How to Find the Best Criminal Justice School in Your State

There’s no single “best” criminal justice school. The right one is an accredited program whose cost, format, and specialty match your state’s hiring requirements. Look for faculty who’ve actually worked the job, ties to your state’s police academy or corrections agency, and a cost you can pay back on a starting salary. Compare your state’s options below.

Type “best criminal justice schools” into Google and you’ll get a wall of ranked lists that all disagree with each other, because no accrediting body ranks criminal justice programs the way U.S. News ranks law schools. What actually separates a strong program from a weak one is more specific: accreditation, instructors who’ve worked the job, and a real track record with your state’s hiring agencies. Find your state below to start comparing programs, or jump straight to the Degree Program pages if you already know which degree level you want.

Featured Programs:

What Actually Makes a Criminal Justice Program “Best”?

There’s no national ranking body for criminal justice programs, so “best” comes down to four things you can check before you enroll.

Institutional accreditation: Confirm the school is accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. If you plan to use the degree for state licensing, certification, hiring credit, or incentive pay, verify with that specific agency that it accepts the school and program.
Faculty who’ve worked the job: A criminology PhD isn’t the same as an instructor who spent a decade on patrol or in a courtroom. Ask admissions how many instructors have real field experience, not just published research.
Ties to your state’s academy or licensing agency: Some programs partner directly with state police academies, corrections departments, or your state’s peace-officer standards, training, or licensing authority (sometimes called a POST, or Peace Officer Standards and Training, agency) in ways that can shorten your path to hire. Ask whether the program’s credits count toward your state’s certification requirements.
True cost, not the sticker price: Get the full cost per credit, including fees, not just the advertised tuition rate, and ask what percentage of recent graduates found work in the field within a year. Weigh that number against the wages further down this page before you commit.

These requirements vary by degree level and school, so you’ll need to confirm specifics directly with any program you’re considering.

What Classes Will You Take?

Your exact curriculum depends on the school, but expect courses like these in a typical undergraduate program:

Introduction to the Criminal Justice System
Criminology
Fundamentals of Criminal Law
Correctional Systems and Practices
Police Systems and Practices
Crime, Justice, and Social Diversity
Corporate & White Collar Crime
Current Issues in Criminal Justice
Domestic Violence

Requirements vary by school and degree level, so confirm the specific courses with any program you’re considering.

Choosing a Degree Level

Deciding between an online and a campus-based program is another choice. Picking your degree level is another, and each one opens different doors.

Associate Degree in Criminal Justice

For recent high school graduates or adult learners starting a criminal justice career, an associate degree is a common entry point. Many students take law enforcement courses early to prepare for the police academy or a long-term career in the field.

Associate programs let you take a wide variety of electives, which gives you a taste of the broad spectrum of criminal justice careers available to graduates. Since most courses are taught in a classroom format rather than a clinical one, you’ll find plenty of online options at this level. Look for programs that also offer a bachelor’s track you can transfer into once you finish your associate credits.

Bachelor’s in Criminal Justice Programs

One benefit of many bachelor’s programs is the ability to choose a concentration in a specialized area. Options often include:

Law Enforcement
Crime Scene Investigation
Forensic Science
Juvenile Justice
Homeland Security
Private Security

A bachelor’s degree qualifies you for several career paths, which is why it’s worth planning out your courses and weighing your concentration options early. Depending on your coursework, experience, and any additional agency, licensing, or certification requirements, a bachelor’s in criminal justice may support paths such as:

Police Officer
Security Guard
Intelligence Analyst
Background Investigator
Investigator
Immigration & Customs Enforcement Agent

Some of these careers require additional training or certification after your bachelor’s degree. If you want to become a police officer, for example, you’ll still need to attend the police academy before joining the force.

You can learn more about these careers, and others, by browsing the specialty pages linked throughout this site.

Master’s in Criminal Justice Education

A graduate degree in criminal justice can advance your career. Law enforcement agencies, along with government and private employers, value the qualifications that years of experience plus a master’s degree bring.

Master’s programs tend to be specialized, with coursework in areas like:

Sociology
Qualitative and Quantitative Research Methods
Statistics
Theoretical Criminology
Policy Making

A master’s may support advancement, specialized roles, or some adjunct teaching opportunities, depending on the employer and your professional experience.

PhD in Criminal Justice

A doctorate in criminal justice puts you at the highest levels of the field. Doctoral graduates may pursue research, teaching, policy, government, or nonprofit work, depending on their professional background. That can include policy-focused organizations such as the Southern Poverty Law Center and Amnesty International.

Credible online criminal justice PhD programs are offered by schools across the country, including state universities, so it’s worth exploring options in your own state alongside national programs.

Certificates in Criminal Justice

If you’re starting your criminal justice education, a certificate program can be a solid entry point. Schools that offer certificates typically also offer associate and bachelor’s programs that you can transfer into once you complete your certificate requirements.

Graduate Certificates

Graduate certificate programs in criminal justice are also common, sometimes as part of a master’s program and sometimes as stand-alone credentials. Common options include:

Digital Forensics
Terrorism Studies
Race and Criminal Justice
Organized Crime Studies
Substance Abuse

What These Careers Actually Pay

Ask any program advisor what their graduates actually go on to do, since the job landscape differs by city and state. For the fuller picture of where a criminal justice degree can take you, explore Criminal Justice Careers, or start with a few common entry points:

“The average salary in criminal justice” is a number that hides more than it reveals — it blends postsecondary professors, patrol officers, and paralegals. Here’s what three common entry points actually pay nationally, as of May 2025 BLS wage data:

Career	Median Annual Wage (May 2025)
Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officers	$76,210
Paralegals and Legal Assistants	$62,890
Correctional Officers and Jailers	$58,940

May 2025 US Bureau of Labor Statistics salary figures for Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officers, Paralegals and Legal Assistants, and Correctional Officers and Jailers. Figures reflect national data, not school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary. Data accessed September 2026.

Use these figures as your baseline before you commit to a program’s price tag.

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes a criminal justice program accredited?

Look for accreditation from an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. If you plan to use the degree for state licensing, certification, hiring credit, or incentive pay, confirm with that specific agency that it accepts the school and program.

Do I need a bachelor’s degree to become a police officer?

Requirements vary substantially by state and agency. Some departments require only a high school diploma or equivalent, while others require college coursework, state-approved training, licensing or certification exams, physical and medical testing, and background screening. A bachelor’s degree can raise your starting pay at some agencies and is required for FBI special-agent positions, but check your target department’s specific minimums first.

How does the cost of a criminal justice degree compare to what these jobs pay?

That depends on the school and degree level, but the median wages above, $58,940 to $76,210 for the careers listed, give you a real number to weigh against a program’s total tuition, not just its per-credit rate.

Can I complete a criminal justice degree online?

Yes, at every degree level. Completing a degree online doesn’t replace any academy or hands-on training required by the state or hiring agency, so check the requirements where you intend to work.

Do I need a criminal justice degree to become a state trooper or FBI agent?

It depends on the agency. State trooper requirements vary by state, and many accept a high school diploma plus academy training. FBI special-agent positions are different: a bachelor’s degree plus professional-experience eligibility requirements apply, regardless of major.

Key Takeaways

There’s no ranked “best” list: Judge programs by accreditation, instructors’ field experience, and how well they align with your state’s hiring requirements, not by marketing claims.
Education requirements vary by state and agency: Some departments require only a high school diploma, while others require college coursework, state-approved training, or licensing exams. Check your target agency’s specific minimums rather than assuming a single nationwide standard.
Know the wage baseline before you enroll: Median pay for common entry points ranges from $58,940 (Correctional Officers and Jailers) to $76,210 (Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officers), per BLS data from May 2025.
Pick your state, then compare: Use the state list on this page to find the specific programs and hiring requirements where you plan to work.

If cost is what’s holding you back, the scholarships guide lists what’s currently open to criminal justice students, with eligibility and deadlines. Read that first, then come back and pick your state above.

Featured Programs: