Bachelor’s in Criminal Justice Colleges in Nebraska
Updated September 18, 2026
Nebraska has 13 colleges offering a bachelor’s-level program in the criminal justice family, per federal data, most specifically in criminal justice. The degree doesn’t certify you as a police officer. That requires Nebraska’s own PSAC/NLETC academy. Detectives here earn a median $100,530 a year, correctional officers $63,380, per May 2025 BLS data.
Some people assume criminal justice work only matters in big cities like Chicago, New York, or Los Angeles. Nebraska’s own communities, from Omaha to smaller towns across the state, need trained criminal justice professionals too. A bachelor’s degree in criminal justice is one of the more direct academic paths into that field, and Nebraska has more program options than you might expect for its size.
A handful of accredited schools recruit students directly into Nebraska’s criminal justice field. Here are a few sponsored programs to start comparing:
Getting Your Criminal Justice Bachelor’s Degree in Nebraska
A bachelor’s in criminal justice commonly runs around four years and roughly 120 credits, though the exact timeline and credit total depend on the school, your transfer credits, and how you’re enrolled. Some Nebraska schools let you add a concentration on top of the core curriculum, in an area like policing, corrections, or juvenile justice, which can be worth considering if you already know which corner of the field you want to work in.
Course requirements vary by school, but core courses may include Police Systems and Practices, Courts and Criminal Procedures, Correction Systems and Practices, and Fundamentals of Criminal Law. Upper-level coursework at some programs may add classes like Forensic Evidence, Management of Criminal Justice Agencies, Juvenile Justice, and Research in Criminal Justice, along with a statistics course. Check a specific program’s catalog for its current requirements.
Nebraska students interested in criminal justice have scholarship options worth checking before turning to loans. At the University of Nebraska Omaha’s School of Criminology and Criminal Justice, Lincoln-campus students can apply for the Jeff Marshall Scholarship Fund (up to $800) or the Joe Carroll Scholarship (up to $750, reserved for a senior-standing Lincoln police officer). Check with your specific school for its own scholarship listings.
The Degree Doesn’t Replace State Certification
A criminal justice bachelor’s degree prepares you academically, but it doesn’t make you a certified Nebraska law enforcement officer. That happens through the state’s own certification system, run by the Nebraska Police Standards Advisory Council (PSAC) under the Nebraska Crime Commission. Most officers certify through the Nebraska Law Enforcement Training Center (NLETC) in Grand Island, a 16-week, roughly 640-hour basic course. Some agencies run their own PSAC-approved academies instead, including the Nebraska State Patrol, Lincoln Police Department, and Omaha Police Department, so not every Nebraska officer trains at NLETC specifically.
General admission standards across Nebraska’s basic academies include a minimum age, U.S. citizenship, a high school diploma or GED, a valid driver’s license, and a clean background, plus a physical task test built from PSAC’s job task analysis (NLETC currently uses JTA Physical Task Testing rather than the older PRET). Individual hiring agencies can add their own requirements on top of these baselines. None of this is something a bachelor’s degree substitutes for, and detective or investigator roles in particular are typically filled through agency-specific eligibility and promotion rules, not a statewide degree requirement.
This certification pathway applies to sworn law enforcement. Corrections, legal support, and other criminal justice careers in Nebraska follow different licensing or hiring processes, not the PSAC/NLETC track.
Where to Study Criminal Justice in Nebraska
13 Nebraska institutions offer a bachelor’s-level program somewhere in the criminal justice family, per federal education data. Twelve of them offer the degree specifically in Criminal Justice and Corrections. The thirteenth, College of Saint Mary, offers a bachelor’s in the related Legal Support Services field instead. All are listed as non-distance-only institutions in federal data. Confirm current enrollment, format, and admission requirements directly with any school before applying.
| Institution | City | Control | Bachelor’s Program Area(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bellevue University | Bellevue | Private nonprofit | Criminal Justice, Homeland Security, Security Science and Technology |
| Chadron State College | Chadron | Public | Criminal Justice |
| College of Saint Mary | Omaha | Private nonprofit | Legal Support Services |
| Concordia University-Nebraska | Seward | Private nonprofit | Criminal Justice |
| Doane University | Crete | Private nonprofit | Criminal Justice, Legal Support Services |
| Midland University | Fremont | Private nonprofit | Criminal Justice |
| Nebraska Wesleyan University | Lincoln | Private nonprofit | Criminal Justice |
| Peru State College | Peru | Public | Criminal Justice |
| University of Nebraska at Kearney | Kearney | Public | Criminal Justice |
| University of Nebraska at Omaha | Omaha | Public | Criminal Justice, Fire Protection, Homeland Security |
| University of Nebraska-Lincoln | Lincoln | Public | Criminal Justice, Security Science and Technology |
| Wayne State College | Wayne | Public | Criminal Justice |
| York University | York | Private nonprofit | Criminal Justice |
School and program data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, institution file May 2025 and field-of-study file April 2025. Data accessed September 2026.
Nebraska Criminal Justice Salaries and Job Outlook
Nebraska detectives and criminal investigators have a median wage of $100,530 a year, per the May 2025 BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics for the state. That’s the occupational median for the job title itself, not a figure tied to bachelor’s-degree holders specifically. ProjectionsCentral’s 2024-34 outlook puts Nebraska at 280 detective and criminal investigator positions in both the base and projected year, a reported 0.7% change, with about 20 average annual openings from growth and separations combined.
Correctional officers and jailers in Nebraska have a median wage of $63,380 a year, also per May 2025 BLS state data. The 2024-34 outlook projects Nebraska’s correctional officer and jailer workforce declining from about 3,090 to 2,870 positions, a 7.2% drop, with roughly 240 average annual openings expected from growth and separations combined.
Neither figure means a bachelor’s degree causes a person to land the higher-paying role. Detective and investigator jobs are typically filled by agencies from within their own ranks, based on agency-specific eligibility and promotion criteria, not a statewide degree mandate.
May 2025 US Bureau of Labor Statistics salary figures for Detectives and Criminal Investigators and Correctional Officers and Jailers. Long-term (2024-34) job growth projections from the US Department of Labor-sponsored resource, ProjectionsCentral. Figures reflect state-level data, not school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary. Data accessed September 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many schools in Nebraska offer a bachelor’s degree related to criminal justice?
13 Nebraska institutions offer a bachelor’s-level program somewhere in the criminal justice family, per federal education data. Twelve offer it specifically in Criminal Justice and Corrections. The thirteenth, College of Saint Mary, offers a related Legal Support Services bachelor’s instead.
Does a criminal justice bachelor’s degree make you a certified Nebraska police officer?
No. Certification runs through the state’s own system, administered by the Police Standards Advisory Council and typically completed at the Nebraska Law Enforcement Training Center, a 16-week basic course. A bachelor’s degree can strengthen an application, but it doesn’t substitute for state certification or an individual agency’s hiring requirements.
How long does a criminal justice bachelor’s degree take in Nebraska?
Most programs run around four years and roughly 120 credits, though the exact timeline depends on the school, your transfer credits, and your enrollment status. Some schools let you add a concentration, such as policing or corrections, on top of the core coursework.
What do criminal justice professionals earn in Nebraska?
It varies by role. Detectives and criminal investigators have a median wage of $100,530 a year in Nebraska, per May 2025 BLS state data, while correctional officers and jailers have a median of $63,380. These are occupational figures, not earnings tied to holding a bachelor’s degree specifically.
Is the job outlook strong for criminal justice careers in Nebraska?
It depends on the role. ProjectionsCentral’s 2024-34 outlook shows Nebraska’s detective and criminal investigator count holding flat at 280 positions, while the correctional officer and jailer workforce is projected to shrink by about 7%. Average annual openings in both roles come from a mix of growth and separations.
Key Takeaways
- 13 institutions, 12 in criminal justice specifically – Nebraska schools offer a bachelor’s somewhere in the criminal justice family, per federal education data. One of the 13 offers it through Legal Support Services rather than Criminal Justice and Corrections.
- The degree isn’t a certification – becoming a sworn Nebraska law enforcement officer requires the state’s PSAC/NLETC certification process, separate from any college degree.
- Pay varies widely by role – Nebraska detectives have a median wage of $100,530 a year versus $63,380 for correctional officers, per May 2025 BLS data, occupational figures rather than a bachelor’s-degree premium.
- Detective jobs are flat, corrections jobs are shrinking – ProjectionsCentral’s 2024-34 outlook holds Nebraska detective positions steady at 280 while projecting a 7% decline in correctional officer and jailer positions.
Before you commit to a program, reach out to the featured schools above for specifics on cost, format, and start dates, and check whether a scholarship like the ones listed here can cut down what you’d otherwise borrow.
Looking for a Criminal Justice Program in Another State?
Want the bigger picture? Read the full guide to Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice.