2026 Best Criminology Schools in District of Columbia

Criminology degree programs prepare students for a range of careers in the field. The schools below stand out for the quality of their criminology programs.

To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 2 schools to find the best for criminology students.

What’s on this page:

• Best Criminology Schools in District of Columbia

Best Schools for Criminology in District of Columbia

Below are the schools that deliver the strongest overall criminology education in District of Columbia.

Top Schools in Criminology

1

George Washington University
Washington, DC

Doctoral Degree Highest Degree Type

10 Criminology Degrees Awarded

$73,749 Median Starting Salary

George Washington University is one of the finest schools in the country for getting a degree in criminology. George Washington University is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Washington. Roughly 84% of students complete a degree within six years here. There were roughly 10 criminology students who graduated with this degree at George Washington University in the most recent data year. Students who receive their criminology degree from George Washington University earn around $73,749 in the first couple years of their career. Typical student debt for the program is $22,910. More information about a degree in criminology from George Washington University

2

Catholic University Of America
Washington, DC

Doctoral Degree Highest Degree Type

11 Criminology Degrees Awarded

$65,120 Median Starting Salary

Catholic University Of America is a great choice for students pursuing a degree in criminology, landing the #2 spot this year. Catholic University Of America is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Washington. About 80% of students finish within six years. Catholic University Of America awarded about 11 criminology degrees in the most recent data year. Criminology graduates of Catholic University Of America earn a median of $65,120 early in their careers. Students borrow a median of $25,771 to complete this degree. Get the full criminology details for Catholic University Of America

Notes and References

The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs graduation rate, post-graduation earnings, cost, and program quality, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).

Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 2 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.