Master’s in Criminal Justice Programs in Idaho

Updated October 9, 2026

Boise State University is the only Idaho institution currently reporting a graduate criminal justice program: a 34-credit Master of Arts requiring a bachelor’s in criminal justice or a related field and at least a 3.0 GPA. Coursework covers criminal justice theory, research methods, and statistics, capped by a comprehensive exam or an optional thesis.

Admission to Boise State’s criminal justice master’s program is competitive, and seats are limited. You’ll need a bachelor’s in criminal justice or a related social or behavioral science field with at least a 3.0 GPA—fall short of that, and you can still apply with qualifying GRE scores. Here’s what the program actually requires, and what it doesn’t promise.

Featured Programs:

What Will It Take to Earn a Criminal Justice Master’s at Boise State?

Boise State requires a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice or a related social or behavioral science field, with a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0. If your GPA falls below that, you can still apply by submitting GRE scores of at least 152 on both the Verbal and Quantitative Reasoning sections and at least 4 on the Analytical Writing section. The program strongly recommends, but doesn’t require, that you’ve completed introductory criminal justice, criminological theory, and statistics coursework before you start.

The degree runs 34 credits under the current catalog (2020-21 and later), built in three parts:

Foundation Series: five required core courses covering crime and criminal justice, criminal justice research, statistics, theories of crime, and victimology.
Seminar Series: nine credits chosen from a list that includes organization and management of criminal justice, law and social control, issues in contemporary policing, the legal process, juvenile justice, gender and justice, and contemporary issues in corrections.
Finish: every student defaults to a pass/fail comprehensive written exam. You can apply to write a thesis instead after your first semester, but it requires at least a 3.5 GPA in the program.

Contact the Criminal Justice Department directly about graduate assistantships, teaching opportunities, and other funding. Availability and terms change by year, and this page can’t promise what you’ll be offered.

What Does the Idaho Job Market Look Like for Criminal Justice Professionals?

A criminal justice master’s is one credential among several that can support a move into supervisory or administrative work, but it isn’t a requirement or a guarantee of one. In Idaho, promotion to a supervisory rank runs through each hiring agency’s own process, and for sworn officers, through Idaho’s Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Council, not through an academic degree. POST, administered by Idaho State Police, certifies its own Higher Level Certification tracks: Supervisor, Master, Management, and Executive, separately from any college program. A master’s degree doesn’t substitute for POST certification.

For context, First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives in Idaho earned a median of $94,920 a year as of May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The state’s labor projections put growth in that occupation at 2.8% from 2024 to 2034, with about 60 openings a year statewide, per ProjectionsCentral. These numbers describe the occupation statewide, not outcomes for people who complete a criminal justice master’s specifically; BLS doesn’t track earnings or hiring by degree level.

May 2025 US Bureau of Labor Statistics salary figures for First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives. 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.

Where to Study for a Master’s in Criminal Justice in Idaho

Per U.S. Department of Education data, Boise State University is the only Idaho institution currently reporting a master’s-level program in the Criminal Justice and Corrections field.

Institution	City	Control	Credential
Boise State University	Boise	Public	Master of Arts (MA) in Criminal Justice

Reach out to the program directly to confirm its enrollment, course format, and admission requirements before you apply. Federal education data reflects what a school reported at the time of collection, not necessarily this term’s catalog.

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.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Boise State University the only school offering a criminal justice master’s in Idaho?

It’s the only institution currently reporting one in federal education data, per the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Confirm directly with other Idaho schools before ruling out additional options, since program offerings change faster than the data that tracks them.

What are Boise State’s admission requirements for the criminal justice master’s?

You need a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice or a related social or behavioral science field with at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA. Below a 3.0, you can still apply with GRE scores of 152 or higher on the Verbal and Quantitative Reasoning sections and 4 or higher on Analytical Writing. The program strongly recommends, but doesn’t require, prior coursework in introductory criminal justice, theory, and statistics.

How many credits does Boise State’s criminal justice master’s require?

The degree runs 34 credits under the current catalog, for students starting in the 2020-21 academic year or later. That splits between required Foundation Series courses, a nine-credit Seminar Series, and either a comprehensive exam or a thesis.

Does a criminal justice master’s help with promotion in Idaho law enforcement?

It can be one factor among several, but promotion to a supervisory rank runs through each agency’s own process and, for sworn officers, through Idaho’s POST Higher Level Certification tracks, not through an academic degree. No agency or statute makes a master’s a requirement or guarantee for supervisory roles.

What can I do with a criminal justice master’s besides law enforcement?

Boise State’s program doesn’t publish graduate-outcomes data, so this page can’t say where its alumni actually work. Criminal justice master’s holders more broadly are positioned for roles in corrections administration, probation and parole supervision, and program coordination, though specific opportunities depend on the employer and your own background.

Key Takeaways

Program: Boise State’s MA in Criminal Justice is the only Idaho graduate program identified in federal education data, 34 credits
Admission: a CJ or related bachelor’s with a 3.0 GPA, or qualifying GRE scores below that
Occupational context: First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives in Idaho earned a median $94,920 in May 2025 (BLS), an occupational figure, not a guaranteed outcome of the degree
Promotion path: runs through agency hiring processes and Idaho POST certification, not through the degree alone
Funding: contact the department directly for current graduate assistantship and funding options

The Idaho Sheriffs Association lists scholarships among its stated programs. Check its site directly for current offerings and whether criminal justice graduate students qualify.

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