by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the latest year, 824 U.S. colleges awarded 41,501 degrees and certificates in Criminal Justice Studies. Bachelor’s degrees are the most popular award, at 66% of graduates. College Factual ranks 564 schools in its 2027 Best Criminal Justice Studies Schools ranking and compares their cost in a Best Value ranking. Graduates earn a median $40,221 one year after completing, rising to $53,914 after four years.
A major in Criminal Justice Studies explores Criminal Justice/safety Studies. A Program That Focuses On The Criminal Justice System, Its Organizational Components And Processes, And Its Legal And Public Policy Contexts. Includes Instruction In Criminal Law And Policy, Police And Correctional Systems Organization, The Administration Of Justice And The Judiciary, And Public Attitudes Regarding Criminal Justice Issues.
Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings 2027. Data as of: July 2026.
Across the country, criminal justice studies is a popular field of study, with 41,501 degrees awarded annually. 824 colleges award criminal justice studies degrees, an average of 50 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 1,252.
By level, the 41,501 awards include 1,061 certificates, 6,181 associate degrees, 27,386 bachelor’s degrees, 6,636 master’s degrees and 223 doctorates.
Women earned 61% of criminal justice studies degrees and certificates in the latest year (25,333 of 41,501). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are White (17,038) and Hispanic or Latino (11,643), and international students earned 445.
College Factual ranks 564 schools in its 2027 Best Criminal Justice Studies Schools ranking, including 160 for associate degrees, 377 for bachelor’s degrees, 97 for master’s degrees and 4 for doctorates. It also ranks criminal justice studies schools within 51 states. In all, 824 colleges offer criminal justice studies programs; compare them by degree level below or in the Best Value Criminal Justice Studies Colleges ranking, which weighs quality against cost.
The most common criminal justice studies credential is the bachelor’s degree: 27,386 of the 41,501 awarded in the latest year. Jobs related to criminal justice studies call most for Monitoring, Active Listening and Critical Thinking, and for knowledge of Public Safety and Security, Law and Government and English Language, according to O*NET. The most important abilities are Oral Comprehension, Oral Expression and Written Comprehension.
Top skills, rated 0–5:
Top knowledge areas, rated 0–5:
How long a criminal justice studies degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 1,061 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 6,181 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 27,386 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 6,636 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 223 |
High school diploma or equivalent is the most common level of education among workers in jobs related to criminal justice studies, at 48.8%.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| High school diploma or equivalent | 48.8% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 18.4% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 12.1% |
| Some college courses | 9.9% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 4.5% |
| Master’s degree | 2.7% |
| Doctoral degree | 1.8% |
| Less than a high school diploma | 0.8% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 0.6% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 0.4% |
| First professional degree | 0.1% |
Source: O*NET Online.
6 occupations are related to Criminal Justice Studies, with an average median salary of $78,616; the strongest outlook belongs to Quality Control Analysts, at 12.9% projected job growth. Typical job titles include Shift Supervisor, Investigation Division Commanding Officer (Investigation Division CO), Identification and Records Commander and Precinct Police Captain.
The occupation related to criminal justice studies with the most projected jobs is First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives, at 290,410.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives | 290,410 | 11.9% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Correctional Officers | 263,811 | 8.8% |
| Quality Control Analysts | 105,873 | 12.9% |
| Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All Other | 71,781 | 0.4% |
| Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Teachers, Postsecondary | 52,113 | 12.0% |
| Remote Sensing Technicians | 30,427 | -2.2% |
Criminal Justice Studies graduates earn a median $40,221 one year after completing their program, $53,914 after four years and $50,331 after five years, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $40,221 |
| 4 years | $53,914 |
| 5 years | $50,331 |
Source: College Scorecard.
The highest-paying occupation related to criminal justice studies is Remote Sensing Technicians, with a median salary of $99,834.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Remote Sensing Technicians | $99,834 |
| Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All Other | $95,957 |
| Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Teachers, Postsecondary | $91,449 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Correctional Officers | $78,129 |
| Quality Control Analysts | $53,423 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives | $52,907 |
Criminal Justice Studies has 12 similar majors in the Law Enforcement & Firefighting field, which together award 58,996 degrees a year; the largest are Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement Administration (26,299), Criminal Justice/Police Science (20,024) and Corrections and Criminal Justice, Other (4,765). Browse all Law Enforcement & Firefighting majors or the full list of college majors.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement Administration | 26,299 |
| Criminal Justice/Police Science | 20,024 |
| Corrections and Criminal Justice, Other | 4,765 |
| Corrections | 3,838 |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | 2,370 |
| Securities Services Administration/Management | 679 |
| Security and Loss Prevention Services | 497 |
| Law Enforcement Investigation and Interviewing | 310 |
| Corrections Administration | 87 |
| Juvenile Corrections | 56 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
