Bachelor’s in Criminal Justice in North Dakota: Schools, Pay and Jobs
Updated October 7, 2026
Seven North Dakota colleges offer a bachelor’s in criminal justice or a related field, per U.S. Department of Education data: three public universities, three private nonprofits and one for-profit. Plan on about 120 credits over four years. Most patrol jobs don’t require the degree, but probation jobs typically call for one and FBI special agents must have one.
Before you commit four years and 120 credits to a criminal justice degree, find out which North Dakota jobs actually need one. Most patrol jobs don’t. Probation jobs typically do; some federal positions require one outright, and the corrections jobs the state was scrambling to fill a decade ago are now projected to shrink. Here’s where you can study, what the degree covers, and what the work pays as of the May 2025 BLS data.
What a Criminal Justice Bachelor’s Covers
Expect four years of full-time study and roughly 120 credits, about half of them in your major. The core is the same at most programs: criminology, research methods, criminal law and procedure, policing, the courts, and corrections. Upper-level electives let you lean toward the job you want, with courses like victimology, community supervision, criminal justice management, and violent crime.
The classroom only gets you part of the way. Ask every program what it offers outside the lecture hall: internships with local departments, ride-alongs, and field placements in probation or victim services. North Dakota State University’s criminal justice department, for example, lists a Fargo summer police academy internship among its student opportunities. That kind of placement is what a hiring panel remembers.
Criminal Justice Colleges in North Dakota With Bachelor’s Programs
Federal education data lists seven North Dakota institutions that award a bachelor’s degree in a criminal-justice-family field. None of them is an online-only school registered in the state. Statewide, 10 institutions offer a criminal-justice-family program at some level; the other three stop at the associate degree or certificate.
| Institution | City | Type | Bachelor’s-Level Programs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minot State University | Minot | Public | Criminal Justice |
| North Dakota State University | Fargo | Public | Criminal Justice; Homeland Security |
| Rasmussen University (North Dakota) | Fargo | Private for-profit | Criminal Justice |
| United Tribes Technical College | Bismarck | Private nonprofit | Criminal Justice |
| University of Jamestown | Jamestown | Private nonprofit | Criminal Justice |
| University of Mary | Bismarck | Private nonprofit | Criminal Justice |
| University of North Dakota | Grand Forks | Public | Criminal Justice; Security Science and Technology |
Two details are worth knowing. The University of North Dakota also reports a program in security science and technology, the federal program family that includes forensic science, so ask the school exactly what that program teaches. And United Tribes Technical College in Bismarck is a tribal college, a natural fit if you’re aiming at tribal policing or justice work on reservations.
These listings come from what each school reported to the Department of Education, not from this year’s catalog. Programs get renamed, folded into other majors, or moved online. Confirm the current program, format and admission requirements with the school before you apply.
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 October 2026.
Paying for the Degree
File the FAFSA as soon as it opens each year, because some state and school aid runs out. Then review the awards available to criminal justice majors. North Dakota State University’s department, for instance, lists a criminal justice scholarship at North Dakota State University alongside a need-based award for incoming freshmen, all applied for through the university’s scholarship portal. Deadlines fall early in the calendar year, so check them the fall before you enroll.
If you’re a strong student headed for public service, look at the Truman Scholars Program. It’s a national, merit-based award that college juniors apply for to fund graduate school, and its finalists are expected to show a record of public service, not only a high GPA.
What Criminal Justice Work Looks Like in North Dakota
The workload is real. North Dakota’s 2025 crime report showed violent crime falling for the second year in a row, to about 11,900 incidents, the lowest level since 2021, but still above what the state recorded 10 to 12 years ago, according to the Attorney General’s Office as reported by Valley News Live. That data came from 53 sheriff’s offices, 149 police departments, 10 task forces and the Highway Patrol, and every one of those agencies has to hire. Attorney General Drew Wrigley noted at the end of 2025 that many North Dakota law enforcement agencies are not fully staffed (KFYR, December 31, 2025).
Here’s what the main jobs pay in North Dakota and where the openings are expected. Read the growth column as carefully as the pay.
| Occupation | North Dakota Median Pay (May 2025) | Projected Growth, 2024–34 | Average Annual Openings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officers | $74,500 | +6.1% | 160 |
| Detectives and Criminal Investigators | $82,290 | 0% | 30 |
| Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists | $65,140 | -2.4% | 20 |
| Correctional Officers and Jailers | $52,460 | -6.4% | 90 |
Patrol is where the hiring is: 160 openings a year, mostly to replace officers who retire or leave. A bachelor’s isn’t required to apply at most departments. You’ll still have to meet North Dakota POST Board licensing and training requirements, including POST-certified basic peace officer training, along with the hiring agency’s testing and background requirements. The degree pays off later, at promotion boards and when you apply for detective, where the North Dakota median of $82,290 sits well below the national median of $93,790 in the same May 2025 data.
Probation officer jobs typically call for a bachelor’s degree, although exact education and experience requirements vary by employer and position. Corrections is the honest warning. The state was projected to add correctional officer jobs a decade ago; the current projection is a 6.4% decline. There will still be about 90 openings a year from turnover, but don’t plan a four-year degree around a corrections career without talking to someone working inside a facility first. Across all protective service jobs in North Dakota, the May 2025 median was $58,350.
May 2025 US Bureau of Labor Statistics salary figures for Police and Detectives, Correctional Officers and Bailiffs and Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists. 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 October 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many colleges in North Dakota offer a bachelor’s in criminal justice?
Seven, according to U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard data: Minot State University, North Dakota State University, Rasmussen University, United Tribes Technical College, the University of Jamestown, the University of Mary and the University of North Dakota. Three are public. Confirm the current program with each school, since federal listings lag behind catalog changes.
Do you need a bachelor’s degree to be a police officer in North Dakota?
Usually not. Most departments hire without one, but you’ll have to meet North Dakota POST Board licensing requirements, including POST-certified basic peace officer training, plus the hiring agency’s testing and background requirements. A bachelor’s helps when you compete for promotion or a detective position. Some federal law-enforcement positions require one; FBI special agents, for example, must have at least a bachelor’s degree.
How much do criminal justice jobs pay in North Dakota?
As of May 2025 BLS data, North Dakota’s median pay was $74,500 for patrol officers, $82,290 for detectives and criminal investigators, $65,140 for probation officers and $52,460 for correctional officers. The median across all protective service jobs in the state was $58,350.
Which criminal justice jobs are growing in North Dakota?
Patrol work. ProjectionsCentral projects 6.1% growth for police and sheriff’s patrol officers from 2024 to 2034, with about 160 openings a year. Detective jobs are projected flat, and correctional officer jobs are projected to decline 6.4%.
Key Takeaways
- Seven schools, three public: Federal data lists seven North Dakota institutions with criminal-justice-family bachelor’s programs, including security-related tracks at NDSU and UND.
- The degree isn’t the badge: Most patrol jobs don’t require a bachelor’s, but every officer has to meet North Dakota POST Board licensing and training requirements. The degree matters most for probation work, promotion, and federal jobs like FBI special agent.
- Follow the openings: Patrol is projected to grow 6.1% through 2034. Corrections is projected to shrink 6.4%, so talk to working officers before you plan around it.
- Pay as of May 2025: North Dakota medians run from $52,460 for correctional officers to $82,290 for detectives.
Worried about paying for it? If cost is what’s standing between you and the degree, work the free money first: file the FAFSA, then apply for the NDSU and Truman awards above before you look at loans.
Comparing Bachelor’s Programs in Other States?
Pick a state below to see its criminal justice bachelor’s programs.
Want the bigger picture? Read the full guide to Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice.