by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the latest year, 650 U.S. colleges awarded 26,299 degrees and certificates in Criminal Justice. Bachelor’s degrees are the most popular award, at 45% of graduates. College Factual ranks 438 schools in its 2027 Best Criminal Justice 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 degree in Criminal Justice explores Criminal Justice/law Enforcement Administration. A Program That Prepares Individuals To Apply Theories And Practices Of Organization Management And Criminal Justice To The Administration Of Public Law Enforcement Agencies And Operations. Includes Instruction In Law Enforcement History And Theory, Operational Command Leadership, Administration Of Public Police Organizations, Labor Relations, Incident Response Strategies, Legal And Regulatory Responsibilities, Budgeting, Public Relations, And Organizational Leadership.
Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings 2027. Data as of: July 2026.
Across the country, criminal justice is a popular field of study, with 26,299 degrees awarded annually. 650 colleges award criminal justice degrees, an average of 40 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 1,201.
By level, the 26,299 awards include 499 certificates, 8,530 associate degrees, 11,798 bachelor’s degrees, 4,984 master’s degrees and 123 doctorates.
Women earned 57% of criminal justice degrees and certificates in the latest year (15,100 of 26,299). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are White (10,131) and Hispanic or Latino (9,138), and international students earned 220.
College Factual ranks 438 schools in its 2027 Best Criminal Justice Schools ranking, including 208 for associate degrees, 229 for bachelor’s degrees and 72 for master’s degrees. It also ranks criminal justice schools within 43 states. In all, 650 colleges offer criminal justice programs; compare them by degree level below or in the Best Value Criminal Justice Colleges ranking, which weighs quality against cost.
The most common criminal justice credential is the bachelor’s degree: 11,798 of the 26,299 awarded in the latest year. Jobs related to criminal justice call most for Reading Comprehension, Speaking and Critical Thinking, and for knowledge of English Language, Law and Government and Administration and Management, according to O*NET. The most important abilities are Oral Expression, Oral Comprehension and Written Expression.
Top skills, rated 0–5:
Top knowledge areas, rated 0–5:
How long a criminal justice degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 499 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 8,530 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 11,798 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 4,984 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 123 |
Bachelor’s degree is the most common level of education among workers in jobs related to criminal justice, at 51.5%.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree | 51.5% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 16.6% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 8.7% |
| Master’s degree | 7.6% |
| Some college courses | 6.7% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 4.3% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 2.4% |
| Doctoral degree | 1.5% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 0.7% |
| First professional degree | 0.1% |
Source: O*NET Online.
9 occupations are related to Criminal Justice, with an average median salary of $110,290; the strongest outlook belongs to Compliance Managers, at 13.0% projected job growth. Typical job titles include Safety Supervisor, Compliance Director, Revenue Settlements Administrator and Handicraft or Hobby Shop Manager.
The occupation related to criminal justice with the most projected jobs is Managers, All Other, at 468,025.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Managers, All Other | 468,025 | 6.2% |
| Compliance Managers | 310,203 | 13.0% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives | 290,410 | 11.9% |
| Loss Prevention Managers | 265,210 | 2.2% |
| Regulatory Affairs Managers | 206,415 | 9.9% |
| Wind Energy Operations Managers | 128,884 | 5.2% |
| Wind Energy Development Managers | 107,541 | 10.1% |
| Brownfield Redevelopment Specialists and Site Managers | 105,398 | -1.9% |
Criminal Justice 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 is Wind Energy Development Managers, with a median salary of $169,952.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Wind Energy Development Managers | $169,952 |
| Loss Prevention Managers | $165,723 |
| Wind Energy Operations Managers | $122,567 |
| Compliance Managers | $117,178 |
| Brownfield Redevelopment Specialists and Site Managers | $99,321 |
| Managers, All Other | $95,684 |
| Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Teachers, Postsecondary | $91,449 |
| Regulatory Affairs Managers | $77,828 |
Criminal Justice has 12 similar majors in the Law Enforcement & Firefighting field, which together award 74,198 degrees a year; the largest are Criminal Justice/Safety Studies (41,501), 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/Safety Studies | 41,501 |
| 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.
