Connecticut Criminal Justice Degree Programs

Updated September 17, 2026

Connecticut has 19 colleges and universities offering a criminal justice program, from certificates through a doctorate. Pay varies widely by role: patrol officers earn a median $82,170 and detectives $95,240 a year, per May 2025 BLS data. Forensic science is the fastest-growing field in the state, projected up 11.6% through 2034.

State Agency: Connecticut Division of Criminal Justice

If you’re considering a career in criminal justice in Connecticut, you don’t have to leave the state to train for it. Nineteen schools here offer a program within the CJ family, and the jobs waiting on the other side pay well above the state’s overall median wage, though not evenly across all roles. Here’s what the degree paths, the schools, and the paychecks actually look like.

Overview

Running a license plate is standard practice for law enforcement today, but for decades after the automobile arrived, states didn’t require them. In 1937, Connecticut became the first state to issue permanent automobile license plates. The state has a deeper claim to firsts, too: Connecticut is home to Old New-Gate Prison, recognized as the nation’s first state prison, established in 1773. It’s the kind of detail that shows up in academy trivia nights: this state has a long, specific history in the machinery of law enforcement, not just the badge-and-gun version most people picture.

Criminal Justice Education in Connecticut

Connecticut’s criminal justice programs span the full range: certificates, associate degrees, bachelor’s degrees, master’s degrees, and doctorates. Both Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science tracks are available, and several schools offer them fully online if a campus commute isn’t realistic for you.

Featured Programs:

Where to Study Criminal Justice in Connecticut

Nineteen institutions offer a criminal-justice-family program to Connecticut students, per federal education data. Eighteen are in-state campuses; one, Charter Oak State College, is online-only.

Institution	City	Control	Credential Levels	Program Area(s)
Albertus Magnus College	New Haven	Private nonprofit	Bachelor’s, Master’s	Criminal Justice
Central Connecticut State University	New Britain	Public	Master’s	Criminal Justice
Charter Oak State College (online-only)	New Britain	Public	Bachelor’s, Undergraduate certificate	Criminal Justice, Protective Services, Legal Support Services
Connecticut State Community College	Hartford	Public	Associate	Criminal Justice, Fire Protection
Goodwin University	East Hartford	Private nonprofit	Associate, Bachelor’s, Undergraduate certificate	Criminal Justice, Protective Services
Mitchell College	New London	Private nonprofit	Bachelor’s, Undergraduate certificate	Criminal Justice, Protective Services
Post University	Waterbury	Private for-profit	Associate, Bachelor’s, Undergraduate certificate, Post-baccalaureate certificate	Criminal Justice, Homeland Security, Legal Support Services
Quinnipiac University	Hamden	Private nonprofit	Bachelor’s	Criminal Justice
Sacred Heart University	Fairfield	Private nonprofit	Bachelor’s, Master’s, Graduate certificate	Criminal Justice, Security Science and Technology
University of Bridgeport	Bridgeport	Private nonprofit	Bachelor’s, Master’s, Undergraduate certificate	Criminal Justice
University of Connecticut (Storrs)	Storrs	Public	Master’s	Protective Services
University of Connecticut–Avery Point	Groton	Public	Master’s	Protective Services
University of Connecticut–Hartford Campus	Hartford	Public	Master’s	Protective Services
University of Connecticut–Stamford	Stamford	Public	Master’s	Protective Services
University of Connecticut–Waterbury Campus	Waterbury	Public	Master’s	Protective Services
University of Hartford	West Hartford	Private nonprofit	Associate, Bachelor’s, Undergraduate certificate	Criminal Justice, Legal Support Services
University of New Haven	West Haven	Private nonprofit	Associate, Bachelor’s, Master’s, Doctoral, Undergraduate certificate, Graduate certificate	Criminal Justice, Fire Protection, Homeland Security, Protective Services, Legal Support Services, Security Science and Technology
University of Saint Joseph	West Hartford	Private nonprofit	Bachelor’s, Undergraduate certificate, Graduate certificate, Post-baccalaureate certificate	Criminal Justice, Protective Services
Western Connecticut State University	Danbury	Public	Bachelor’s, Master’s	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. Confirm current enrollment, format, and admission requirements directly with any school before applying — federal data reports what a school submitted, not necessarily what’s actively enrolling today.

