Online Criminal Justice Degrees: Programs, Costs & Careers
You can earn an online criminal justice degree at every level, from a certificate through a doctorate, though how much of any given program happens online versus in person varies by school. Tuition runs from under $200 to over $1,000 per credit hour depending on the school and degree level. Education requirements for criminal justice jobs vary by state and agency: a degree isn’t a universal requirement, but it can affect eligibility, pay, or advancement at some employers.
Criminal justice is a sprawling field that employs millions of Americans across three branches: law enforcement, the courts, and corrections. Education requirements differ by state, agency, and specific job. Some roles require a degree, many don’t, and requirements can change, so confirm current standards with the agency or licensing body you’re interested in. You can earn a criminal justice degree at every level, from a certificate up to a doctorate, and at most schools you can complete some or all of it online.
“Due to the increased popularity of online classes, most colleges and universities offer the criminal justice degree totally online. Most online classes are creatively developed so that students still have opportunities for internships [and] community service projects,” says Diane Sjuts, who has taught criminal justice at Metropolitan Community College in Omaha, Nebraska.
This page walks through online criminal justice programs, the paths to a degree, and the careers the field includes.
Top Online Criminal Justice Programs
Below are 25 schools with established online criminal justice programs. This is a curated list, not a single reproducible ranking. Where a school has a current U.S. News & World Report ranking for its online criminal justice program, that’s noted with its specific year. Schools without a current U.S. News rank are included for accreditation and program breadth, not ranked against the others. Tuition figures below are current as of early 2026 where confirmed directly with the school. A few could not be independently confirmed this pass and are marked accordingly, so check those directly with the school before relying on them.
1. Arizona State University (Phoenix, AZ)
Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
Arizona State’s online Master of Arts in Criminal Justice ranked #10 nationally in U.S. News & World Report’s 2026 Best Online Programs rankings. The bachelor’s program covers the full criminal justice system, with electives running from terrorism to police accountability. A 4+1 option lets qualifying students finish a B.S. and M.A. in five years.
Degrees: B.S. in Criminology and Criminal Justice, M.A. in Criminal Justice, graduate certificates in law enforcement administration, homeland security, and corrections management.
Tuition: roughly $490/credit (B.S.), $492/credit (M.A.).
2. Florida International University (Miami, FL)
Accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
FIU has run online programs for over 20 years. Its B.S. in Criminal Justice sits alongside a less common B.S. in Crime Science, which pairs forensics and computer science with core CJ coursework.
Degrees: B.S. in Criminal Justice, B.S. in Crime Science, combined B.S./M.S., M.S. in Criminal Justice, Professional Science Master in Forensic Science.
Tuition: $235.57/credit in-state, $690.19/credit out-of-state (undergraduate).
3. University of Colorado Denver (Denver, CO)
Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
CU Denver’s online Master of Criminal Justice ranked #19 nationally and #1 in Colorado in U.S. News’s 2026 rankings, with concentrations including gender-based violence and emergency management and homeland security.
Degrees: B.A. in Criminal Justice, Master of Criminal Justice.
Tuition: MCJ $761/credit.
4. University of Wisconsin-Platteville (Platteville, WI)
Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
UW-Platteville lets you try a single course before committing to the full degree. The master’s program splits into three emphasis areas: Criminal Justice Theory, Criminal Justice Management, and Victim and Offender Services.
Degrees: B.S. in Criminal Justice, M.S. in Criminal Justice, M.S. in Cybersecurity.
Tuition: roughly $370/credit (B.S.), $675/credit (M.S.).
5. Columbia College (Columbia, MO)
Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
Columbia College is one of the few schools offering an associate degree in criminal justice administration, built around an interdisciplinary core of psychology, sociology, and political science.
Degrees: Associate in Criminal Justice Administration, B.A. and B.S. in Criminal Justice Administration, M.S. in Criminal Justice, Crime Scene Investigation certificate.
