge practically.
This program particularly focuses on areas such as criminal justice processes, law enforcement and adjudication, and corrections, among others. UMass Lowell has a graduation rate of 63%, and the average alumni starting salary is about $58,700.
From prevention to community response, the Bachelor of Arts in Criminology and Criminal Justice at the University of South Carolina instructs students in all aspects of crime. Though the program is rooted in theory, students will also learn the necessary critical thinking skills to apply their knowledge to reality.
This program also has a strong emphasis on research and hands-on involvement to prepare students for their future careers. The USC graduation rate is about 76% and their alumni earn an average early career salary of $65,800.
Washington State University prepares students to make a positive difference in the world through its Criminal Justice program. The program equips students with leadership abilities, practical knowledge, and advanced critical thinking skills, so that they can succeed in a wide variety of career paths.
WSU has a graduation rate of 64%. Their alumni tend to earn a starting salary of about $69,200.
Old Dominion University offers a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice. Students are also given the option to earn departmental honors, which are programs that provide undergraduate students with more opportunities to advance in their studies and a chance to work independently with any department faculty.
You can choose to research or do a hands-on position in the program; in your senior year, you will be handed a capstone research project and internship credit for the coursework you have done over the years. Their internship has a 100% placement rate with the Delaware State Police, United States Secret Service, Federal Bureau of Prisons, and many more.
The school has a graduation rate of 57%, with alumni having a starting salary of $64,100.
The University of Minnesota Crookston offers a Criminal Justice Bachelor of Science degree that focuses on law enforcement, corrections, and many other public and private agencies.
In order to complete the degree, you must complete 35 credits in your core courses, liberal arts courses, and technology requirements. Then you must complete 12 credits in their corrections emphasis section and an additional 18 credits in their law enforcement emphasis.
Students in the program can also apply for jobs with campus security. The graduation rate is 56%, with alumni getting a starting salary of $55,010.
Stonehill College offers a criminal justice undergraduate program where students will learn about the political, cultural, and economic patterns that define crime, the practice of law, and the criminal justice system as a whole. You will be allowed to learn about the causes and consequences of crime, as well as crime control solutions.
This program offers a broader platform on crime and justice and has courses that examine the nature of groups and individuals who are conflicted with law, social harm, and victims of crime. The four-year graduation rate is 75%, with alumni having a starting salary of $68,600.
Liberty University’s Helms School of Government offers a multitude of criminal justice degrees in which you will learn about theoretical and practical aspects of law enforcement and levels of government. Students can perform activities alongside local and national law enforcement and homeland security agencies, with graduates being offered employment by the same agencies.
You can take classes in person or online, with Liberty University offering scholarships for those seeking financial aid. The graduation rate is 53%, with alumni earning a starting salary of $47,500.
The University of Pennsylvania School of Arts and Sciences offers a 4-year program undergraduate degree in Criminology. It is the only criminology program offered in an Ivy League university. Financial aid and scholarships are available for students at the institution.
In order to complete the Criminology major, you must have a cumulative GPA of 2.0, a satisfactory performance in the course CRIM 1410, taken in the Fall semester of your senior year. They have a graduation rate of 96%, with most of its alumni starting a job with a salary of $92,800.
Choosing the right college for your criminal justice studies is a big decision that can shape your future career. Make sure to be extremely detailed in your choices before applying.
Mary Banks, former admissions committee member at Columbia University, offers these tips for building your criminal justice college list:
"Your list should be composed of schools where you're pretty sure that you stand an excellent chance of getting in and I always start there, and that's called we like to call it a fit school."
"You have to think about your personal interests and what you want to do with your education before you complete that school list. That interest level should inform some of your decisions, in fact, all of them."
"I have found throughout the years that geography is very, very important, and it's one of the things that can really make your decision the wrong one if you're in a geography that you really aren't comfortable with."
When doing research on the best criminal justice programs for you, make sure to check off these key ingredients.
