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2023 Most Focused Master’s Degree Colleges for Criminal Justice & Corrections in Illinois

12 Ranked Colleges
178 Degrees Awarded
$72,289 Avg Salary
Schools for a Master's Highly Focused on Criminal Justice Major in Illinois

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Criminal Justice Major in Illinois” ranking is part of that endeavor.

In 2020-2021, 113,121 criminal justice and corrections students received their degree, making the major the 7th most popular in the country. In 2019-2020, criminal justice and corrections graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $35,465 and had an average of $25,425 in loans still to pay off.

Across Illinois, there were 3,037 criminal justice and corrections graduates with average earnings and debt of $37,966 and $27,282 respectively. At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 178 criminal justice and corrections graduates with average earnings and debt of $59,317 and $0 respectively.

This year’s “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Criminal Justice Major in Illinois” ranking analyzed 12 colleges that offered a degree in criminal justice and corrections. The colleges and universities that top this list are recognized because their criminal justice and corrections program is one of the largest majors offered at the school.

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Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Criminal Justice Major in Illinois” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. Test it out when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.

Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Criminal Justice Major in Illinois

The colleges and universities below are the best for illinois master’s degree criminal justice students.

Top 12 Most Focused Master’s Degree Colleges for Criminal Justice & Corrections in Illinois

1
Lewis crest
Lewis University
Romeoville, Illinois

Out of the 12 schools in the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Criminal Justice Major in Illinois that were part of this year’s ranking, Lewis University landed the #1 spot on the list. Romeoville, Illinois is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s criminal justice degrees to 48 students in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.0% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full Lewis University Criminal Justice & Corrections Report

2

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Western Illinois University. The school came in at #2 for the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Criminal Justice Major in Illinois. Western Illinois University is a public institution located in Macomb, Illinois. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 43 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Full Western Illinois University Criminal Justice & Corrections Report

3
CSU crest
Chicago State University
Chicago, Illinois

Out of the 12 schools in the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Criminal Justice Major in Illinois that were part of this year’s ranking, Chicago State University landed the #3 spot on the list. CSU is a public institution located in Chicago, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 5 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read more about Criminal Justice & Corrections at CSU

4
GSU crest
Governors State University
University Park, Illinois

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Governors State University. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Criminal Justice Major in Illinois list. Governors State University is a public institution located in University Park, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 10 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Full GSU Criminal Justice & Corrections Report

5
McKendree crest
McKendree University
Lebanon, Illinois

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend McKendree University. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Criminal Justice Major in Illinois list. Located in Lebanon, Illinois, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 5 degrees to qualified masters’s criminal justice students in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Criminal Justice & Corrections at McKendree University

6
Aurora crest
Aurora University
Aurora, Illinois

Aurora University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Criminal Justice Major in Illinois ranking, coming in at #6. This medium-sized school is located in Aurora, Illinois, and it awarded 8 masters’s criminal justice degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Aurora University Criminal Justice & Corrections Report

7
UChicago crest
University of Chicago
Chicago, Illinois

University of Chicago ranked #7 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Criminal Justice Major in Illinois list. Chicago, Illinois is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s criminal justice degrees to 23 students in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 100%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read full report on Criminal Justice & Corrections at UChicago

8
Illinois State crest
Illinois State University
Normal, Illinois

Illinois State University came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Criminal Justice Major in Illinois ranking. Normal, Illinois is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s criminal justice degrees to 14 students in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.6% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about Criminal Justice & Corrections at Illinois State

9
Loyola Chicago crest
Loyola University Chicago
Chicago, Illinois

With a ranking of #9, Loyola University Chicago did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Criminal Justice Major in Illinois list. Loyola University Chicago is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 9 masters’s criminal justice degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Criminal Justice & Corrections at Loyola University Chicago

10

University of Illinois at Chicago did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Criminal Justice Major in Illinois ranking, coming in at #10. University of Illinois at Chicago is a public institution located in Chicago, Illinois. The school has a large population, and it awarded 11 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Illinois at Chicago Criminal Justice & Corrections Report

11

With a ranking of #11, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Criminal Justice Major in Illinois list. Located in Edwardsville, Illinois, this fairly large public school awarded 2 degrees to qualified masters’s criminal justice students in 2020-2021.

Read more about Criminal Justice & Corrections at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville

12

Southern Illinois University Carbondale landed the #12 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Criminal Justice Major in Illinois ranking. Southern Illinois University Carbondale is a public institution located in Carbondale, Illinois. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 1 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Read more about Criminal Justice & Corrections at Southern Illinois University Carbondale

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Notes and References

References

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