Tuition: $430/credit (undergraduate, 2026-27).
6. Florida State University (Tallahassee, FL)
Accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
FSU’s College of Criminology and Criminal Justice has placed in U.S. News’s top 10 online graduate criminal justice rankings in recent cycles, though its exact current-year rank wasn’t confirmed in this pass. Its Center for Criminology and Public Policy Research conducts federal, state, and local research.
Degrees: Bachelor in Criminology, Master in Criminal Justice.
Tuition: $526/credit resident (state-fundable rate).
7. Colorado State University – Global Campus (Aurora, CO)
Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
CSU Global’s online B.S. in Criminal Justice ranked among U.S. News’s Top 10 Online Bachelor’s Programs for 2025, and the school guarantees your tuition rate won’t rise once you enroll.
Degrees: B.S. in Criminal Justice, M.S. in Criminal Justice.
Tuition: $385/credit (undergraduate), $675/credit (graduate), 2026-27.
8. Sam Houston State University (Huntsville, TX)
Accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
SHSU’s online criminal justice programs ranked #4 nationally in U.S. News’s 2025 Best Online Criminal Justice Programs, per the university’s own release.
Degrees: B.A./B.S. in Criminal Justice, M.S. in Criminal Justice, Digital Forensics, and Homeland Security Studies, graduate certificates in leadership and emergency management.
Tuition: in-state undergraduate costs run around $11,370/year including fees. Per-credit-hour components are $50/SCH resident statutory tuition plus $194/SCH designated tuition (nonresident: $455/SCH statutory plus $194/SCH designated), with additional standard fees. Graduate tuition follows a similar statutory, designated, and $50/SCH graduate-increment structure that varies by program and residency.
9. University of Massachusetts–Lowell (Lowell, MA)
Accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education.
UMass Lowell’s online Master’s in Criminal Justice is ranked #3 nationally by U.S. News, per the school’s own program page. The university states the program meets the academic component of Massachusetts’s Quinn Bill career-incentive framework for eligible officers. Quinn Bill participation, funding, and pay effects are municipality-specific and have changed over time, so confirm current status with your department before counting on it.
Degrees: B.S. in Criminal Justice, M.A. in Criminal Justice, M.A. in Security Studies, undergraduate and graduate certificates in forensic criminology, security studies, and victim studies.
Tuition: $600/credit (graduate).
10. University of Louisville (Louisville, KY)
Accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
Louisville pairs its online Master of Science in Criminal Justice with the Southern Police Institute. The university’s own materials cite past U.S. News placements in the top 20 (graduate) and top 50 (undergraduate) online programs, though the specific year wasn’t confirmed in this pass.
Degrees: B.S. in Criminal Justice, M.S. in Criminal Justice.
Tuition: $568/credit (B.S.), $863/credit (M.S.).
11. Lamar University (Beaumont, TX)
Accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
Lamar’s online bachelor’s program accepts credit for completed Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE) academy training under its own transfer-credit policy. That’s Lamar’s institutional policy, not a TCOLE certification, and it’s specific to Texas. Its MBA in Criminal Justice Management targets current officers moving into administration.
Degrees: B.S. in Criminal Justice, M.S. in Criminal Justice, MBA in Criminal Justice Management.
Tuition: $314/credit (B.S.).
12. University of Cincinnati (Cincinnati, OH)
Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
UC’s online Master’s in Criminal Justice ranked #12 nationally in U.S. News’s 2024 cycle, the most recent confirmed in this pass. Three graduate certificates (crime analysis, correctional rehabilitation, analysis of criminal behavior) stack toward the master’s.
Degrees: B.S. in Criminal Justice, M.S. in Criminal Justice.
Tuition: $600/credit resident, $615/credit non-resident (undergraduate).
13. Liberty University (Lynchburg, VA)
Accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
Liberty runs criminal justice programs from associate through advanced graduate certificate in an eight-week course format.
