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2023 Most Popular Colleges for Criminal Justice

703 Ranked Colleges
32,891 Degrees Awarded
$31,400 Avg Cost*
Most Well Attended Criminal Justice Major

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. College Factual has developed its “Most Well Attended Criminal Justice Major” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

In 2020-2021, 32,891 people earned their degree in criminal justice, making the major the 27th most popular in the United States.

This year’s “Most Well Attended Criminal Justice Major” ranking looked at 703 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in criminal justice. This ranking identifies schools that graduate the most students in criminal justice.

See our ranking methodology to learn more.

More Ways to Rank Criminal Justice Schools

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The criminal justice school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Most Well Attended Criminal Justice Major”.

To further help you make the college decision, we’ve developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to you. 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.

Most Well Attended Criminal Justice Major

The following schools top our list of the Best “Most Well Attended Criminal Justice Major”.

1

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend John Jay College of Criminal Justice. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Most Well Attended Criminal Justice Major list. John Jay College of Criminal Justice is a public institution located in New York, New York. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 1,483 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Criminal Justice at John Jay

2

Out of the 703 schools in the Most Well Attended Criminal Justice Major that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Phoenix - Arizona landed the #2 spot on the list. University of Phoenix - Arizona is a private for-profit institution located in Tempe, Arizona. The school has a large population, and it awarded 976 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Criminal Justice at University of Phoenix - Arizona

3

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Most Well Attended Criminal Justice Major list. Edinburg, Texas is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s criminal justice degrees to 542 students in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Criminal Justice at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley

4

Out of the 703 schools in the Most Well Attended Criminal Justice Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Arizona State University - Skysong landed the #4 spot on the list. This large school is located in Scottsdale, Arizona, and it awarded 433 ’s criminal justice degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Criminal Justice at Arizona State University - Skysong

5
East Los Angeles College crest
East Los Angeles College
Monterey Park, California

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend East Los Angeles College. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Most Well Attended Criminal Justice Major list. Located in Monterey Park, California, this large public school awarded 489 diplomas to qualified ’s criminal justice students in 2020-2021.

Full East Los Angeles College Criminal Justice Report

6

Arizona State University - Tempe came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Criminal Justice Major ranking. Arizona State University - Tempe is a public institution located in Tempe, Arizona. The school has a large population, and it awarded 373 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.5% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full Arizona State University - Tempe Criminal Justice Report

7

National University College ranked #7 on this year’s Most Well Attended Criminal Justice Major list. National University College is a private for-profit institution located in Bayamon, . The school has a large population, and it awarded 351 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Criminal Justice at National University College

8

University of Massachusetts - Lowell did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Criminal Justice Major ranking, coming in at #8. University of Massachusetts - Lowell is a public institution located in Lowell, Massachusetts. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 348 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.5% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about Criminal Justice at University of Massachusetts - Lowell

9

Western Illinois University came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Criminal Justice Major ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Macomb, Illinois, and it awarded 305 ’s criminal justice degrees in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Criminal Justice at WIU

10
Monroe College crest
Monroe College
Bronx, New York

Monroe College landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Criminal Justice Major ranking. Monroe College is a private for-profit institution located in Bronx, New York. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 283 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Full Monroe College Criminal Justice Report

11

Queensborough Community College landed the #11 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Criminal Justice Major ranking. Queensborough Community College is a fairly large public school situated in Bayside, New York. It awarded 260 ’s criminal justice degrees in 2020-2021.

Full Queensborough Community College Criminal Justice Report

12
Walden University crest
Walden University
Minneapolis, Minnesota

Walden University landed the #12 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Criminal Justice Major ranking. Walden University is a large school located in Minneapolis, Minnesota that handed out 258 ’s criminal justice degrees 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%.

Full Walden University Criminal Justice Report

13
LaGuardia crest
LaGuardia Community College
Long Island City, New York

With a ranking of #13, LaGuardia Community College did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Criminal Justice Major list. LaGuardia is located in Long Island City, New York and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 235 ’s criminal justice degrees to qualified students.

Read more about Criminal Justice at LaGuardia

14
University of New Haven crest
University of New Haven
West Haven, Connecticut

University of New Haven did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Criminal Justice Major ranking, coming in at #14. University of New Haven is a medium-sized school located in West Haven, Connecticut that handed out 233 ’s criminal justice degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full University of New Haven Criminal Justice Report

15

University of South Carolina - Columbia came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Criminal Justice Major ranking. University of South Carolina - Columbia is located in Columbia, South Carolina and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 223 ’s criminal justice degrees to qualified students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.1% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 90%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Criminal Justice at UofSC

16

Bronx Community College ranked #16 on this year’s Most Well Attended Criminal Justice Major list. Located in Bronx, New York, this medium-sized public school handed out 214 diplomas to qualified ’s criminal justice students in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Criminal Justice at Bronx Community College

17
Bakersfield College crest
Bakersfield College
Bakersfield, California

Bakersfield College landed the #17 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Criminal Justice Major ranking. Bakersfield, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s criminal justice degrees to 210 students in 2020-2021.

Full Bakersfield College Criminal Justice Report

18

St John’s University - New York ranked #18 on this year’s Most Well Attended Criminal Justice Major list. Located in Queens, New York, this fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 209 diplomas to qualified ’s criminal justice students in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Criminal Justice at STJ

19

Kingsborough Community College ranked #19 on this year’s Most Well Attended Criminal Justice Major list. KCC is a public institution located in Brooklyn, New York. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 197 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Read more about Criminal Justice at Kingsborough Community College

20
IVC crest
Imperial Valley College
Imperial, California

Imperial Valley College ranked #20 on this year’s Most Well Attended Criminal Justice Major list. Located in Imperial, California, this medium-sized public school handed out 218 diplomas to qualified ’s criminal justice students in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Criminal Justice at IVC

21

With a ranking of #21, Virginia Commonwealth University did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Criminal Justice Major list. VCU is a large public school situated in Richmond, Virginia. It awarded 193 ’s criminal justice degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Virginia Commonwealth University Criminal Justice Report

22
Columbia College Missouri crest
Columbia College
Columbia, Missouri

Columbia College came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Criminal Justice Major ranking. Located in Columbia, Missouri, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school awarded 187 diplomas to qualified ’s criminal justice students in 2020-2021.

Full Columbia College Missouri Criminal Justice Report

23
SWC Chula Vista crest
Southwestern College
Chula Vista, California

Southwestern College ranked #23 on this year’s Most Well Attended Criminal Justice Major list. This fairly large school is located in Chula Vista, California, and it awarded 184 ’s criminal justice degrees in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Criminal Justice at Southwestern College

24

University of Colorado at Colorado Springs landed the #24 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Criminal Justice Major ranking. UCCS is a public institution located in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 184 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.3% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on Criminal Justice at UCCS

25
Michigan State crest
Michigan State University
East Lansing, Michigan

Michigan State University landed the #25 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Criminal Justice Major ranking. This large school is located in East Lansing, Michigan, and it awarded 180 ’s criminal justice degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%.

Read more about Criminal Justice at Michigan State

Rest of the Best 50 in Most Well Attended Criminal Justice Major

Not only did these schools make the top 50 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

26
Park University crest
Park University
Parkville, Missouri
27
28
Grantham University crest
Grantham University
Lenexa, Kansas
29
Citrus College crest
Citrus College
Glendora, California
30
Nassau Community College crest
Nassau Community College
Garden City, New York
31
Kean crest
Kean University
Union, New Jersey
32
Ole Miss crest
University of Mississippi
University, Mississippi
33
Keiser University - Ft Lauderdale crest
Keiser University - Ft Lauderdale
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
34
Eastern crest
Eastern Kentucky University
Richmond, Kentucky
35
UofL crest
University of Louisville
Louisville, Kentucky
36
37
38
39
National University crest
National University
La Jolla, California
40
Fullerton College crest
Fullerton College
Fullerton, California
40
UNE crest
Universidad del Este
Carolina, <nil>
42
Norwich crest
Norwich University
Northfield, Vermont
43
Long Beach City College crest
Long Beach City College
Long Beach, California
44
Sierra College crest
Sierra College
Rocklin, California
45
Fresno City College crest
Fresno City College
Fresno, California
46
RHCCD crest
Rio Hondo College
Whittier, California
47
Antelope Valley College crest
Antelope Valley College
Lancaster, California
48
MSJC crest
Mt. San Jacinto College
San Jacinto, California
49
Sacramento City crest
Sacramento City College
Sacramento, California
49
Wilmington University crest
Wilmington University
New Castle, Delaware

Rest of the Top 15% Colleges in Most Well Attended Criminal Justice Major

While not in the ’top 50’, these schools make the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

RankCollegeLocation
51University of San DiegoSan Diego, CA
52Ventura CollegeVentura, CA
53University of Central MissouriWarrensburg, MO
53Middle Tennessee State UniversityMurfreesboro, TN
55College of the SequoiasVisalia, CA
56Cerritos CollegeNorwalk, CA
57Colorado State University - Global CampusGreenwood Village, CO
58College of the CanyonsSanta Clarita, CA
58San Diego Miramar CollegeSan Diego, CA
58Riverside City CollegeRiverside, CA
58Pasadena City CollegePasadena, CA
62Hostos Community CollegeBronx, NY
63Hillsborough Community CollegeTampa, FL
63Grossmont CollegeEl Cajon, CA
65University of MemphisMemphis, TN
RankCollegeLocation
65Northeastern State UniversityTahlequah, OK
67Salem State UniversitySalem, MA
68Salve Regina UniversityNewport, RI
69Allan Hancock CollegeSanta Maria, CA
69Mt. San Antonio CollegeWalnut, CA
71Georgia Military CollegeMilledgeville, GA
72Golden West CollegeHuntington Beach, CA
73Roger Williams UniversityBristol, RI
73El Camino CollegeTorrance, CA
73Berkeley College - Woodland ParkWoodland Park, NJ
73University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical CampusDenver, CO
77Wayland Baptist UniversityPlainview, TX
78Merced CollegeMerced, CA
78Modesto Junior CollegeModesto, CA
80Excelsior CollegeAlbany, NY
80San Joaquin Delta CollegeStockton, CA
82Hudson Valley Community CollegeTroy, NY
83The University of Tennessee - ChattanoogaChattanooga, TN
84East Tennessee State UniversityJohnson City, TN
85Santa Barbara City CollegeSanta Barbara, CA
85Berkeley College - New YorkNew York, NY
87Diablo Valley CollegePleasant Hill, CA
88Moorpark CollegeMoorpark, CA
89Austin Peay State UniversityClarksville, TN
89Valencia CollegeOrlando, FL
RankCollegeLocation
91University of Puerto Rico - CarolinaCarolina, PR
92Mercy CollegeDobbs Ferry, NY
93Hartnell CollegeSalinas, CA
94North Carolina Wesleyan CollegeRocky Mount, NC
94College of the DesertPalm Desert, CA
96University of GeorgiaAthens, GA
97Evergreen Valley CollegeSan Jose, CA
98Rowan College of South Jersey Gloucester CampusSewell, NJ
98Union County CollegeCranford, NJ
100Santa Ana CollegeSanta Ana, CA
101Arizona Western CollegeYuma, AZ
101Tidewater Community CollegeNorfolk, VA
103Butte CollegeOroville, CA
103Merrimack CollegeNorth Andover, MA
103Strayer University - VirginiaArlington, VA
103Solano Community CollegeFairfield, CA
103Husson UniversityBangor, ME

Notes and References

References

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

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