First things first, think about what you really want to do in the criminal justice field. Are you drawn to law enforcement, forensic science, corrections, or maybe criminal psychology? Knowing your focus can help you zero in on schools that offer strong programs in your area of interest.
Take a look at what each college offers in its criminal justice programs. Some schools might have specialized courses or concentrations that align perfectly with your career goals. Check out the curriculum, course descriptions, and any opportunities like internships or research projects.
Where the college is located can make a big difference in your experience. Do you prefer a busy city, a quiet suburb, or a peaceful rural area? Think about the campus vibe too. If you can, visit the campuses to get a feel for the environment and see if it feels like a good fit for you.
Money matters, right? Compare the tuition and fees of different colleges and explore financial aid options, scholarships, and grants. Don’t forget to factor in the total cost of attendance, including housing, meals, books, and other expenses.
Check out the professors in the criminal justice department. Do they have experience and expertise in areas you're interested in? Also, take a look at the resources available to students, like libraries, labs, and career services.
Make sure the colleges you're considering are accredited and have a good reputation in the criminal justice field. Accreditation means the program meets certain quality standards, and a strong reputation can boost your resume and job prospects.
Look into the support services available for students, such as career counseling, job placement assistance, and networking opportunities. Research how successful graduates are in finding jobs in their field and the types of positions they land.
Practical experience is super important in criminal justice education. Look for colleges that offer internships, co-op programs, volunteer placements, and other hands-on learning opportunities. These experiences can give you valuable skills and make your resume stand out.
Many top schools require a high GPA, high ACT and SAT scores, and a well-developed extracurricular profile. Make sure to review the averages of each score when building out your college list and improve your scores if necessary.
By considering these factors, you can create a list of colleges that match your needs and help you stand out in college applications.
If you need extra help getting into your top criminal justice program, consider booking a free consultation with one of our experts. Our counselors have served on admissions committees before, so they know how to make your application shine.
But don’t just take our word for it. Take it from Vlad, who got into the University of Chicago.
“Quad Education went above and beyond. My coaches even used their personal network to help connect me to college students with similar backgrounds to mine. Most importantly, they were organized, patient, and always available, even at very short notice.”
Still, have questions about the best schools for criminal justice? Here are some general questions that will provide more information in your decision-making.
To determine which school best fits your interests, consider asking yourself the following questions:
By answering these questions, you can narrow down your options and create a shortlist of three or four top choices.
If you still need help figuring out which college is best for you, take our college selection quiz to learn more.
Yes, there are various degrees you can obtain in criminal justice. Depending on the school, you can pursue undergraduate degrees, specialized criminology programs, and graduate degrees to continue your major.
The courses you take will depend on the program requirements. Typically, you will study crime and its various aspects, such as at-risk communities, crime theories (e.g., the Broken Window theory), race and justice, and diversity in the law.
While not usually required, taking certain high school courses can give you a preview of what you will study in a criminal justice program. Recommended courses include:
To excel in a criminal justice program, you need skills such as active listening, empathy, conflict resolution, and flexibility. Additionally, having strong moral, ethical, and legal standards, along with a diverse understanding of the law, is critical.
Some colleges offer hands-on experiences or volunteer placement work, depending on the program. These programs may provide options for coursework or co-op programs, while others may require placement work. Check the school's resource pages or contact the program coordinator for more information.
A criminal justice degree opens up a wide range of career opportunities in both the public and private sectors. Common careers include:
Basic mathematics is often required for a criminal justice degree, as many careers in this field use statistics and probability. It is advisable to take related introductory courses and check the specific requirements of the school you are applying to.
Being interested in criminal justice is an amazing career choice. You can check out high-quality schools that offer degrees in criminal justice and other crime-related fields.
Criminal Justice majors analyze and practice theories used in the criminal justice system. This allows them to better understand crime, the judicial system, and crime’s overall effect on society so that they can create solutions to ensure a healthier environment.
Exploring top schools can facilitate your choices in picking the right program and can jumpstart the road ahead into a professional career in law enforcement and crime prevention.