Degrees: Associate and B.S. in Criminal Justice, M.S. in Criminal Justice, undergraduate, graduate, and advanced graduate certificates.
Tuition: $390/credit (undergraduate), $565/credit (graduate).
14. University of Central Florida (Orlando, FL)
Accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
UCF pairs every online student with a success coach. The forensic science master’s offers thesis and non-thesis tracks, the latter for students already working in a forensics lab.
Degrees: B.A./B.S. in Criminal Justice, M.S. in Criminal Justice, M.S. in Forensic Science, graduate certificates in crime analysis, corrections leadership, juvenile justice leadership, and police leadership.
Tuition: resident $179.19/credit, non-resident $715.80/credit (undergraduate, total with fees).
15. University of the Cumberlands (Williamsburg, KY)
Accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
Cumberlands’ online Master’s in Justice Administration ranked #9 nationally and #1 in Kentucky for a fourth consecutive year in U.S. News’s 2026 rankings.
Degrees: Associate and B.S. in Criminal Justice, Master’s in Justice Administration.
Tuition: $220/credit (undergraduate).
16. University of Nebraska–Omaha (Omaha, NE)
Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
UNO’s online Master’s in Criminology and Criminal Justice ranked #5 nationally in U.S. News’s 2026 rankings. The school added differential tuition for criminal justice courses starting in 2025-26, raising the online CJ rate above the university’s general online rate.
Degrees: Bachelor of Multidisciplinary Studies with a CJ concentration, M.S. in Criminology and Criminal Justice.
Tuition: $370/credit resident, $764/credit non-resident (online CJ rate, 2025-26).
17. Washington State University (Pullman, WA, plus other campuses)
Accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.
WSU’s criminal justice program dates to 1943. Electives include Violence Toward Women and Criminal Courts in America.
Degrees: B.A. in Criminal Justice.
Tuition: WSU publishes an estimated annual full-time cost rather than a flat per-credit rate. Resident undergraduate runs roughly $14,358-$14,361/year, non-resident roughly $32,032/year. Resident graduate runs roughly $14,845-$15,304/year, non-resident roughly $30,467-$31,394/year.
18. University of Wisconsin–Oshkosh (Oshkosh, WI)
Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
UWO’s online bachelor’s requires two years of professional experience to enter, with three paths to the degree: a B.A., a B.S., and a Bachelor of Applied Science for students with a related associate degree.
Degrees: B.A., B.S., and B.A.S. in Criminal Justice.
Tuition: $389.72/credit per the university’s most recently published fee schedule located in this pass (2023-24). Confirm the current rate before enrolling.
19. Southeast Missouri State University (Cape Girardeau, MO)
Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
SEMO’s online Master’s in Criminal Justice ranked #48 nationally in U.S. News’s 2025 rankings, the highest-ranked online CJ graduate program among Missouri schools per SEMO’s own materials. A new 90-credit-hour bachelor’s launches fall 2026, reducing the standard 120-hour requirement.
Degrees: B.S. in Criminal Justice, M.S. in Criminal Justice.
Tuition: $340/credit (undergraduate), $440/credit (graduate).
20. Tarleton State University (Stephenville, TX)
Accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
A member of the Texas A&M System, Tarleton’s transfer-credit policy accepts TCOLE, federal, and military training toward its Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences in Criminal Justice Administration. Again, that’s an institutional policy specific to Texas, not a TCOLE certification.
Degrees: B.A.A.S. in Criminal Justice Administration, Master of Criminal Justice, graduate certificates in strategic studies, alternative dispute resolution, and cybercrime field response.
Tuition: roughly $199/credit resident, $594/credit non-resident (undergraduate). Graduate runs $242/credit resident, $652/credit non-resident, per third-party tuition reporting. Confirm directly with Tarleton.
21. DeSales University (Center Valley, PA)
Accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.
DeSales concentrates its criminal justice programs on homeland security, counterterrorism, and digital forensics, with an accelerated bachelor’s-to-master’s track and a discount for working criminal justice professionals.
Degrees: Accelerated B.A. in Homeland Security, bachelor’s-to-master’s in Criminal Justice, M.A. in Criminal Justice, Counterterrorism and Digital Forensics, and Investigative Forensics, graduate certificates.
Tuition: undergraduate is a flat $48,000/year ($24,000/semester). Graduate runs $990/credit hour.
22. Rowan University (Glassboro, NJ)
Accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.
Rowan’s Master of Arts in Criminal Justice is a part-time, fully online program that can be finished in five consecutive semesters, with a thesis or comprehensive-exam option at the end.
Degrees: B.A. in Law and Justice, M.A. in Criminal Justice.
Tuition: $923.10/credit (M.A., 2025-26).
23. Boston University (Boston, MA)
Accredited by the New England Commission on Higher Education.
BU’s online Master’s in Criminal Justice, launched in 2002, has placed in U.S. News’s top 6 online criminal justice programs every year since 2015: #5 nationally and #8 for veterans in the 2026 rankings, per BU’s own program pages. Students choose a concentration in crime analysis, cybercrime investigation and cybersecurity, or strategic management.
Degrees: M.S. in Criminal Justice (three concentrations), graduate certificates.
Tuition: $585-$1,030 per unit depending on course level (2026-27).
24. Western Carolina University (Cullowhee, NC)
Accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
WCU’s online bachelor’s is built for working criminal justice professionals with at least a year of experience and an associate degree already in hand, with a concentration in administration of justice.
Degrees: B.S. in Criminal Justice.
Tuition: as an NC Promise campus, in-state undergraduate tuition is $500/semester ($3,690 total per semester with standard fees). Out-of-state undergraduate is $3,500/semester ($10,598 total per semester). NC Promise doesn’t apply to graduate programs: in-state graduate runs $6,367.50/semester (minimum 9 credit hours), out-of-state $11,727.00/semester, with higher rates for professional and doctoral tracks.
25. Michigan State University (East Lansing, MI)
Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
MSU’s School of Criminal Justice ranked #6 nationally and #5 for veterans in U.S. News’s 2026 Best Online Master’s in Criminal Justice rankings. The online M.A. stacks with a 15-credit Graduate Certificate in Cyber Criminology and Cyber Security.
Degrees: M.A. in Criminal Justice, M.S. in Cybercrime and Digital Investigation, M.S. in Law Enforcement Intelligence Analysis, graduate certificate.
Tuition: $892/credit (flat rate, all programs above).
Ranking Methodology
These 25 schools were selected primarily on current U.S. News & World Report Best Online Programs rankings for criminal justice, checked against each school’s own published accreditation, degree offerings, and tuition. Where a school’s current U.S. News rank wasn’t confirmed, placement reflects accreditation and program breadth rather than a ranked position. Tuition and rankings are current as of early 2026 and will drift over time: confirm current numbers directly with any school before enrolling.
What Online Degrees Are Available in Criminal Justice?
You can earn a criminal justice degree online at every level of higher education, though how much of a given program happens online versus in person varies by school and degree level. Doctoral programs especially often include some in-person component, though the exact format varies.
These are common career paths associated with each degree level, not a guarantee that a given degree alone qualifies you for a given job. Education requirements for specific criminal justice positions, including minimum degree, background standards, physical and psychological testing, academy training, and state certification, are set by individual states and agencies and vary widely. Confirm current requirements with the specific agency or licensing body before planning your education around a target job.
| Degree Level | Typical Length | Associated Career Fields |
|---|---|---|
| Associate | 2 years | Corrections, law enforcement, and security roles where an associate degree may meet or exceed the educational requirement for some entry-level positions, subject to the hiring agency’s own standards |
| Bachelor’s | 4 years | Corrections, forensic science, legal support, and law enforcement roles where a bachelor’s is commonly preferred or required by some employers |
| Master’s | 2 years | Corrections administration, cybersecurity, federal service, forensic science, and policy analysis. Federal hiring requirements are set at the specific occupation and GS-grade level and can require education, specialized experience, or both |
| Doctorate | 4 years | Academia, public policy administration, and program management. A doctorate doesn’t by itself qualify someone for a supervisory law enforcement position, promotion to those roles typically follows agency-specific experience and testing |
Online Associate Degrees in Criminal Justice
An online associate degree covers the core concepts and practices of criminal justice. Whether it meets the educational requirement for an entry-level corrections or law enforcement position depends on the specific agency: some accept an associate degree, others require a bachelor’s, and some set no degree requirement at all and rely on academy training and testing instead. Credits from an associate program usually transfer into a bachelor’s program. Most schools offer a general associate in criminal justice. Some break it out into cybersecurity, criminology, or paralegal-specific tracks.
Criminal Justice Online Bachelor’s Degrees
Education requirements for law enforcement, corrections, and court-system jobs vary by state, agency, and specific role. Some positions require a bachelor’s, many don’t, and requirements can include agency-specific academy training, testing, and certification on top of or instead of a degree. Lawyers and judges require additional education beyond a bachelor’s regardless of agency. Online bachelor’s degrees give you a foundation in the field with room to concentrate in corrections, homeland security, counterintelligence, law enforcement, or forensics. If you’re still weighing whether a bachelor’s is the right starting point, you can also explore a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice more broadly, including on-campus options.
Online Master’s Degrees in Criminal Justice
An online master’s degree can make sense if you’re aiming for a leadership, research, or specialized role. Admission generally requires a bachelor’s degree or equivalent, though some schools offer accelerated or combined bachelor’s-to-master’s pathways. Common specializations include global security, public safety, homeland security, law enforcement administration, and cybersecurity. Not sure what a master’s actually leads to day to day? See Jobs for a Master’s in Criminal Justice for a closer look at the roles it opens up.
Criminal Justice Online Doctoral Degrees
A doctoral degree is the highest credential in the field. Some programs require a master’s first. Others accept students directly from a bachelor’s. Many doctoral programs include some in-person component, such as an internship, practicum, or dissertation defense, though exact formats vary considerably by program, and some advertise themselves as low-residency or fully online. Confirm a specific program’s residency requirements before enrolling. Common Ph.D. tracks include public policy and administration, homeland security leadership and policy, and computer information security.
Online Undergraduate and Graduate Certificates in Criminal Justice
Certificates aren’t full degrees, but they give you specialized training that can stand out to some employers. Common certificate areas include corrections management, law enforcement administration, criminal sentencing, and criminal supervision.
What Can I Expect in an Online Criminal Justice Program?
Online programs generally use the same curriculum as their on-campus counterparts. Plenty of distance learners find the format demanding in its own way, since it takes real self-discipline to keep up without a classroom forcing the issue.
“Online classes require diligence, organization, and self-control, so be prepared to study hard, work hard, and stay organized. It is very easy to fall behind in an online class. To avoid this, students must make this class a priority and allow enough time to complete the weekly assignments, discussion posts, and quizzes.” —Diane Sjuts
The main difference is delivery. Programs typically run on a learning management system like Moodle or Blackboard, where you watch lectures, submit work, and connect with instructors and classmates. Expect:
- Video lectures you can rewatch, unlike a one-shot classroom lecture
- Discussion boards for networking and questions
- Live video conferences for Q&A sessions and group work
- Assignments that go beyond reading, including case-based critical thinking
- Timed online exams, even though most coursework runs on your own schedule
Coursework in Online Criminal Justice Programs
Coursework varies by school and degree level. The sample below, from Diane Sjuts, reflects the associate-degree curriculum at Metropolitan Community College as described in earlier interview material for this page. Confirm with the school that the program and credit-hour structure below are still current before relying on it.
