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Best Colleges for Criminal Justice

The best colleges for a Criminal Justice degree, led by University of Virginia-Main Campus, George Mason University and Northeastern University. Each school is shown with its acceptance rate, tuition, and average SAT so you can weigh Criminal Justice programs side by side.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best college for Criminal Justice?

Based on our rankings, University of Virginia-Main Campus is the top-ranked college for Criminal Justice. Other top choices include George Mason University, Northeastern University, The University of Texas at Austin.

What are the best Criminal Justice schools?

The best Criminal Justice schools, based on program-specific federal data including median earnings and graduate counts, are University of Virginia-Main Campus, George Mason University, Northeastern University. Our rankings use College Scorecard field-of-study data rather than editorial opinion.

How much does it cost to study Criminal Justice?

The average out-of-state tuition among top Criminal Justice programs is approximately $44,391 per year. However, costs vary significantly — many schools offer generous financial aid packages that can reduce the effective cost.

How long does it take to get a Criminal Justice degree?

A bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice typically takes four years of full-time study. Some programs offer accelerated tracks or combined bachelor's-to-master's options that can extend or shorten the timeline.

How are these Criminal Justice rankings determined?

Our major rankings are independently calculated from U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard field-of-study (CIP) data — primarily median earnings 4 years after graduation and program scale (graduate count), with a 10+ annual graduates minimum per program. They are not derived from US News or any other publication.

Career outcomes for Criminal Justice graduates

Among the top 10 ranked Criminal Justice programs, the average early-career salary is approximately $75,801 per year. Below are the highest-paying Criminal Justice programs based on federal College Scorecard earnings data reported by graduates four years after completion.

  1. 1. University of Virginia-Main Campus — Charlottesville, VA · 16.8% acceptance · SAT 1,480 · $59,512 tuition · 96% grad rate
  2. 2. George Mason University — Fairfax, VA · 87.5% acceptance · SAT 1,274 · $38,688 tuition · 68% grad rate
  3. 3. Northeastern University — Boston, MA · 5.2% acceptance · SAT 1,497 · $66,162 tuition · 91% grad rate
  4. 4. The University of Texas at Austin — Austin, TX · 26.6% acceptance · SAT 1,395 · $44,908 tuition · 89% grad rate
  5. 5. Florida State University — Tallahassee, FL · 24.2% acceptance · SAT 1,361 · $18,786 tuition · 86% grad rate
  6. 6. Texas A&M University-College Station — College Station, TX · 57.4% acceptance · SAT 1,280 · $40,124 tuition · 84% grad rate
  7. 7. Tulane University of Louisiana — New Orleans, LA · 14% acceptance · SAT 1,448 · $68,678 tuition · 86% grad rate
  8. 8. Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus — University Park, PA · 60.6% acceptance · SAT 1,337 · $41,790 tuition · 86% grad rate
  9. 9. United States Air Force Academy — USAF Academy, CO · 14.1% acceptance · SAT 1,350 · 88% grad rate
  10. 10. George Washington University — Washington, DC · 47.1% acceptance · SAT 1,433 · $67,710 tuition · 84% grad rate
  11. 11. University of Florida-Online — Gainesville, FL · 61.3% acceptance · SAT 1,338 · $16,579 tuition · 85% grad rate
  12. 12. Rutgers University-New Brunswick — New Brunswick, NJ · 58.2% acceptance · SAT 1,410 · $37,441 tuition · 84% grad rate
  13. 13. Syracuse University — Syracuse, NY · 45.9% acceptance · SAT 1,375 · $65,528 tuition · 84% grad rate
  14. 14. University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus — Pittsburgh, PA · 58.1% acceptance · SAT 1,370 · $41,430 tuition · 86% grad rate
  15. 15. Seattle University — Seattle, WA · 76.9% acceptance · SAT 1,307 · $56,721 tuition · 76% grad rate
  16. 16. Michigan State University — East Lansing, MI · 84.8% acceptance · SAT 1,269 · $43,842 tuition · 81% grad rate
  17. 17. Rochester Institute of Technology — Rochester, NY · 66.9% acceptance · SAT 1,383 · $59,274 tuition · 70% grad rate
  18. 18. Indiana University-Bloomington — Bloomington, IN · 78.2% acceptance · SAT 1,313 · $41,891 tuition · 80% grad rate
  19. 19. University of Dayton — Dayton, OH · 65.5% acceptance · SAT 1,335 · $49,140 tuition · 80% grad rate
  20. 20. Texas Christian University — Fort Worth, TX · 44.5% acceptance · SAT 1,298 · $61,740 tuition · 86% grad rate
  21. 21. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Daytona Beach — Daytona Beach, FL · 64.8% acceptance · SAT 1,257 · $44,249 tuition · 67% grad rate
  22. 22. University of Georgia — Athens, GA · 37.7% acceptance · SAT 1,397 · $31,688 tuition · 90% grad rate
  23. 23. Creighton University — Omaha, NE · 79.8% acceptance · SAT 1,321 · $48,856 tuition · 83% grad rate
  24. 24. New Jersey Institute of Technology — Newark, NJ · 65.1% acceptance · SAT 1,337 · $37,664 tuition · 73% grad rate
  25. 25. University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus — Norman, OK · 76.6% acceptance · SAT 1,246 · $27,377 tuition · 75% grad rate

Best Colleges for Criminal Justice on PickACampus