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2024 Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Schools in the Southeast Region

230 Colleges in the Southeast Region
30,364 Criminal Justice Degrees Awarded
$34,051 Avg Early-Career Salary
If you pursue a degree in criminal justice & corrections, you won't be alone. The field of study is the #7 most popular program in the country. So, there are lots of possibilities to explore when you're trying to determine where you want to get your degree.

College Factual looked at 230 colleges and universities when compiling its 2024 Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Schools in the Southeast Region ranking. Combined, these schools handed out 30,364 degrees in criminal justice & corrections to qualified students.

Jump to one of the following sections: * Degree-Level Rankings

Choosing a Great Criminal Justice & Corrections School

Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Schools in the Southeast Region Your choice of criminal justice & corrections school matters, so we have put together these rankings to help you make your decision. In order to come up with a best overall ranking for criminal justice & corrections schools, we combine our degree-level rankings, weighting them by the number of degrees awarded at each level.

You may want to choose one of the degree levels below to find the schools of most interest to you.

Pick Your Criminal Justice & Corrections Degree Level

Associate Degrees in Criminal Justice
Bachelor's Degrees in Criminal Justice
Master's Degrees in Criminal Justice
Doctor's Degrees in Criminal Justice

When choosing the right school for you, it's important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we've created a number of major-specific rankings, including this Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Schools in the Southeast Region list to help you make the college decision. More interested in schools in a specific area of the country? Filter this list by region or state.

To further help you make the college decision, we've developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to you. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Read more about College Factual's methodology.


 

Best Schools for Criminal Justice & Corrections in the Southeast Region

If you aren't 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. Only those schools that rank in the top 15% of all the schools we analyze get awarded with a place on this list.

25 Top Southeast Region Schools in Criminal Justice

1
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
399 Criminal Justice Degrees Awarded
$48,191 Median Starting Salary

George Mason University is a great decision for students interested in a degree in criminal justice & corrections. GMU is a very large public university located in the large suburb of Fairfax. A Best Colleges rank of #117 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means GMU is a great university overall.

There were approximately 399 criminal justice & corrections students who graduated with this degree at GMU in the most recent data year. Those criminal justice & corrections students who get their degree from George Mason University make $14,140 more than the average criminal justice graduate.

More information about a degree in criminal justice & corrections from George Mason University

2
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
912 Criminal Justice Degrees Awarded
13.2% Growth in Graduates

Every student who is interested in criminal justice & corrections needs to look into American Public University System. Located in the town of Charles Town, American Military University is a private for-profit university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #144 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means American Military University is a great university overall.

There were approximately 912 criminal justice & corrections students who graduated with this degree at American Military University in the most recent data year. Criminal Justice & Corrections degree recipients from American Public University System earn a boost of approximately $14,816 above the typical earnings of criminal justice & corrections graduates.

More information about a degree in criminal justice & corrections from American Public University System

3
Florida State crest
Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
646 Criminal Justice Degrees Awarded
2.0% Growth in Graduates

It is difficult to beat Florida State University if you wish to pursue a degree in criminal justice & corrections. Located in the midsize city of Tallahassee, Florida State is a public university with a very large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #121 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means Florida State is a great university overall.

There were about 646 criminal justice & corrections students who graduated with this degree at Florida State in the most recent year we have data available. Degree recipients from the criminal justice & corrections major at Florida State University get $4,184 above the average college graduate in this field shortly after graduation.

More information about a degree in criminal justice & corrections from Florida State University

4
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
494 Criminal Justice Degrees Awarded
$52,472 Median Starting Salary

Columbia Southern University is one of the finest schools in the United States for getting a degree in criminal justice & corrections. Located in the fringe town of Orange Beach, Columbia Southern University is a private for-profit university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #114 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means Columbia Southern University is a great university overall.

There were about 494 criminal justice & corrections students who graduated with this degree at Columbia Southern University in the most recent data year. Criminal Justice & Corrections degree recipients from Columbia Southern University receive an earnings boost of about $18,421 over the typical income of criminal justice & corrections majors.

More information about a degree in criminal justice & corrections from Columbia Southern University

5
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
646 Criminal Justice Degrees Awarded
8.4% Growth in Graduates

UCF is a fairly large public university located in the suburb of Orlando. A Best Colleges rank of #193 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means UCF is a great university overall.

There were roughly 646 criminal justice & corrections students who graduated with this degree at UCF in the most recent data year. Criminal Justice & Corrections degree recipients from University of Central Florida earn a boost of approximately $4,321 over the typical earnings of criminal justice & corrections graduates.

More information about a degree in criminal justice & corrections from University of Central Florida

6
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
643 Criminal Justice Degrees Awarded
1.6% Growth in Graduates

FIU is a very large public university located in the large suburb of Miami. A Best Colleges rank of #183 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means FIU is a great university overall.

There were about 643 criminal justice & corrections students who graduated with this degree at FIU in the most recent data year. Criminal Justice & Corrections degree recipients from Florida International University receive an earnings boost of about $4,434 over the typical income of criminal justice & corrections majors.

More information about a degree in criminal justice & corrections from Florida International University

7
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
223 Criminal Justice Degrees Awarded
14.3% Growth in Graduates

UofSC is a fairly large public university located in the midsize city of Columbia. A Best Colleges rank of #152 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means UofSC is a great university overall.

There were approximately 223 criminal justice & corrections students who graduated with this degree at UofSC in the most recent year we have data available. Students who graduate with their degree from the criminal justice program report average early career income of $31,800.

More information about a degree in criminal justice & corrections from University of South Carolina - Columbia

8
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
193 Criminal Justice Degrees Awarded
$39,617 Median Starting Salary

Located in the city of Richmond, VCU is a public university with a very large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #240 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means VCU is a great university overall.

There were about 193 criminal justice & corrections students who graduated with this degree at VCU in the most recent year we have data available. Degree recipients from the criminal justice & corrections degree program at Virginia Commonwealth University earn $5,566 above the standard graduate with the same degree when they enter the workforce.

More information about a degree in criminal justice & corrections from Virginia Commonwealth University

9
Liberty University crest
Liberty University
Lynchburg, VA
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
1,235 Criminal Justice Degrees Awarded
14.7% Growth in Graduates

Located in the city of Lynchburg, Liberty University is a private not-for-profit university with a very large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #352 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means Liberty University is a great university overall.

There were roughly 1235 criminal justice & corrections students who graduated with this degree at Liberty University in the most recent year we have data available. Criminal Justice & Corrections degree recipients from Liberty University earn a boost of approximately $11,433 over the average earnings of criminal justice & corrections graduates.

More information about a degree in criminal justice & corrections from Liberty University

10
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
178 Criminal Justice Degrees Awarded
1.1% Growth in Graduates

Keiser University - Ft Lauderdale is a large private not-for-profit university located in the city of Fort Lauderdale. A Best Colleges rank of #176 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means Keiser University - Ft Lauderdale is a great university overall.

There were approximately 178 criminal justice & corrections students who graduated with this degree at Keiser University - Ft Lauderdale in the most recent data year. Students who graduate with their degree from the criminal justice program state that they receive average early career income of $35,183.

More information about a degree in criminal justice & corrections from Keiser University - Ft Lauderdale

11
St. Leo University crest
Saint Leo University
Saint Leo, FL
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
571 Criminal Justice Degrees Awarded
5.6% Growth in Graduates

Located in the small suburb of Saint Leo, St. Leo University is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population. This university ranks 27th out of 77 schools for overall quality in the state of Florida.

There were about 571 criminal justice & corrections students who graduated with this degree at St. Leo University in the most recent year we have data available. Degree recipients from the criminal justice & corrections degree program at Saint Leo University make $9,234 above the typical college graduate in this field shortly after graduation.

More information about a degree in criminal justice & corrections from Saint Leo University

12
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
238 Criminal Justice Degrees Awarded
$51,140 Median Starting Salary

Located in the city of Louisville, UofL is a public university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #338 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means UofL is a great university overall.

There were roughly 238 criminal justice & corrections students who graduated with this degree at UofL in the most recent year we have data available. Those criminal justice & corrections students who get their degree from University of Louisville make $17,089 more than the average criminal justice student.

More information about a degree in criminal justice & corrections from University of Louisville

13
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
$34,202 Median Starting Salary
$27,000 Median Student Debt

MC is a small private not-for-profit college located in the large suburb of Clinton. This college ranks 4th out of 26 colleges for overall quality in the state of Mississippi.

There were roughly 29 criminal justice & corrections students who graduated with this degree at MC in the most recent year we have data available. Students who receive their degree from the criminal justice program earn an average of $34,202 in the first couple years of working.