Sample Online Associate Degree Curriculum (99 credit hours)
General education, 27 credit hours: Psychology, Sociology, Business Math, Ethics.
Major requirements, 40.5 hours: Intro to Criminal Justice, Intro to Corrections, Courts, Report Writing, Criminal Law, Interview and Interrogation, Contemporary Issues in Criminal Justice, Criminology, Rules of Evidence.
Track coursework, 31.5 credit hours: Law Enforcement track (Criminal Investigation, Police and Society, Police Field Services, Homeland Security, Forensics) or Corrections track (Intro to Probation and Parole, Legal Issues in Corrections, Correctional Facilities, Correctional Client, Community Based Corrections).
Should I Get a Criminal Justice Degree Online?
The biggest draw is flexibility. You’re not driving to a set building at a set time, and you can usually work at your own pace.
“The biggest benefit of earning your criminal justice degree online is you can attend your classes anywhere, which is a plus because many online students work full-time and have families. Another benefit is you can work on your classes…at any time of the day. You are not confined to a classroom. Online classes for some students may be less intimidating.” —Diane Sjuts
That matters most for working adults, parents, people in rural areas, and anyone whose schedule makes a traditional program hard to manage. It’s not the right fit for everyone. Sjuts put it this way in past interview material for this page: “I do believe that online programs work best for students who have practical experience in criminal justice. While I understand the popularity of online programs, it is my professional and academic opinion that students without any criminal justice working/professional experience would do better in a combination of both online and traditional criminal justice classes.”
How Do I Choose a Criminal Justice Online School?
Before you start comparing programs, answer a few questions for yourself:
- What are my career goals? The work you want to do should drive the program you pick, and since job requirements vary by agency, it’s worth checking your target agency’s current education standards before choosing a degree level.
- What kind of degree do I want? Match the degree level to your career goals and make sure you’re ready for the time commitment.
- What’s my budget? Financial aid and scholarship money is available to online students, subject to each program’s own eligibility rules. Verify a school’s federal financial-aid eligibility and any program-specific terms before enrolling.
- When do I want to study? Some programs have fixed start dates. Others run rolling admissions.
What to Look for in an Online Program
Accreditation
Accreditation means an independent body has evaluated the institution, or, with programmatic accreditation specifically, the individual program, against academic and professional standards. Institutional accreditation alone doesn’t necessarily mean a school’s criminal justice program has been separately evaluated. The Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences (ACJS) offers certification specific to criminal justice programs, which is a separate credential from a school’s regional accreditation. General institutional accreditation comes from regional bodies recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). An unaccredited institution can affect your eligibility for federal financial aid and credit transfer, but accreditation status and Title IV (federal aid) eligibility aren’t automatically the same thing: verify a specific program’s federal aid eligibility directly with the school.
Student Satisfaction
Accreditation tells you the standards are met. Reputation tells you something more. Read reviews, talk to current or former students, and check social media and testimonials before you commit.
Financial Aid, Grants, and Scholarships
Financial aid comes from the state, the federal government, and individual schools, usually based on need. Scholarships don’t have to be paid back and can be need- or merit-based. Some are reserved for specific groups. Grants, like financial aid, are usually need-based and don’t require repayment. Eligibility for any of these can depend on your enrollment status, residency, and the specific program’s own terms, so confirm directly with the school’s financial aid office.
Graduation Rate
A school’s completion rate is worth checking, though a lower rate doesn’t by itself mean a program is poorly run. Student population, transfer patterns, part-time enrollment, and how the rate is calculated can all affect the number. Check a school’s graduation rate through the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard tool or Collegeresults.org, and weigh it alongside other factors rather than on its own.
