by our College Data Analytics Team
[Criminal Justice And Corrections](/majors/protective-security-safety-services/criminal-justice-and-corrections/) graduates earn very different salaries depending on where they study. The highest-paying schools turn a criminal justice and corrections degree into the strongest early-career earnings.
For its 2026 highest-paid-graduates ranking, College Factual looked at 28 schools to find where criminal justice and corrections graduates earn the most.
What’s on this page:
If you want to know which schools send criminal justice and corrections graduates into the highest-paying careers, see the list below.
Our analysis ranked Northern Virginia Community College the top school for criminal justice and corrections graduate earnings in Virginia. Set in the suburb of Annandale, Northern Virginia Community College is a public institution. Students who complete the criminal justice and corrections program here go on to a median salary of roughly $55,496.
Students chasing top earnings in criminal justice and corrections will find them at George Mason University, which ranked #2. Set in the suburb of Fairfax, George Mason University is a public institution. Students who complete the criminal justice and corrections program here go on to a median salary of roughly $70,311.
Students chasing top earnings in criminal justice and corrections will find them at Regent University, which ranked #3. Set in the city of Virginia Beach, Regent University is a private not-for-profit institution. Early-career criminal justice and corrections graduates from Regent University make a median of around $61,409 per year.
Shenandoah University came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying criminal justice and corrections schools. Set in the city of Winchester, Shenandoah University is a private not-for-profit institution. Students who complete the criminal justice and corrections program here go on to a median salary of roughly $58,666.
Strong graduate earnings at Blue Ridge Community College Weyers Cave earned it the #5 place for criminal justice and corrections. Located in the rural area of Weyers Cave, Blue Ridge Community College Weyers Cave is a public institution. Students who complete the criminal justice and corrections program here go on to a median salary of roughly $49,364.
Marymount University landed the #6 spot for criminal justice and corrections salaries this year. Marymount University is a private not-for-profit school located in the city of Arlington. After graduating, criminal justice and corrections degree recipients from Marymount University typically earn about $69,951 annually.
Liberty University landed the #7 spot for criminal justice and corrections salaries this year. Set in the city of Lynchburg, Liberty University is a private not-for-profit institution. Students who complete the criminal justice and corrections program here go on to a median salary of roughly $59,647.
Averett University placed #8 among the highest-paying schools for criminal justice and corrections. Located in the town of Danville, Averett University is a private not-for-profit institution. Criminal Justice And Corrections graduates of Averett University earn a median of about $55,149 a year early in their careers.
J Sargeant Reynolds Community College came in at #9 for criminal justice and corrections graduate earnings this year. Set in the suburb of Richmond, J Sargeant Reynolds Community College is a public institution. Criminal Justice And Corrections graduates of J Sargeant Reynolds Community College earn a median of about $45,398 a year early in their careers.
Virginia Western Community College landed the #10 spot for criminal justice and corrections salaries this year. Located in the city of Roanoke, Virginia Western Community College is a public institution. After graduating, criminal justice and corrections degree recipients from Virginia Western Community College typically earn about $45,387 annually.
Strayer University Virginia came in at #11 for criminal justice and corrections graduate earnings this year. Set in the city of Arlington, Strayer University Virginia is a private for-profit institution. After graduating, criminal justice and corrections degree recipients from Strayer University Virginia typically earn about $54,684 annually.
Virginia Commonwealth University ranked #12 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying criminal justice and corrections schools. Virginia Commonwealth University is a public school located in the city of Richmond. Students who complete the criminal justice and corrections program here go on to a median salary of roughly $57,508.
Patrick Henry Community College earned the #13 position for criminal justice and corrections graduate earnings this year. Located in the rural area of Martinsville, Patrick Henry Community College is a public institution. Criminal Justice And Corrections graduates of Patrick Henry Community College earn a median of about $42,072 a year early in their careers.
Bluefield College placed #14 among the highest-paying schools for criminal justice and corrections. Set in the town of Bluefield, Bluefield College is a private not-for-profit institution. After graduating, criminal justice and corrections degree recipients from Bluefield College typically earn about $52,577 annually.
Ferrum College earned the #15 position for criminal justice and corrections graduate earnings this year. Set in the rural area of Ferrum, Ferrum College is a private not-for-profit institution. Students who complete the criminal justice and corrections program here go on to a median salary of roughly $50,305.
Southside Virginia Community College came in at #16 for criminal justice and corrections graduate earnings this year. Southside Virginia Community College is a public school located in the rural area of Alberta. After graduating, criminal justice and corrections degree recipients from Southside Virginia Community College typically earn about $40,143 annually.
Longwood University landed the #17 spot for criminal justice and corrections salaries this year. Set in the town of Farmville, Longwood University is a public institution. Students who complete the criminal justice and corrections program here go on to a median salary of roughly $56,178.
Virginia Wesleyan College earned the #18 position for criminal justice and corrections graduate earnings this year. Set in the city of Virginia Beach, Virginia Wesleyan College is a private not-for-profit institution. Students who complete the criminal justice and corrections program here go on to a median salary of roughly $50,388.
Radford University landed the #19 spot for criminal justice and corrections salaries this year. Radford University is a public school located in the town of Radford. After graduating, criminal justice and corrections degree recipients from Radford University typically earn about $54,397 annually.
Wytheville Community College earned the #20 position for criminal justice and corrections graduate earnings this year. Wytheville Community College is a public school located in the town of Wytheville. Students who complete the criminal justice and corrections program here go on to a median salary of roughly $41,204.
South Universityrichmond came in at #21 for criminal justice and corrections graduate earnings this year. Located in the suburb of Glen Allen, South Universityrichmond is a private for-profit institution. Students who complete the criminal justice and corrections program here go on to a median salary of roughly $47,301.
Ecpi University landed the #22 spot for criminal justice and corrections salaries this year. Ecpi University is a private for-profit school located in the city of Virginia Beach. Students who complete the criminal justice and corrections program here go on to a median salary of roughly $47,570.
Hampton University ranked #23 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying criminal justice and corrections schools. Set in the suburb of Hampton, Hampton University is a private not-for-profit institution. After graduating, criminal justice and corrections degree recipients from Hampton University typically earn about $52,065 annually.
Virginia State University came in at #24 for criminal justice and corrections graduate earnings this year. Set in the suburb of Petersburg, Virginia State University is a public institution. Criminal Justice And Corrections graduates of Virginia State University earn a median of about $46,108 a year early in their careers.
John Tyler Community College ranked #25 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying criminal justice and corrections schools. John Tyler Community College is a public school located in the suburb of Chester. Criminal Justice And Corrections graduates of John Tyler Community College earn a median of about $33,744 a year early in their careers.
These schools rounded out the top of this year’s highest-paid criminal justice and corrections ranking:
This list is compiled by College Factual, 2026 edition. The methodology measures the salaries criminal justice and corrections graduates go on to earn early in their careers, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard field-of-study earnings and IPEDS).
Ranking method: College Major Earnings · 28 schools evaluated.
*Salary figures reflect median early-career earnings (about 5 years after graduation) and may vary by how long a person takes to complete their degree.
More about our data sources and methodologies.