More information about a degree in criminal justice & corrections from Mississippi College

14
Valencia College crest
Valencia College
Orlando, FL
Associate Degree Highest Degree Type
373 Criminal Justice Degrees Awarded
$27,977 Median Starting Salary

Located in the city of Orlando, Valencia College is a public college with a fairly large student population. This college ranks 14th out of 77 schools for overall quality in the state of Florida.

There were about 373 criminal justice & corrections students who graduated with this degree at Valencia College in the most recent year we have data available. Students who graduate with their degree from the criminal justice program report average early career earnings of $27,977.

More information about a degree in criminal justice & corrections from Valencia College

15
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
85 Criminal Justice Degrees Awarded
24.7% Growth in Graduates

Located in the medium-sized city of Athens, UGA is a public university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #72 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means UGA is a great university overall.

There were approximately 85 criminal justice & corrections students who graduated with this degree at UGA in the most recent year we have data available. Those criminal justice & corrections students who get their degree from University of Georgia receive $4,015 more than the average criminal justice grad.

More information about a degree in criminal justice & corrections from University of Georgia

16
Associate Degree Highest Degree Type
220 Criminal Justice Degrees Awarded
43.6% Growth in Graduates

Located in the large suburb of Annandale, Northern Virginia Community College is a public college with a fairly large student population. This college ranks 13th out of 63 colleges for overall quality in the state of Virginia.

There were approximately 220 criminal justice & corrections students who graduated with this degree at Northern Virginia Community College in the most recent data year. Soon after graduating, criminal justice degree recipients generally make an average of $34,656 at the beginning of their careers.

More information about a degree in criminal justice & corrections from Northern Virginia Community College

17
Associate Degree Highest Degree Type
368 Criminal Justice Degrees Awarded
$40,575 Median Starting Salary

HCC is a large public college located in the city of Tampa. This college ranks 19th out of 77 schools for overall quality in the state of Florida.

There were approximately 368 criminal justice & corrections students who graduated with this degree at HCC in the most recent data year. Degree recipients from the criminal justice & corrections major at Hillsborough Community College earn $6,524 more than the average college graduate with the same degree when they enter the workforce.

More information about a degree in criminal justice & corrections from Hillsborough Community College

18
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
335 Criminal Justice Degrees Awarded
3.6% Growth in Graduates

FAU is a very large public university located in the small city of Boca Raton. This university ranks 13th out of 77 colleges for overall quality in the state of Florida.

There were approximately 335 criminal justice & corrections students who graduated with this degree at FAU in the most recent year we have data available. Those criminal justice & corrections students who get their degree from Florida Atlantic University receive $2,055 more than the average criminal justice graduate.

More information about a degree in criminal justice & corrections from Florida Atlantic University

19
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
254 Criminal Justice Degrees Awarded
$32,993 Median Starting Salary

Eastern is a fairly large public university located in the town of Richmond. This university ranks 10th out of 38 colleges for overall quality in the state of Kentucky.

There were approximately 254.00000000000003 criminal justice & corrections students who graduated with this degree at Eastern in the most recent data year. Students who graduate with their degree from the criminal justice program state that they receive average early career wages of $32,993.

More information about a degree in criminal justice & corrections from Eastern Kentucky University

20
Marymount crest
Marymount University
Arlington, VA
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
$44,543 Median Starting Salary
$25,000 Median Student Debt

Located in the city of Arlington, Marymount is a private not-for-profit university with a small student population. This university ranks 16th out of 63 schools for overall quality in the state of Virginia.

There were approximately 22 criminal justice & corrections students who graduated with this degree at Marymount in the most recent year we have data available. Those criminal justice & corrections students who get their degree from Marymount University receive $10,492 more than the standard criminal justice student.

More information about a degree in criminal justice & corrections from Marymount University

21
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
266 Criminal Justice Degrees Awarded
12.0% Growth in Graduates

Located in the large city of Charlotte, UNC Charlotte is a public university with a fairly large student population. This university ranks 6th out of 93 colleges for overall quality in the state of North Carolina.

There were approximately 266 criminal justice & corrections students who graduated with this degree at UNC Charlotte in the most recent year we have data available. Students who receive their degree from the criminal justice program earn an average of $34,573 in the first couple years of their career.

More information about a degree in criminal justice & corrections from University of North Carolina at Charlotte

22
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
114 Criminal Justice Degrees Awarded
28.1% Growth in Graduates

Cumberlands is a large private not-for-profit university located in the town of Williamsburg. This university ranks 4th out of 38 schools for overall quality in the state of Kentucky.