Loan Default Rate
The Department of Education’s most recent official national student loan cohort default rate is 0.4% for the FY 2023 cohort, released September 30, 2026, up slightly from 0.0% for FY 2022. Treat that figure with caution rather than as a sign the default problem has gone away. The metric measures default within a fixed early window after a borrower enters repayment, and the federal payment pause that ran from March 2020 through September 2023 meant many borrowers in these cohorts simply weren’t required to make payments during that window, pushing the official rate toward zero. Separately, the Department has reported roughly 9.3 million federal borrowers currently in default, a figure the official cohort rate doesn’t capture. Check a school’s own cohort default rate at the U.S. Department of Education as one data point, but don’t read a low recent-year rate as proof graduates are repaying easily. It may just reflect when their repayment clock happened to start.
Don’t commit to the first program that looks like a good fit. Shop around. There’s enough variation between programs that it’s worth the extra time.
Popular Careers in Criminal Justice
There are hundreds of criminal justice careers spread across law enforcement, the courts, and corrections. The education, training, and certification requirements for any specific job are set by the hiring state or agency and vary considerably. The overview below describes the field generally, not a specific employer’s requirements.
| Career | Median Annual Wage (May 2025) | Projected Growth (2024-34) |
|---|---|---|
| Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officer | $76,210 | +3.1% |
| Detective / Criminal Investigator | $93,790 | -0.7% |
| Paralegal | $62,890 | +0.2% |
| Bailiff | $56,600 | -2.1% |
| Judge (Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates) | $153,990 | +2.6% |
| Lawyer (including prosecutors) | $159,670 | +4.2% |
| Correctional Officer | $58,940 | -7.8% |
| First-Line Supervisor, Corrections | $77,970 | not available |
| Probation Officer | $66,270 | +2.7% |
Private Investigator is intentionally omitted from this table: no BLS occupation file is available for this role in the source data used for this page.
Law Enforcement Careers
Law enforcement professionals investigate crime, respond to emergencies, arrest and process suspects, keep the peace, testify in court, and enforce court orders. The specific education, testing, and training path to any of these roles, including any state peace-officer standards and training (POST) requirements, is set by the hiring state and agency and varies considerably. Confirm current requirements with the specific agency.
Police officers, sheriffs, and deputies patrol and respond to emergencies. Police detectives, special agents, criminal investigators, and private investigators work out how a crime happened and who did it. Crime scene investigators collect and process evidence that forensic experts then analyze. Federal agencies like the FBI and DEA investigate white-collar and organized crime with national and international reach, and agents who protect our country’s borders handle a different jurisdiction entirely. Specific federal hiring requirements are set at the occupation and grade level and vary by agency.
Police and sheriff’s patrol officers earned a median $76,210 as of May 2025 BLS data, with employment projected to grow 3.1% from 2024 to 2034, per ProjectionsCentral. Detectives and criminal investigators earned a median $93,790, with employment projected to decline slightly (-0.7%) over the same period.
Careers in the Courts
Once law enforcement arrests and processes a suspect, the courts take over, and most cases are resolved without a full trial.
This category goes well beyond judges, prosecutors, and bailiffs. Law clerks, staff attorneys, public defenders, administrators, and pretrial services officers all keep the system running. Prosecutors, with the help of assistant attorneys, paralegals, researchers, and clerks, build and present the state’s case. Judges oversee procedure on both sides and make sure the accused receives a fair hearing.
Lawyers, including prosecutors, earned a median $159,670 as of May 2025 BLS data, with 4.2% job growth projected from 2024 to 2034. Judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates earned a median $153,990, with growth projected at 2.6%. Paralegals earned a median $62,890, with growth projected at 0.2%. Bailiffs earned a median $56,600, with employment projected to decline 2.1% nationally through 2034.
Careers in Corrections
Once a suspect is convicted or pleads guilty, custody shifts to corrections.
Most people in this field work in jails or prisons. Correctional officers and their supervisors run the facility and move prisoners to and from court. Correctional counselors counsel offenders inside and prepare them for release. Outside the facility, a probation officer supervises people who avoided prison, and a parole officer supervises people released before their sentence ends.
