by our College Data Analytics Team
When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. College Factual has developed its “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Criminal Justice Studies Major” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.
Criminal Justice Studies is the 16th most popular major in the country with 46,814 degrees awarded in 2020-2021.
At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 31,518 criminal justice studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,682 and $26,217 respectively.
For this year’s “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Criminal Justice Studies Major” ranking, we looked at 510 colleges that offer a degree in criminal justice studies. That schools that top this list have a program in criminal justice studies in which the largest percentage of students at the school are enrolled.
Check out our ranking methodology for more information.
Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Criminal Justice Studies Major” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.
You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head! If you don’t have time right now, you can bookmark it for later.
The colleges and universities below are the best for bachelor’s degree criminal justice studies students.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Calumet College of Saint Joseph. The school came in at #1 for the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Criminal Justice Studies Major. CCSJ is a private not-for-profit institution located in Whiting, Indiana. The school has a small population, and it awarded 50 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Edward Waters College. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Criminal Justice Studies Major list. Located in Jacksonville, Florida, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 36 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s criminal justice studies students in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Criminal Justice Studies at Edward Waters College
Out of the 510 schools in the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Criminal Justice Studies Major that were part of this year’s ranking, American University of Puerto Rico landed the #3 spot on the list. American University of Puerto Rico is located in Manati, and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 26 bachelors’s criminal justice studies degrees to qualified students.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Jarvis Christian College. The school came in at #4 for the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Criminal Justice Studies Major. Located in Hawkins, Texas, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 17 degrees to qualified bachelors’s criminal justice studies students in 2020-2021.
Out of the 510 schools in the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Criminal Justice Studies Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Mitchell College landed the #5 spot on the list. Mitchell College is located in New London, Connecticut and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 25 bachelors’s criminal justice studies degrees to qualified students.
Read more about Criminal Justice Studies at Mitchell College
Lane College landed the #6 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Criminal Justice Studies Major ranking. Jackson, Tennessee is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s criminal justice studies degrees to 23 students in 2020-2021.
Chowan University ranked #7 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Criminal Justice Studies Major list. Chowan University is located in Murfreesboro, North Carolina and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 32 bachelors’s criminal justice studies degrees to qualified students.
Read more about Criminal Justice Studies at Chowan University
With a ranking of #8, Sam Houston State University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Criminal Justice Studies Major list. Sam Houston State University is located in Huntsville, Texas and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 851 bachelors’s criminal justice studies degrees to qualified students.
American University of Puerto Rico ranked #9 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Criminal Justice Studies Major list. This small school is located in Bayamon, , and it awarded 13 bachelors’s criminal justice studies degrees in 2020-2021.
With a ranking of #10, Bethel University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Criminal Justice Studies Major list. McKenzie, Tennessee is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s criminal justice studies degrees to 112 students in 2020-2021.
Livingstone College came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Criminal Justice Studies Major ranking. Livingstone College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Salisbury, North Carolina. It awarded 16 bachelors’s criminal justice studies degrees in 2020-2021.
Read more about Criminal Justice Studies at Livingstone College
Coppin State University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Criminal Justice Studies Major ranking, coming in at #12. Coppin is a small public school situated in Baltimore, Maryland. It awarded 54 bachelors’s criminal justice studies degrees in 2020-2021.
Full Coppin State University Criminal Justice Studies Report
La Sierra University landed the #13 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Criminal Justice Studies Major ranking. This small school is located in Riverside, California, and it awarded 60 bachelors’s criminal justice studies degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Criminal Justice Studies at La Sierra University
Harris - Stowe State University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Criminal Justice Studies Major ranking, coming in at #14. Harris - Stowe State University is a small school located in Saint Louis, Missouri that handed out 24 bachelors’s criminal justice studies degrees in 2020-2021.
Read more about Criminal Justice Studies at Harris - Stowe State University
Grambling State University landed the #15 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Criminal Justice Studies Major ranking. Grambling, Louisiana is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s criminal justice studies degrees to 88 students in 2020-2021.
With a ranking of #16, Inter American University of Puerto Rico - Fajardo did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Criminal Justice Studies Major list. This small school is located in Fajardo, , and it awarded 31 bachelors’s criminal justice studies degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full Inter American University of Puerto Rico - Fajardo Criminal Justice Studies Report
With a ranking of #17, West Virginia State University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Criminal Justice Studies Major list. West Virginia State University is a small public school situated in Institute, West Virginia. It awarded 47 bachelors’s criminal justice studies degrees in 2020-2021.
Elizabeth City State University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Criminal Justice Studies Major ranking, coming in at #18. Elizabeth City State University is a public institution located in Elizabeth City, North Carolina. The school has a small population, and it awarded 34 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Westfield State University came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Criminal Justice Studies Major ranking. Westfield is a medium-sized school located in Westfield, Massachusetts that handed out 150 bachelors’s criminal justice studies degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Lincoln College ranked #20 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Criminal Justice Studies Major list. This small school is located in Lincoln, Illinois, and it awarded 22 bachelors’s criminal justice studies degrees in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Criminal Justice Studies at Lincoln College
Columbia College came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Criminal Justice Studies Major ranking. Columbia College South Carolina is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Columbia, South Carolina. It awarded 48 bachelors’s criminal justice studies degrees in 2020-2021.
Shaw University came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Criminal Justice Studies Major ranking. Located in Raleigh, North Carolina, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 20 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s criminal justice studies students in 2020-2021.
Dillard University came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Criminal Justice Studies Major ranking. New Orleans, Louisiana is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s criminal justice studies degrees to 20 students in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Criminal Justice Studies at Dillard University
Bay State College came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Criminal Justice Studies Major ranking. Boston, Massachusetts is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private for-profit school handed out bachelors’s criminal justice studies degrees to 16 students in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Lincoln University landed the #25 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Criminal Justice Studies Major ranking. Lincoln is a public institution located in Lincoln University, Pennsylvania. The school has a small population, and it awarded 54 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Criminal Justice Studies at Lincoln University
Not only did these schools make the top 50 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:
While not in the ‘top 50’, these schools make the top 15% of this year’s ranking:
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 51 | Indiana University - Northwest | Gary, IN |
| 52 | Saint Peter’s University | Jersey City, NJ |
| 53 | Concordia University, Ann Arbor | Ann Arbor, MI |
| 54 | Morrisville State College | Morrisville, NY |
| 55 | Fairmont State University | Fairmont, WV |
| 56 | Virginia State University | Petersburg, VA |
| 57 | Kentucky Wesleyan College | Owensboro, KY |
| 58 | Fort Valley State University | Fort Valley, GA |
| 59 | University of Maine at Presque Isle | Presque Isle, ME |
| 60 | California State University - Stanislaus | Turlock, CA |
| 61 | University of Nebraska at Omaha | Omaha, NE |
| 62 | National American University - Kings Bay | Kings Bay, GA |
| 63 | Clark Atlanta University | Atlanta, GA |
| 64 | Reinhardt University | Waleska, GA |
| 65 | Texas A&M University - Texarkana | Texarkana, TX |
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 66 | California State University - Dominguez Hills | Carson, CA |
| 67 | Chaminade University of Honolulu | Honolulu, HI |
| 68 | Fayetteville State University | Fayetteville, NC |
| 69 | William Paterson University of New Jersey | Wayne, NJ |
| 70 | California State University - Bakersfield | Bakersfield, CA |
| 71 | University of Dubuque | Dubuque, IA |
| 72 | Chicago State University | Chicago, IL |
| 73 | University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff | Pine Bluff, AR |
| 74 | Wayne State College | Wayne, NE |
| 75 | Siena Heights University | Adrian, MI |
| 76 | Prairie View A & M University | Prairie View, TX |
| 77 | Buffalo State | Buffalo, NY |
Read more about our data sources and methodologies
