Bachelor’s in Criminal Justice Programs in New Jersey

Updated September 30, 2026

New Jersey has 21 four-year schools offering a bachelor’s in criminal justice or a related CJ-family program, per federal education data, from Rutgers’ three campuses to smaller private schools like Caldwell and Centenary. Protective service jobs statewide paid a median $54,480 as of May 2025, above the $50,080 national figure, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

New Jersey needs officers who can read a spreadsheet of overdose calls, corrections staff who can de-escalate a cell block, and analysts who can follow the money on a fraud case. A bachelor’s degree can prepare students for criminal-justice careers that involve policing, corrections, investigations, administration, research, and analysis. Here’s what the degree covers, what New Jersey’s job market pays across that field, and where you can actually earn it.

Featured Programs:

Why New Jersey Needs Criminal Justice Graduates

New Jersey isn’t one uniform beat. Some towns need officers who can keep a quiet Tuesday quiet, while Newark’s crime rate puts it among the more dangerous cities in the country, driven in part by entrenched poverty. The same degree gets used very differently depending on which department hires you.

The state is also looking past enforcement alone. A recent news story covers a statewide plan to use fines paid by convicted criminals to fund school security upgrades, the kind of policy work a criminal justice graduate is positioned to help analyze or administer, not just police.

Earning Your Bachelor’s in Criminal Justice in New Jersey

Criminal justice programs commonly cover subjects such as criminal law and procedure, juvenile justice, research or statistics, policing, courts, and corrections. Course requirements and available concentrations vary by school, though many let you specialize in an area like criminology, policing, or investigations as you advance.

Chase financial aid before you commit to a program. Rutgers offers the Richard J. Hughes Award, the Lieutenant Edward Manzione Award, and the Ralph Johnson Bunche Distinguished Graduate Award to its own criminal justice students. A separate list from the Cliff View Pilot names four scholarships open to criminal justice majors statewide through the County Prosecutors Association of New Jersey.

Career Outlook and Pay for New Jersey Criminal Justice Graduates

A bachelor’s in criminal justice doesn’t lead to one job; it leads to dozens: patrol officer, detective, corrections officer, probation officer, or federal agent, each with its own hiring process and pay scale. As of May 2025, New Jersey’s broad BLS category of Police and Detectives, Correctional Officers and Bailiffs, Security Guards and Gambling Surveillance Officers, and related protective service occupations had a median annual wage of $54,480, compared with $50,080 nationally.

That statewide figure is a broad benchmark, not a prediction of pay for a particular job. Pay for a specific role like patrol officer or corrections officer will sit above or below it depending on the agency, your rank, and whether you’re working local, state, or federal.

Where to Study: Bachelor’s Programs in New Jersey

Per U.S. Department of Education data, 21 New Jersey institutions offer a bachelor’s-level program in the criminal justice family, and none are distance-only. Public four-year schools make up most of the list, led by Rutgers’ three New Jersey campuses, alongside a mix of private nonprofits and two for-profit schools. Confirm current enrollment, format, and admission requirements directly with any school before applying.

Type	CJ-Family Program(s)
Rutgers University–New Brunswick	Public	Criminal Justice
Rutgers University–Newark	Public	Criminal Justice
Rutgers University–Camden	Public	Criminal Justice
Kean University	Public	Criminal Justice
New Jersey City University	Public	Criminal Justice, Fire Protection, Homeland Security
Rowan University	Public	Criminal Justice, Homeland Security, Security Science and Technology
The College of New Jersey	Public	Criminal Justice
Thomas Edison State University	Public	Homeland Security
William Paterson University of New Jersey	Public	Criminal Justice
Caldwell University	Private nonprofit	Criminal Justice
Centenary University	Private nonprofit	Criminal Justice
Fairleigh Dickinson University-Metropolitan Campus	Private nonprofit	Criminal Justice
Felician University	Private nonprofit	Criminal Justice
Georgian Court University	Private nonprofit	Criminal Justice
Monmouth University	Private nonprofit	Criminal Justice, Homeland Security
Rider University	Private nonprofit	Criminal Justice
Saint Elizabeth University	Private nonprofit	Criminal Justice
Saint Peter’s University	Private nonprofit	Criminal Justice
Seton Hall University	Private nonprofit	Criminal Justice
Berkeley College-Woodland Park	Private for-profit	Criminal Justice
Strayer University-New Jersey	Private for-profit	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.

May 2025 US Bureau of Labor Statistics salary figures for Police and Detectives, Correctional Officers and Bailiffs, and Security Guards and Gambling Surveillance Officers. Figures reflect state and national data, not school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary. Data accessed September 2026.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you need a bachelor’s degree to become a police officer in New Jersey?

A bachelor’s degree is not a statewide requirement to become a police officer in New Jersey. Minimum education and other hiring qualifications vary by agency and position. New Jersey law-enforcement officers must meet training and licensing requirements administered by the New Jersey Police Training Commission (PTC), and some Civil Service positions also require an entry-level examination. Some agencies may consider college education for hiring, advancement, or education incentives, so check requirements and compensation policies with the specific agency you’re interested in.

How long does a bachelor’s in criminal justice take in New Jersey?

A bachelor’s degree typically takes about four years of full-time study, although completion time varies by program, course load, and transfer or prior-learning credits. Some schools, including Thomas Edison State University, award credit for prior coursework or academy training, which can shorten the timeline for students with relevant experience.

What can you do with a bachelor’s in criminal justice besides policing?

Corrections, probation and parole work, federal agencies, court administration, and private-sector security and investigations all hire criminal justice graduates. The degree is a generalist credential, and the specific job you land determines the training and certification you’ll need next.

Is a criminal justice degree from a for-profit school treated differently by employers?

Most New Jersey agencies care more about accreditation and coursework than whether a school is public, private nonprofit, or for-profit. Check that any program you’re considering is regionally accredited, and ask a target department directly if they have a preference.

Key Takeaways

21 schools, no distance-only options – New Jersey’s bachelor’s-level CJ programs run at brick-and-mortar campuses, per federal education data.
Pay varies substantially by occupation – the $54,480 figure is the median for New Jersey’s entire BLS protective-service occupational group, not specifically for criminal justice graduates.
Education requirements vary by agency – a bachelor’s degree isn’t a statewide requirement for New Jersey police jobs, and minimum qualifications differ by department and position.
Concentrations vary by school – some programs offer tracks like criminology, policing, or investigations, but course requirements differ from school to school.

If cost is what’s holding you back, start with the scholarships named above. Rutgers offers three CJ-specific awards to its own students, and the County Prosecutors Association funds four more open to any criminal justice major in the state. Run those numbers before you take out a single loan.

Looking for a Criminal Justice Program in Another State?

Want the bigger picture? Read the full guide to Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice.