by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the latest year, 76 U.S. colleges awarded 2,370 degrees and certificates in Criminal Justice and Corrections, General. Bachelor’s degrees are the most popular award, at 39% of graduates. College Factual ranks 36 schools in its 2027 Best Criminal Justice and Corrections, General 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.
Studying Criminal Justice and Corrections, General explores A Program Of Study That Focuses On The General Study Of Criminal Justice And Corrections. Includes Instruction In Criminology, Criminal Justice, Correctional Science, Forensic Science, Law Enforcement, Psychology, And Ethics.
Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings 2027. Data as of: July 2026.
Across the country, criminal justice and corrections, general draws strong interest, with 2,370 degrees awarded annually. 76 colleges award criminal justice and corrections, general degrees, an average of 31 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 478.
By level, the 2,370 awards include 74 certificates, 703 associate degrees, 931 bachelor’s degrees and 654 master’s degrees.
Women earned 66% of criminal justice and corrections, general degrees and certificates in the latest year (1,574 of 2,370). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are White (1,016) and Black or African American (472), and international students earned 17.
College Factual ranks 36 schools in its 2027 Best Criminal Justice and Corrections, General Schools ranking, including 17 for associate degrees, 20 for bachelor’s degrees and 3 for master’s degrees. It also ranks criminal justice and corrections, general schools within 7 states. In all, 76 colleges offer criminal justice and corrections, general programs; compare them by degree level below or in the Best Value Criminal Justice and Corrections, General Colleges ranking, which weighs quality against cost.
The most common criminal justice and corrections, general credential is the bachelor’s degree: 931 of the 2,370 awarded in the latest year. Jobs related to criminal justice and corrections, general call most for Active Listening, Speaking and Critical Thinking, and for knowledge of Law and Government, English Language and Public Safety and Security, according to O*NET. The most important abilities are Oral Comprehension, Oral Expression and Problem Sensitivity.
Top skills, rated 0–5:
Top knowledge areas, rated 0–5:
How long a criminal justice and corrections, general degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 74 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 703 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 931 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 654 |
High school diploma or equivalent is the most common level of education among workers in jobs related to criminal justice and corrections, general, at 35.0%.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| High school diploma or equivalent | 35.0% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 29.6% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 11.5% |
| Some college courses | 10.6% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 7.3% |
| Master’s degree | 3.3% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 1.7% |
| Doctoral degree | 0.5% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 0.2% |
| Less than a high school diploma | 0.1% |
Source: O*NET Online.
20 occupations are related to Criminal Justice and Corrections, General, with an average median salary of $87,810; the strongest outlook belongs to Detectives and Criminal Investigators, at 14.5% projected job growth. Typical job titles include Law Enforcement Specialist, Criminalist, Investigator and Police Officer.
The occupation related to criminal justice and corrections, general with the most projected jobs is Police Identification and Records Officers, at 532,882.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Police Identification and Records Officers | 532,882 | 7.1% |
| Correctional Officers and Jailers | 514,818 | 8.7% |
| Detectives and Criminal Investigators | 469,816 | 14.5% |
| Managers, All Other | 468,025 | 6.2% |
| Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officers | 449,456 | 2.0% |
| Customs and Border Protection Officers | 349,535 | -1.2% |
| Intelligence Analysts | 313,116 | 11.7% |
| Compliance Managers | 310,203 | 13.0% |
Criminal Justice and Corrections, General 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 and corrections, general 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 |
| Remote Sensing Technicians | $99,834 |
| Brownfield Redevelopment Specialists and Site Managers | $99,321 |
| Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All Other | $95,957 |
| Managers, All Other | $95,684 |
Criminal Justice and Corrections, General has 12 similar majors in the Law Enforcement & Firefighting field, which together award 98,127 degrees a year; the largest are Criminal Justice/Safety Studies (41,501), Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement Administration (26,299) and Criminal Justice/Police Science (20,024). 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/Law Enforcement Administration | 26,299 |
| Criminal Justice/Police Science | 20,024 |
| Corrections and Criminal Justice, Other | 4,765 |
| Corrections | 3,838 |
| 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.