There were approximately 114 criminal justice & corrections students who graduated with this degree at Cumberlands in the most recent data year. Soon after graduating, criminal justice degree recipients typically earn an average of $30,064 in their early careers.

More information about a degree in criminal justice & corrections from University of the Cumberlands

23
Columbia College South Carolina crest
Columbia College
Columbia, SC
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
63 Criminal Justice Degrees Awarded
$50,068 Median Starting Salary

Located in the medium-sized city of Columbia, Columbia College South Carolina is a private not-for-profit college with a small student population. This college ranks 10th out of 44 colleges for overall quality in the state of South Carolina.

There were about 63 criminal justice & corrections students who graduated with this degree at Columbia College South Carolina in the most recent data year. Degree recipients from the criminal justice & corrections degree program at Columbia College earn $16,017 above the standard college grad with the same degree shortly after graduation.

More information about a degree in criminal justice & corrections from Columbia College

24
Associate Degree Highest Degree Type
92 Criminal Justice Degrees Awarded
$41,226 Median Starting Salary

Located in the midsize city of Savannah, Savannah Tech is a public college with a small student population. This college ranks 5th out of 68 colleges for overall quality in the state of Georgia.

There were approximately 92 criminal justice & corrections students who graduated with this degree at Savannah Tech in the most recent data year. Degree recipients from the criminal justice & corrections degree program at Savannah Technical College get $7,175 more than the typical college grad with the same degree when they enter the workforce.

More information about a degree in criminal justice & corrections from Savannah Technical College

25
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
67 Criminal Justice Degrees Awarded
4.5% Growth in Graduates

Located in the medium-sized city of Charleston, The Citadel is a public college with a small student population. This college ranks 6th out of 44 colleges for overall quality in the state of South Carolina.

There were roughly 67 criminal justice & corrections students who graduated with this degree at The Citadel in the most recent data year. Criminal Justice & Corrections degree recipients from Citadel Military College of South Carolina get an earnings boost of about $4,385 over the typical income of criminal justice & corrections graduates.

More information about a degree in criminal justice & corrections from Citadel Military College of South Carolina

Rest of the Top Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Schools in the Southeast Region

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29
Bethel crest
Bethel University
McKenzie, TN
30
UARK crest
University of Arkansas
Fayetteville, AR
31
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34

Additional Noteworthy Schools

Here are some additional great schools for Criminal Justice & Corrections students in the Southeast Region that almost earned our Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Schools in the Southeast Region award.

Rank College Location
35 Reinhardt University Waleska, GA
36 Bellarmine University Louisville, KY
37 Appalachian State University Boone, NC
38 Harding University Searcy, AR
39 University of North Florida Jacksonville, FL
40 Radford University Radford, VA
41 Kennesaw State University Kennesaw, GA
42 Nova Southeastern University Fort Lauderdale, FL
43 Western Carolina University Cullowhee, NC
44 University of North Georgia Dahlonega, GA
45 Georgia College & State University Milledgeville, GA
46 Middle Tennessee State University Murfreesboro, TN

Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Colleges by State

Explore the best criminal justice & corrections colleges for a specific state in the Southeast Region .

State Colleges Degrees Awarded
Georgia 287 2,157
Florida 282 4,836
North Carolina 279 2,701
Virginia 274 2,889
Tennessee 269 1,212
South Carolina 248 993
Kentucky 244 960
Louisiana 242 972
Mississippi 234 581
Arkansas 234 641
Alabama 233 1,413
West Virginia 207 1,291

View All Rankings >

Criminal Justice & Corrections is one of 4 different types of Homeland Security, Law Enforcement & Firefighting programs to choose from.

Criminal Justice Focus Areas

Major Annual Graduates
Criminal Justice Studies 15,791
Criminal Justice 6,922
Criminal Justice & Police Science 5,231
Corrections 1,293
Other Corrections & Criminal Justice 509
Securities Services Administration/Management 324
Criminal Justice and Corrections, General 224
Security & Loss Prevention Services 61
Protective Services Operations 6
Corrections Administration 3

View All Criminal Justice Focus Areas >

Related Major Annual Graduates
Fire Protection 4,164
Homeland Security 2,413
Security Science and Technology 2,008
Other Homeland Security 873

View All Criminal Justice Related Majors >

Notes and References

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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