Correctional officers earned a median $58,940 as of May 2025 BLS data, with employment projected to decline 7.8% from 2024 to 2034, the steepest projected decline of any role on this page. Probation officers and correctional treatment specialists earned a median $66,270, with growth of 2.7% projected over the same period.
May 2025 US Bureau of Labor Statistics salary figures for Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officers and Detectives, Lawyers, Judges, Paralegals, Correctional Officers and Bailiffs, and Probation Officers. Long-term (2024-34) job growth projections from the US Department of Labor-sponsored resource, ProjectionsCentral. Figures reflect national data, not school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary. Data accessed February 2026.
Scholarships for Online Criminal Justice Programs
Online students may be eligible for the same financial aid and scholarships as on-campus students, though eligibility can depend on a program’s specific Title IV status, your enrollment intensity, and individual scholarship terms. Diane Sjuts, drawing on her past experience in the field, put it this way in earlier interview material for this page: “If students are eligible for federal aid or scholarships, online students have the same eligibility as on-campus students. Colleges don’t distinguish between whether students are taking online classes or classes on campus.” Confirm current eligibility with each school’s financial aid office, and see our comprehensive Criminal Justice Scholarships page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which schools have the highest-rated online criminal justice programs?
U.S. News & World Report ranks online criminal justice programs annually, covering both bachelor’s and master’s levels. For 2026, Boston University (#5), Michigan State (#6, tied), Nebraska-Omaha (#5), and University of the Cumberlands (#9) placed among the top online master’s programs, with Arizona State at #10. Rankings and methodology change year to year, so check U.S. News’s current list before choosing a school based on rank alone.
How much does an online criminal justice degree cost?
It depends on the school and how the school bills tuition, not just the sticker price. Most schools on this list charge a flat per-credit-hour rate, ranging from around $179 per credit at public schools like UCF up to over $900 per credit for some private graduate programs, including Rowan’s and Boston University’s. A few schools price differently: Washington State publishes an estimated annual cost instead of a per-credit rate, and Western Carolina’s NC Promise tuition is a flat per-semester rate for in-state undergraduates. Get a written quote from the school itself before comparing programs.
Do criminal justice jobs require a college degree?
It depends on the specific job, agency, and state. Many law enforcement, corrections, and entry-level positions set their own requirements around background checks, physical and psychological testing, and state-mandated academy training rather than a specific degree, though some agencies do require one or give preference to candidates who have one. Education can also affect pay or promotion eligibility at some employers. Confirm current requirements directly with the agency you’re interested in.
Can I complete an online criminal justice degree entirely without visiting campus?
Many bachelor’s and master’s programs on this list are advertised as fully online, though some include optional or required in-person components. Doctoral programs are more likely to require some on-campus or in-person work, for an internship, practicum, or dissertation defense, though formats vary by program. Confirm a specific program’s residency requirements before enrolling.
Key Takeaways
- Online availability varies by program. You can earn a criminal justice degree online at every level, certificate through doctorate, though in-person requirements vary by program and are more common at the doctoral level.
- Compare confirmed rates, not headlines. Tuition varies enormously by school, residency, and degree level, and a few schools bill by the year rather than by the credit hour.
- Job requirements are set locally, not nationally. Education requirements for criminal justice jobs are set by individual states and agencies. A degree can affect eligibility, pay, or promotion at some employers, but check the specific agency’s current requirements before planning your education around a target job.
- Accreditation and rankings change over time. Verify both directly with the school and with U.S. News before enrolling.
If cost is what’s holding you back, start with the scholarships built for criminal justice majors before you look at loans.
Read: Scholarships for Criminal Justice Majors and Grad Students
Meet the Expert
Diane Sjuts has professional experience in probation, including past roles as a probation officer and Chief Probation Officer, and has taught criminal justice at Metropolitan Community College in Omaha, Nebraska.