2027 Best Criminal Justice Schools in Massachusetts
Criminal Justice is a field worth a close look when choosing where to study. A focused field like this rewards careful comparison of the schools that offer it.
For its 2027 ranking, College Factual looked at 7 schools in the United States to determine which ones were the best for criminal justice students pursuing a degree.
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Best Schools for Criminal Justice in Massachusetts
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest overall criminal justice education in Massachusetts.
Top Schools in Criminal Justice
University Of Massachusetts Lowell is one of the finest schools in the country for getting a degree in criminal justice. Set in the suburb of Lowell, University Of Massachusetts Lowell is a very large public institution. University Of Massachusetts Lowell graduates 65% of students within six years. University Of Massachusetts Lowell awarded about 271 criminal justice degrees in the most recent data year. Graduates of the criminal justice program make about $61,649 in their early career. Typical student debt for the program is $24,822.
Get the full criminal justice details for University Of Massachusetts Lowell
Students looking for a strong criminal justice program will find one at Massachusetts Bay Community College, which ranked #2. Set in the suburb of Wellesley Hills, Massachusetts Bay Community College is a moderately-sized public institution. Massachusetts Bay Community College awarded about 28 criminal justice degrees in the most recent data year. Students who receive their criminal justice degree from Massachusetts Bay Community College earn around $45,144 in the first couple years of their career. Students borrow a median of $6,333 to complete this degree.
See the full criminal justice program report for Massachusetts Bay Community College
A rank of #3 makes Salem State University one of the top schools for criminal justice. Set in the suburb of Salem, Salem State University is a moderately-sized public institution. The six-year graduation rate is 50%. There were roughly 75 criminal justice students who graduated with this degree at Salem State University in the most recent data year. Graduates of the criminal justice program make about $51,953 in their early career. Typical student debt for the program is $26,220.
Get the full criminal justice details for Salem State University
Merrimack College came in at #4 on our 2027 list of the best criminal justice schools. Located in the suburb of North Andover, Merrimack College is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university. Merrimack College graduates 70% of students within six years. Merrimack College awarded about 74 criminal justice degrees in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, criminal justice degree recipients from Merrimack College generally make around $54,859. Typical student debt for the program is $27,000.
Get the full criminal justice details for Merrimack College
Anna Maria College is one of the finest schools in the country for a degree in criminal justice, ranking #5. Anna Maria College is a small private not-for-profit school located in the rural area of Paxton. Anna Maria College graduates 46% of students within six years. Anna Maria College awarded about 53 criminal justice degrees in the most recent data year. Criminal Justice graduates of Anna Maria College earn a median of $81,066 early in their careers. Typical student debt for the program is $27,000.
More information about a degree in criminal justice from Anna Maria College
Quincy College came in at #6 for criminal justice this year. Set in the suburb of Quincy, Quincy College is a moderately-sized public institution. About 15 criminal justice degrees were awarded at Quincy College in the most recent year. Typical student debt for the program is $15,600.
More information about a degree in criminal justice from Quincy College
American International College came in at #7 for criminal justice this year. American International College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Springfield. American International College graduates 46% of students within six years. There were roughly 42 criminal justice students who graduated with this degree at American International College in the most recent data year. Graduates of the criminal justice program make about $37,408 in their early career. Typical student debt for the program is $29,750.
More information about a degree in criminal justice from American International 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 · 7 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.