Connecticut Criminal Justice Salaries and Job Outlook

Pay in Connecticut law enforcement climbs with education and responsibility, but the picture is more mixed than a straight line up. As of May 2025, police and sheriff’s patrol officers in Connecticut earn a median $82,170 a year, and detectives and criminal investigators earn more at $95,240. The state employs about 6,500 patrol officers and 940 detectives. Detective jobs are projected to grow 2.3% through 2034, and patrol officer jobs 3%, both modest but positive, per the U.S. Department of Labor-sponsored ProjectionsCentral.

Forensic science technicians are the standout: a median salary of $85,910 a year as of May 2025 and the fastest-growing criminal justice role tracked in the state, up 11.6% through 2034. Forensic science technician jobs are also small in number (120 statewide), so growth here means added openings at crime labs and medical examiner offices, not a flood of new hiring.

Corrections runs the other direction. Correctional officers and jailers in Connecticut earn a median $64,750 as of May 2025. Correctional officer employment is projected to decline 8.4% through 2034. Probation officers and correctional treatment specialists, who typically need a bachelor’s degree, earn considerably more: a median $97,350, with modest growth of 2.6% projected through 2034.

Career paths within the Connecticut State Police include the Major Crime Squad, Emergency Services Unit, Traffic Units, Bureau of Criminal Investigations, Fire Investigations Unit, Forensic Laboratory, Polygraph Unit, and Resident Trooper program, per the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection.

May 2025 US Bureau of Labor Statistics salary figures for Police and Detectives, Correctional Officers and Bailiffs, Forensic Science Technicians, 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 September 2026.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools in Connecticut offer a criminal justice degree?

Nineteen institutions offer a program in the criminal justice family, according to federal education data, ranging from certificates to a doctorate. In this dataset, the University of New Haven is the only Connecticut institution reporting a doctoral-level criminal-justice-family program. Eighteen institutions have an in-state campus; Charter Oak State College is online-only.

What’s the highest-paying criminal justice job in Connecticut?

Among the roles covered here, probation officers and correctional treatment specialists earn the most, a median of $97,350 as of May 2025, followed by detectives and criminal investigators at $95,240. Probation officers typically need a bachelor’s degree. Requirements for detectives vary by agency, and detectives commonly reach the role after law-enforcement experience.

Is criminal justice a growing field in Connecticut?

It depends on the role. Forensic science technicians are growing fastest, up 11.6% through 2034, and patrol officers, detectives, and probation officers all show modest positive growth. Correctional officer positions are the exception, projected to shrink 8.4% through 2034 as the state’s incarcerated population has declined.

Do I need a degree to become a police officer in Connecticut?

A college degree is not a statewide requirement for becoming a police officer in Connecticut. Municipal police recruits generally must first be hired by a law-enforcement agency, then complete a Police Officer Standards and Training Council (POSTC)-approved basic training program and meet certification requirements. Connecticut State Police follow separate requirements, with a high school diploma or GED as the baseline. Individual agencies may impose additional education or hiring standards.

Key Takeaways

19 schools, every credential level – Connecticut offers criminal justice certificates through a doctorate, with the University of New Haven the only Connecticut institution reporting a doctoral program in this dataset.
Pay depends heavily on role – Probation officers ($97,350) and detectives ($95,240) out-earn patrol officers ($82,170) and correctional officers ($64,750), per May 2025 BLS data.
Forensic science is the growth story – Up 11.6% through 2034, the fastest-growing CJ role tracked in the state, though the total job count stays small.
Corrections is shrinking – Correctional officer positions are projected to decline 8.4% through 2034, worth knowing before you commit to that specific path.

Worried about paying for the degree? The scholarships guide lists awards built for criminal justice majors, with eligibility, amounts, and deadlines.

Read: Scholarships for Criminal Justice Majors and Grad Students

Looking for a Criminal Justice Program in Another State?

Online programs may not be available in all areas.