Criminal Justice Programs in Maryland

Updated September 17, 2026

Maryland has 31 colleges and universities listed in federal education data as running criminal justice programs, from certificate through master’s, plus at least one confirmed Ph.D. track. The state’s hiring pipeline runs largely through the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services. Police officers earn a median $77,970 a year and detectives $126,730, per May 2025 BLS data.

State Agency: Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services

If you’re weighing a criminal justice degree against going straight to the academy, Maryland gives you both doors. This page covers what the state’s schools offer, what the jobs pay, and where the demand is headed.

Criminal Justice Education in Maryland

Maryland has 31 institutions listed in U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard data as offering a criminal justice family program at some credential level. That dataset lags real-time catalogs, though, and it’s known to miss at least one active program: the University of Maryland, College Park runs an in-person Ph.D. in Criminology and Criminal Justice that doesn’t appear in the underlying field-of-study file. Treat the counts below as a Scorecard-based floor, not a complete inventory of every program currently enrolling students.

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Where to Study Criminal Justice in Maryland

Credential Level	Institutions Offering It (Scorecard data)
Undergraduate certificate	18
Associate degree	15
Bachelor’s degree	12
Master’s degree	7
Graduate certificate	5
Post-baccalaureate certificate	1

Public community colleges offer most associate and certificate programs, including Anne Arundel Community College, the Community College of Baltimore County, and Montgomery College. Towson University, Coppin State University, and the University of Baltimore run bachelor’s-through-master’s tracks, and Stevenson University adds a post-baccalaureate certificate. Specifically for a doctorate, the University of Maryland, College Park offers an in-person Ph.D. in Criminology and Criminal Justice, as confirmed in its 2026-27 catalog, even though it doesn’t appear in the Scorecard-based table above. Confirm current enrollment, format, and admission requirements directly with any 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 September 2026.

What Criminal Justice Careers Pay in Maryland

Pay varies widely by role and rank, and the state runs meaningfully higher than the national median on several of these measures.

Occupation	Median Annual Wage (May 2025)	Projected Job Growth (2024-34)
Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officers	$77,970	+4.6%
Detectives and Criminal Investigators	$126,730	-8.2%
First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives	$120,700	+5.0%
Correctional Officers and Jailers	$64,250	-5.7%
Bailiffs	$59,470	-0.9%
First-Line Supervisors of Protective Service Workers, All Other	$57,950	+4.2%
Security Guards	$38,220	+0.9%

The split is worth noticing: patrol and supervisory roles are growing, but Maryland projects fewer detective and correctional officer jobs over the next decade, not more, even as the pay on those lines stays high. Security guard work still starts accessibly on paper. Still, it’s not credential-free — Maryland requires covered security guards to hold a Maryland State Police Security Guard Certification and complete 12 hours of MPTSC-approved initial training, with some exceptions, so budget for that before you count on walking straight into the job with just a diploma.

May 2025 US Bureau of Labor Statistics salary figures for Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officers, Detectives and Criminal Investigators, and First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives, Correctional Officers and Jailers and Bailiffs, and Security Guards—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.—dataaccessed September 2026.

Job Outlook and Where the Openings Are

Maryland’s proximity to Washington, D.C. puts homeland security work in reach for residents in a way most states can’t match. Agencies hiring in this space include U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), the U.S. Coast Guard, the U.S. Secret Service, and the Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General (DHS OIG). All but DHS OIG, which operates independently within DHS, sit directly inside the department. If that path interests you, our homeland security degree guide covers the specific coursework and agency requirements.

Beyond the D.C. corridor, the state’s larger cities, particularly the Baltimore area, are where most law enforcement, corrections, and homeland security hiring concentrates.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a college degree to become a police officer in Maryland?

No single statewide degree is required, but Maryland runs its own certification path through the Police Training and Standards Commission (PTSC). Applicants must meet statewide selection standards and complete a PTSC-approved entrance-level training program, currently a minimum of 850 hours, before they’re certified. A bachelor’s degree isn’t a state requirement, though it can raise starting pay or help with promotion at individual agencies.

What is the highest criminal justice degree offered in Maryland?

Federal College Scorecard data lists a master’s as the highest credential among Maryland’s 31 tracked institutions, but that dataset is known to undercount current programs. The University of Maryland, College Park runs a confirmed in-person Ph.D. in Criminology and Criminal Justice that isn’t captured there, so it’s worth checking directly with research universities if a doctorate is your goal.

Which criminal justice career pays the most in Maryland?

Among the roles on this page, Detectives and Criminal Investigators have the highest median wage at $126,730 a year, per May 2025 BLS data, though the state projects fewer of these jobs over the next decade.

Is criminal justice a growing field in Maryland?

It depends on the specialty. Maryland projects growth in patrol officer and supervisory roles through 2034, but a decline in detective and correctional officer positions, per state projections. Check the specific occupation, not just the field as a whole.

Key Takeaways

31 institutions appear in federal College Scorecard data as offering a criminal justice family program. Still, that count is a floor, not a final inventory: the University of Maryland, College Park’s Ph.D. in Criminology and Criminal Justice isn’t captured there.
No single statewide degree requirement for policing – Maryland’s minimum is a high school diploma or GED plus PTSC certification (850 hours of training); a bachelor’s helps with pay and promotion but isn’t mandatory by state law.
Detectives earn the most ($126,730 median) but face the steepest projected decline (-8.2% through 2034); patrol and supervisory roles are growing instead.
Security guard work isn’t credential-free – state certification and 12 hours of training are required beyond the high school diploma.

If cost is what’s holding you back, start with scholarships for criminal justice students before considering loans. Read that, then come back to weigh which Maryland program fits your timeline.

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