Online Master’s in Criminal Justice in Vermont: Programs and Pay
Updated October 6, 2026
Federal education data lists three Vermont institutions with a master’s-level criminal justice program: Champlain College, Norwich University, and SIT Graduate Institute, all private nonprofits. Online programs from out-of-state schools widen the field. The payoff is leadership work: Vermont police supervisors earned a $99,280 median and probation officers $83,820 in May 2025, per BLS.
A master’s in criminal justice won’t get you hired in Vermont. Nobody needs one to carry a badge or run a cellblock. What it can buy is a stronger shot at the next rung: a supervisory post, a probation administration job, a policy role at a state agency.
Vermont is a small state, so the options are small too. Here’s what the degree is worth here, where you can earn it, and what it’ll cost you in time.
What Can You Do With a Master’s in Criminal Justice in Vermont?
Start with the honest version. A master’s doesn’t make you a sergeant. Time on the job does. For some supervisory, federal, and administrative positions, graduate education can strengthen an application or help satisfy a position’s qualification requirements, but those requirements vary by employer and role. Check the posting for the job you want before you enroll.
The roles below are where a graduate degree tends to carry the most weight in Vermont. Pay figures are May 2025 medians from the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program. Growth figures are the 2024–34 Vermont projections from ProjectionsCentral.
| Role | Vermont Median Salary (May 2025) | Projected Growth, 2024–34 |
|---|---|---|
| First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives | $99,280 | 2.7% |
| Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists | $83,820 | 0.5% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Correctional Officers | $81,700 | Not published for Vermont |
Read the growth column before the pay column. Vermont’s probation workforce is projected to hold at about 200 jobs through 2034, with roughly 20 openings a year, nearly all of them created by people retiring or leaving the field. Police supervisor jobs grow a little, with about 10 openings a year. In a state this size you aren’t waiting for new positions. You’re waiting for someone to vacate one.
The pay is a different story. Vermont’s probation median sits about $17,500 above the national figure of $66,270 (BLS, May 2025). BLS reports that probation officers typically need a bachelor’s degree to start, so the master’s matters most for the supervisor and administrator jobs above the caseload.
May 2025 US Bureau of Labor Statistics salary figures for First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives, Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists, and First-Line Supervisors of Correctional Officers. 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 Can You Earn a Master’s in Criminal Justice in Vermont?
Per U.S. Department of Education data, three Vermont institutions report a master’s-level program in the criminal justice family. All three are private nonprofits. Federal data lists no public Vermont institution with a master’s in this field.
| Institution | City | Type | Master’s-Level Field |
|---|---|---|---|
| Champlain College | Burlington | Private nonprofit | Criminal Justice, plus Security Science and Technology |
| Norwich University | Northfield | Private nonprofit | Criminal Justice |
| SIT Graduate Institute | Brattleboro | Private nonprofit | Homeland Security |
Norwich is the name most Vermont officers will recognize. It’s the oldest private military college in the country, and it sits in Northfield. Champlain reports two master’s-level fields, and the second one falls under the federal category that includes forensic science. SIT’s program is coded as Homeland Security, which isn’t the same thing as a criminal justice degree, so read the curriculum before you assume it fits.
Federal data trails the course catalog. Before you apply, confirm with each school that the program is still enrolling, whether it runs online or on campus, and what it takes to get in.
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.
Should You Study Online or on Campus?
With three in-state options, all of them private, you’ll likely compare them against online programs from schools elsewhere. If you’re working shifts while you study, a few details decide whether you finish:
- Accreditation: Check that the institution is appropriately accredited, and confirm that the degree meets the education requirements of the agency or position you’re targeting.
- Schedule: Find out whether coursework is self-paced within each week or tied to set login times. Fixed sessions don’t survive a rotating schedule.
- Tuition for out-of-state students: Some schools charge one online rate no matter where you live. Others charge nonresident tuition. Get the per-credit figure in writing.
- Capstone logistics: Ask whether the thesis, capstone, or exam requires time on campus.
What Does a Criminal Justice Master’s Program Involve?
Credit totals vary by program, so check each school’s catalog rather than assuming a number. Expect a core of research methods, criminological theory, and law and ethics, followed by electives that point toward the work you want. Typical topics include:
- Organizational leadership and procedures
- Criminal behavior and the family
- Capital punishment
- National security policy
- Domestic and international terrorism
- Law, society, and ethics
Some programs require an internship and others only recommend one. Placements usually land in state agencies, correctional facilities, courts, or advocacy organizations. If you already work in the field, ask whether your job can count.
You’ll finish with a thesis, a capstone project, or a comprehensive exam. Which one you get depends on the school, and the thesis route is the one to pick if a doctorate is on your horizon.
Paying for It
Graduate students should file the FAFSA too. For most criminal justice master’s students, federal aid will center on Direct Unsubsidized Loans, though grants, work-study, scholarships, and institutional aid may also be available depending on eligibility. Before you borrow, ask your agency whether it offers tuition assistance. The Vermont Troopers’ Association, the nonprofit that represents Vermont State Police troopers and sergeants, also awards annual scholarships. Its most recently posted awards went to undergraduates, so confirm eligibility before you count on one.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you need a master’s degree to become a police officer in Vermont?
No. In Vermont, law-enforcement certification is governed by the Vermont Criminal Justice Council. Agency-sponsored recruits complete the Level II or Level III certification pathway through the Vermont Police Academy, and admission requires passing the academy’s written entrance exam and other required testing. Individual Vermont agencies can set hiring standards above those minimums. None of it requires a master’s. Graduate education matters later, if at all, for some supervisory, federal, and administrative roles.
Can you earn a master’s in criminal justice online in Vermont?
Yes. Online programs from schools in other states are open to Vermont residents, and some in-state programs may offer online formats. Confirm the format with each school directly, because federal data doesn’t record it.
How long does a master’s in criminal justice take?
It depends on the program’s credit total and your pace. Full-time students commonly finish in about two years, and part-time students working shifts usually take longer. Check the credit requirement before you estimate.
Is a master’s in criminal justice worth it in Vermont?
It’s worth it if you’re aiming at supervision, probation administration, or a state policy role. Vermont police supervisors earned a $99,280 median in May 2025 (BLS), but those jobs open slowly, about 10 a year statewide through 2034. The degree can help you compete for an opening. It doesn’t create one.
Key Takeaways
- Three in-state options: Federal education data lists Champlain College, Norwich University, and SIT Graduate Institute, all private nonprofits.
- Experience comes first: A master’s may strengthen your qualifications for some supervisory or administrative roles, but promotion requirements vary by agency.
- Strong pay, slow openings: Vermont’s probation median ($83,820) beats the national figure, but the workforce is projected to stay flat through 2034.
- Confirm before you apply: Federal data lags the catalog, so verify format, enrollment, and admission requirements with each school.
Worried about paying for a graduate degree? Start with the scholarships built for criminal justice majors and graduate students before you take on loans. The list covers eligibility, award amounts, and deadlines.
Read: Scholarships for Criminal Justice Majors and Grad Students
Looking for a Master’s in Criminal Justice in Another State?
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Montana
- New Hampshire
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Oklahoma
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- Vermont
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Want the bigger picture? Read the full guide to Master’s Degree in Criminal Justice.