by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the latest year, 540 U.S. colleges awarded 20,024 degrees and certificates in Criminal Justice & Police Science. Master’s degrees are the most popular award, at 48% of graduates. College Factual ranks 358 schools in its 2027 Best Criminal Justice & Police Science 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.
Studying Criminal Justice & Police Science explores Criminal Justice/police Science. A Program That Prepares Individuals To Perform The Duties Of Police And Public Security Officers, Including Patrol And Investigative Activities, Traffic Control, Crowd Control And Public Relations, Witness Interviewing, Evidence Collection And Management, Basic Crime Prevention Methods, Weapon And Equipment Operation And Maintenance, Report Preparation And Other Routine Law Enforcement Responsibilities.
Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings 2027. Data as of: July 2026.
In the U.S., criminal justice & police science draws strong interest, with 20,024 degrees awarded annually. 540 colleges award criminal justice & police science degrees, an average of 37 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 519.
By level, the 20,024 awards include 3,692 certificates, 4,742 associate degrees, 1,951 bachelor’s degrees, 9,527 master’s degrees and 6 doctorates.
Women earned 34% of criminal justice & police science degrees and certificates in the latest year (6,762 of 20,024). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are White (9,671) and Hispanic or Latino (5,987), and international students earned 86.
College Factual ranks 358 schools in its 2027 Best Criminal Justice & Police Science Schools ranking, including 182 for associate degrees, 43 for bachelor’s degrees and 13 for master’s degrees. It also ranks criminal justice & police science schools within 40 states. In all, 540 colleges offer criminal justice & police science programs; compare them by degree level below or in the Best Value Criminal Justice & Police Science Colleges ranking, which weighs quality against cost.
The most common criminal justice & police science credential is the master’s degree: 9,527 of the 20,024 awarded in the latest year. Jobs related to criminal justice & police science call most for Active Listening, Speaking and Critical Thinking, and for knowledge of Law and Government, Public Safety and Security and English Language, according to O*NET. The most important abilities are Oral Comprehension, Inductive Reasoning and Problem Sensitivity.
Top skills, rated 0–5:
Top knowledge areas, rated 0–5:
How long a criminal justice & police science degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 3,692 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 4,742 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 1,951 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 9,527 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 6 |
High school diploma or equivalent is the most common level of education among workers in jobs related to criminal justice & police science, at 30.4%.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| High school diploma or equivalent | 30.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 24.0% |
| Some college courses | 15.1% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 14.9% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 10.6% |
| Master’s degree | 2.1% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 1.9% |
| Doctoral degree | 0.5% |
| Less than a high school diploma | 0.4% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 0.2% |
Source: O*NET Online.
8 occupations are related to Criminal Justice & Police Science, with an average median salary of $63,742; the strongest outlook belongs to Detectives and Criminal Investigators, at 14.5% projected job growth. Typical job titles include Investigator, Law Enforcement Specialist, Police Officer and Crime Scene Investigator (CSI).
The occupation related to criminal justice & police science with the most projected jobs is Police Identification and Records Officers, at 532,882.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Police Identification and Records Officers | 532,882 | 7.1% |
| Detectives and Criminal Investigators | 469,816 | 14.5% |
| Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officers | 449,456 | 2.0% |
| Private Detectives and Investigators | 421,320 | 11.8% |
| Customs and Border Protection Officers | 349,535 | -1.2% |
| Intelligence Analysts | 313,116 | 11.7% |
| Bailiffs | 155,976 | -4.8% |
| Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Teachers, Postsecondary | 52,113 | 12.0% |
Criminal Justice & Police Science 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 & police science is Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Teachers, Postsecondary, with a median salary of $91,449.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Teachers, Postsecondary | $91,449 |
| Private Detectives and Investigators | $71,252 |
| Intelligence Analysts | $65,483 |
| Detectives and Criminal Investigators | $64,492 |
| Police Identification and Records Officers | $61,847 |
| Bailiffs | $55,588 |
| Customs and Border Protection Officers | $50,191 |
| Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officers | $49,631 |
Criminal Justice & Police Science has 12 similar majors in the Law Enforcement & Firefighting field, which together award 80,473 degrees a year; the largest are Criminal Justice/Safety Studies (41,501), Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement Administration (26,299) 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/Safety Studies | 41,501 |
| Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement Administration | 26,299 |
| 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.
