Master’s in Criminal Justice Programs in North Carolina

Updated October 7, 2026

North Carolina has ten colleges and universities offering a master’s-level program in the criminal justice family, per federal education data, including East Carolina, NC Central, and UNC Charlotte. Related fields for criminal justice professionals include police and detective supervision, where North Carolina’s First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives earn a median $91,100 a year (BLS, May 2025).

A master’s in criminal justice generally goes beyond what a bachelor’s program covers, with more research, policy, and administrative coursework. North Carolina offers the degree at ten colleges and universities, from large public programs at NC Central and East Carolina to smaller private options like Guilford and Mars Hill. Here’s a general look at what the degree involves, some related career fields, and where to earn it in-state.

What a Master’s in Criminal Justice Generally Covers

A criminal justice master’s typically adds research methods, policy analysis, and administrative or legal coursework on top of what a bachelor’s program covers. It’s commonly pursued by people already working in the field who want a deeper research or administrative background, people considering doctoral study, and people moving toward criminal justice education or policy work.

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Related Occupations

Two occupations sometimes discussed alongside graduate criminal justice study are First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives and Detectives and Criminal Investigators. These are related fields, not confirmed outcomes of a criminal justice master’s specifically. Promotion, assignment, and hiring for both depend on the agency, along with factors like rank, experience, and any required examinations.

In North Carolina, First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives earn a median $91,100 a year, per May 2025 BLS wage data. ProjectionsCentral separately projects 5.9% employment growth for the occupation in the state through 2034, alongside roughly 360 annual openings.

Detectives and Criminal Investigators earn a median $63,280 a year in North Carolina, per the same May 2025 BLS data, with 2.8% projected growth through 2034 and roughly 240 annual openings.

Across all protective service occupations in North Carolina, from entry-level roles through management, median pay is $46,300 a year (BLS, May 2025).

What a Criminal Justice Master’s Program Generally Involves

Credits and Timeline

Credit requirements, full-time versus part-time options, and typical time to degree vary by program. Contact each school directly for its current credit-hour requirement and expected completion time, since enrollment status, prerequisites, and any thesis or capstone requirement all affect the timeline.

Thesis, Non-Thesis, and Exam Options

Some criminal justice master’s programs offer a thesis track, a non-thesis track, or both; others structure it differently. Confirm which options a specific program offers, and note that any comprehensive exam tied to a non-thesis track is an academic program requirement, not a state licensing or certification exam. No state certification or licensing exam is required to earn the academic degree itself.

What You Might Study

Course titles and requirements differ by school, but a criminal justice master’s commonly includes some combination of criminal justice policy, research methods, and coursework connecting law and criminal justice practice. Check each program’s current catalog for its specific course requirements, since the lineup isn’t standardized across schools.

Admissions

Admission requirements, GPA expectations, and GRE policy vary by program. Some graduate criminal justice programs waive the GRE or give weight to professional experience in admissions decisions, and some don’t; confirm the current policy directly with the school you’re considering rather than assuming a shared standard.

Tuition

Tuition varies by school, program format, and residency status. Public universities in North Carolina generally set separate in-state and out-of-state tuition rates; private institutions typically don’t use that same resident/non-resident structure and may charge one rate regardless of where you live. Contact each program directly for its current cost, since published rates change year to year and may not include mandatory fees.

Where to Study a Master’s in Criminal Justice in North Carolina

Ten North Carolina institutions offer a master’s-level program in the criminal justice family, per U.S. Department of Education data. Most focus on criminal justice and corrections specifically; a couple layer in a related specialty.

Institution	Control	Master’s Programs Offered
Appalachian State University	Public	Criminal Justice
East Carolina University	Public	Criminal Justice
Fayetteville State University	Public	Criminal Justice
Guilford College	Private nonprofit	Criminal Justice
Mars Hill University	Private nonprofit	Criminal Justice
Methodist University	Private nonprofit	Criminal Justice
North Carolina Central University	Public	Criminal Justice
North Carolina Wesleyan University	Private nonprofit	Criminal Justice
Pfeiffer University	Private nonprofit	Criminal Justice, Security Science and Technology
University of North Carolina at Charlotte	Public	Criminal Justice, Fire Protection

This reflects what each school reported to the Department of Education, not necessarily this year’s live catalog or current degree name. Confirm current enrollment, format, and admission requirements directly with any school before applying.

Frequently Asked Questions

What do I need to get into a criminal justice master’s program in North Carolina?

Admission requirements vary by school and typically include a bachelor’s degree with a competitive GPA, along with materials like letters of recommendation. GRE requirements and how much weight a program gives to professional work experience differ by school, so check the specific program’s current admissions policy rather than assuming all 10 follow the same rules.

How long does a criminal justice master’s degree take in North Carolina?

It depends on the program and whether you enroll full-time or part-time. Completion time is affected by each program’s credit requirement, course availability, and whether it includes a thesis or capstone project, so ask the specific school for its typical time to degree.

What can I do with a master’s in criminal justice?

Graduates often work in roles connected to criminal justice administration, research, or education, in addition to continuing in operational law enforcement, corrections, or related agencies. Fields sometimes discussed alongside the degree include police and detective supervision and criminal investigation, but agency hiring, promotion, and assignment requirements vary and aren’t determined by the degree alone.

Is a master’s degree required to become a detective or supervisor in North Carolina?

No. Detective assignments and supervisory promotions in North Carolina are set by each hiring agency and typically depend on factors like rank, experience, and internal examinations rather than a specific degree level. A master’s degree doesn’t replace the certification or training requirements that apply to sworn law-enforcement positions.

Does a criminal justice master’s degree come with any state certification?

No. Earning the academic degree itself doesn’t require or grant any North Carolina law-enforcement certification. Certification and training standards for sworn officers are set separately, through either the North Carolina Criminal Justice Education and Training Standards Commission or the North Carolina Sheriffs’ Education and Training Standards Commission, depending on the position and the employing agency.

Key Takeaways

Ten North Carolina schools offer the degree: from large public universities to small private colleges, per federal education data. Confirm specifics directly with any school before applying.
Related occupational fields include police and detective supervision and criminal investigation: North Carolina’s First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives earn a median $91,100 a year (BLS, May 2025), though promotion and assignment depend on the agency, not the degree alone.
Program structure varies by school: credits, timeline, thesis options, admissions, and tuition all differ, so confirm specifics with each program.
The degree carries no state certification of its own: sworn-officer certification in North Carolina runs through a separate state commission structure.

If cost is what’s holding you back, start with the scholarships built for criminal justice majors before you look at loans. The list covers eligibility, award amounts, and deadlines.

Read: Scholarships for Criminal Justice Majors and Grad Students

May 2025 US Bureau of Labor Statistics salary figures for protective service occupations generally, and for police and detective supervisors and investigators specifically. 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.

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.

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