2027 Best Criminal Justice Schools in Kentucky
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 14 schools in the United States to determine which ones were the best for criminal justice students pursuing a degree.
What’s on this page:
Best Schools for Criminal Justice in Kentucky
If you are not interested in a particular degree level and want to know which schools are the overall best at delivering an education for the criminal justice degrees they offer, see the list below.
Top Schools in Criminal Justice
University Of Louisville tops our 2027 ranking of the best criminal justice schools. This very large public university is located in the city of Louisville. Roughly 61% of students complete a degree within six years here. About 220 criminal justice degrees were awarded at University Of Louisville in the most recent year. Graduates of the criminal justice program make about $74,173 in their early career. Students borrow a median of $18,258 to complete this degree.
Read more about the criminal justice program at University Of Louisville
University Of The Cumberlands is one of the finest schools in the country for a degree in criminal justice, ranking #2. This very large private not-for-profit university is located in the town of Williamsburg. Roughly 50% of students complete a degree within six years here. About 66 criminal justice degrees were awarded at University Of The Cumberlands in the most recent year. Students who receive their criminal justice degree from University Of The Cumberlands earn around $43,972 in the first couple years of their career. Students borrow a median of $25,000 to complete this degree.
More information about a degree in criminal justice from University Of The Cumberlands
Bluegrass Community And Technical College came in at #3 on our 2027 list of the best criminal justice schools. This large public university is located in the city of Lexington. About 59 criminal justice degrees were awarded at Bluegrass Community And Technical College in the most recent year. Criminal Justice graduates of Bluegrass Community And Technical College earn a median of $44,752 early in their careers. Students borrow a median of $10,814 to complete this degree.
Read more about the criminal justice program at Bluegrass Community And Technical College
A rank of #4 makes Eastern Kentucky University one of the top schools for criminal justice. Located in the town of Richmond, Eastern Kentucky University is a large public university. Roughly 55% of students complete a degree within six years here. There were roughly 136 criminal justice students who graduated with this degree at Eastern Kentucky University in the most recent data year. Students who receive their criminal justice degree from Eastern Kentucky University earn around $36,021 in the first couple years of their career. Typical student debt for the program is $25,000.
Read more about the criminal justice program at Eastern Kentucky University
Students looking for a strong criminal justice program will find one at Campbellsville University, which ranked #5. Set in the town of Campbellsville, Campbellsville University is a large private not-for-profit institution. Roughly 42% of students complete a degree within six years here. Campbellsville University awarded about 29 criminal justice degrees in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, criminal justice degree recipients from Campbellsville University generally make around $36,849. Campbellsville University graduates carry a median of $21,550 in student loans.
Get the full criminal justice details for Campbellsville University
Jefferson Community And Technical College landed the #6 spot for criminal justice this year. Jefferson Community And Technical College is a large public school located in the city of Louisville. There were roughly 45 criminal justice students who graduated with this degree at Jefferson Community And Technical College in the most recent data year. Students who receive their criminal justice degree from Jefferson Community And Technical College earn around $33,316 in the first couple years of their career. Jefferson Community And Technical College graduates carry a median of $11,516 in student loans.
See the full criminal justice program report for Jefferson Community And Technical College
Big Sandy Community And Technical College earned the #7 position for criminal justice this year. Set in the town of Prestonsburg, Big Sandy Community And Technical College is a mid-sized public institution. About 16 criminal justice degrees were awarded at Big Sandy Community And Technical College in the most recent year. Students who receive their criminal justice degree from Big Sandy Community And Technical College earn around $29,432 in the first couple years of their career. Students borrow a median of $10,994 to complete this degree.
Get the full criminal justice details for Big Sandy Community And Technical College
Ashland Community And Technical College landed the #8 spot for criminal justice this year. Located in the city of Ashland, Ashland Community And Technical College is a mid-sized public university. There were roughly 21 criminal justice students who graduated with this degree at Ashland Community And Technical College in the most recent data year. Graduates of the criminal justice program make about $37,826 in their early career. Students borrow a median of $13,485 to complete this degree.
See the full criminal justice program report for Ashland Community And Technical College
Hopkinsville Community College landed the #9 spot for criminal justice this year. This mid-sized public university is located in the town of Hopkinsville. About 44 criminal justice degrees were awarded at Hopkinsville Community College in the most recent year. Soon after graduation, criminal justice degree recipients from Hopkinsville Community College generally make around $43,678. Typical student debt for the program is $13,269.
Get the full criminal justice details for Hopkinsville Community College
Elizabethtown Community And Technical College came in at #10 for criminal justice this year. Located in the city of Elizabethtown, Elizabethtown Community And Technical College is a moderately-sized public university. There were roughly 31 criminal justice students who graduated with this degree at Elizabethtown Community And Technical College in the most recent data year. Students who receive their criminal justice degree from Elizabethtown Community And Technical College earn around $45,486 in the first couple years of their career. Elizabethtown Community And Technical College graduates carry a median of $12,245 in student loans.
More information about a degree in criminal justice from Elizabethtown Community And Technical College
Madisonville Community College earned the #11 position for criminal justice this year. Madisonville Community College is a moderately-sized public school located in the town of Madisonville. Madisonville Community College awarded about 16 criminal justice degrees in the most recent data year. Criminal Justice graduates of Madisonville Community College earn a median of $41,084 early in their careers. Typical student debt for the program is $10,985.
More information about a degree in criminal justice from Madisonville Community College
West Kentucky Community And Technical College ranked #12 on our 2027 list of the best criminal justice schools. This moderately-sized public university is located in the city of Paducah. About 33 criminal justice degrees were awarded at West Kentucky Community And Technical College in the most recent year. Students who receive their criminal justice degree from West Kentucky Community And Technical College earn around $31,903 in the first couple years of their career. Students borrow a median of $10,778 to complete this degree.
Get the full criminal justice details for West Kentucky Community And Technical College
Somerset Community College earned the #13 position for criminal justice this year. This moderately-sized public university is located in the town of Somerset. Somerset Community College awarded about 87 criminal justice degrees in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, criminal justice degree recipients from Somerset Community College generally make around $34,245. Typical student debt for the program is $14,387.
More information about a degree in criminal justice from Somerset Community College
Maysville Community And Technical College placed #14 among the best criminal justice schools. Maysville Community And Technical College is a moderately-sized public school located in the rural area of Maysville. About 26 criminal justice degrees were awarded at Maysville Community And Technical College in the most recent year. Students who receive their criminal justice degree from Maysville Community And Technical College earn around $37,769 in the first couple years of their career. Typical student debt for the program is $13,031.
Get the full criminal justice details for Maysville Community And Technical College
More Criminal Justice Rankings
View All Criminal Justice Rankings >
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 · 14 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.
