2027 Best Criminal Justice Schools in Michigan
Criminal Justice is a field worth a close look when choosing where to study. While the number of schools offering the program varies, there are still top-quality ones to be found.
To produce this 2027 ranking, College Factual evaluated 9 schools to find the best for criminal justice students.
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Best Schools for Criminal Justice in Michigan
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest overall criminal justice education in Michigan.
Top Schools in Criminal Justice
No school ranked higher than Michigan State University this year for criminal justice. This very large public university is located in the city of East Lansing. Michigan State University graduates 81% of students within six years. There were roughly 227 criminal justice students who graduated with this degree at Michigan State University in the most recent data year. Criminal Justice graduates of Michigan State University earn a median of $57,913 early in their careers. Typical student debt for the program is $26,000.
More information about a degree in criminal justice from Michigan State University
Students looking for a strong criminal justice program will find one at Grand Valley State University, which ranked #2. Located in the town of Allendale, Grand Valley State University is a very large public university. About 67% of students finish within six years. About 109 criminal justice degrees were awarded at Grand Valley State University in the most recent year. Criminal Justice graduates of Grand Valley State University earn a median of $39,857 early in their careers. Students borrow a median of $26,000 to complete this degree.
More information about a degree in criminal justice from Grand Valley State University
Ferris State University came in at #3 on our 2027 list of the best criminal justice schools. Ferris State University is a large public school located in the town of Big Rapids. About 56% of students finish within six years. Ferris State University awarded about 22 criminal justice degrees in the most recent data year. Students who receive their criminal justice degree from Ferris State University earn around $48,266 in the first couple years of their career. Typical student debt for the program is $21,880.
Read more about the criminal justice program at Ferris State University
Lake Superior State University is a great choice for students pursuing a degree in criminal justice, landing the #4 spot this year. Set in the town of Sault Ste Marie, Lake Superior State University is a small public institution. The six-year graduation rate is 50%. There were roughly 51 criminal justice students who graduated with this degree at Lake Superior State University in the most recent data year. Graduates of the criminal justice program make about $44,286 in their early career. Students borrow a median of $18,614 to complete this degree.
More information about a degree in criminal justice from Lake Superior State University
Macomb Community College is one of the finest schools in the country for a degree in criminal justice, ranking #5. Set in the city of Warren, Macomb Community College is a very large public institution. There were roughly 25 criminal justice students who graduated with this degree at Macomb Community College in the most recent data year. Students who receive their criminal justice degree from Macomb Community College earn around $38,758 in the first couple years of their career. Students borrow a median of $6,964 to complete this degree.
See the full criminal justice program report for Macomb Community College
Oakland Community College landed the #6 spot for criminal justice this year. Set in the suburb of Auburn Hills, Oakland Community College is a very large public institution. About 30 criminal justice degrees were awarded at Oakland Community College in the most recent year. Students who receive their criminal justice degree from Oakland Community College earn around $51,827 in the first couple years of their career. Typical student debt for the program is $13,506.
See the full criminal justice program report for Oakland Community College
Henry Ford Community College came in at #7 for criminal justice this year. Henry Ford Community College is a large public school located in the city of Dearborn. There were roughly 23 criminal justice students who graduated with this degree at Henry Ford Community College in the most recent data year. Criminal Justice graduates of Henry Ford Community College earn a median of $26,336 early in their careers. Henry Ford Community College graduates carry a median of $15,200 in student loans.
See the full criminal justice program report for Henry Ford Community College
Northwestern Michigan College came in at #8 for criminal justice this year. Northwestern Michigan College is a mid-sized public school located in the city of Traverse City. The six-year graduation rate is 53%. Northwestern Michigan College awarded about 16 criminal justice degrees in the most recent data year. Students who receive their criminal justice degree from Northwestern Michigan College earn around $57,015 in the first couple years of their career. Typical student debt for the program is $17,694.
Read more about the criminal justice program at Northwestern Michigan College
Adrian College earned the #9 position for criminal justice this year. Adrian College is a small private not-for-profit school located in the town of Adrian. The six-year graduation rate is 45%. About 15 criminal justice degrees were awarded at Adrian College in the most recent year. Criminal Justice graduates of Adrian College earn a median of $34,112 early in their careers. Typical student debt for the program is $30,500.
Get the full criminal justice details for Adrian College
More Criminal Justice Rankings
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. Schools are scored on a blend of student outcomes (graduation rate, post-graduation earnings), affordability, and program focus, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 9 schools evaluated.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
