What jobs can I do with a Criminal justice major?–

With a degree in criminal justice, you could qualify for an array of opportunities in law enforcement, security, forensics, counter-terrorism, corrections, and much more. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) identifies the following top jobs in criminal justice: Police and Detectives. Probational Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists. Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Teachers, Postsecondary. Private Investigators and Detectives. Security Guards and Gaming Surveillance. Correctional Officers and Bailiffs. Lawyers

Is a research university right for me?–

Research universities are colleges and universities whose faculty are active in research and publishing. Research universities offer a wide array of doctoral programs, especially in the sciences. They tend to be big, with tens of thousands of students. Do you prefer a larger university setting, such as largest public university in your state? Research universities are typically big, offering degrees in many different disciplines. Is a big high-powered research environment the thing for you? If not, you should think about a liberal arts college. In deciding on an undergraduate institution, ask yourself what sort of environment will best help you to be happy and excel. Consider whether you are self motivated enough to be a face in the crowd for some classes and largely unknown on campus at a large university. Of course you can find clubs and friends at a large university, but often liberal arts colleges have a more personal quality to them. If you want the community feel, a research university may not fit you well. Are you interested in STEM fields? Research universities have that name for a reason – real research is happening there. This can create an exciting atmosphere for students interested in STEM. Attending a research university can give you a better chance of getting into better programs for graduate degrees, although a lot of that depends on your performance.

Is an online college right for me?–

Online colleges are typically the same colleges and universities you could attend in-person, but for certain degree programs the college or unviersity has made the degree programs available to be completed online. For over 5 million students, online degree programs allow students to earn their degrees in the most flexible format available. Online degrees are as respected as the on-campus degrees you could earn from the same schools. There’s usually no distinction between the two degrees, and your degree and transcript will not say that the degree was earned online. Online degree programs are offered by a vast majority of colleges and universities, and the number of offering continues to grow. Whether you are searching for an associate, bachelor’s, master’s, or doctorate, there’s a good chance you can earn your degree online from a respectable online college. Are you a self-driven student? Perhaps the hardest aspect of obtaining an online degree is whether you will be disciplined enough to manage your time and course demands. Many online students report that online college made them more disciplined in all areas of their lives, but the flexible, self-paced learning that makes online colleges attractive can often be the same qualities that make it difficult. If you tend to be a procrastinator, you need to be honest with yourself. You can change your habits and propensities, or you can throw money down the drain. Do you need the flexibility of an online degree program? Most online students study online because of time demands of balancing work and life, or because the online college affords them the chance to attend a better school without moving. If you are serious about earning your degree for career advancement, online colleges make it possible. The most flexible options among online degrees are those that are asynchronous, meaning you don’t have scheduled times to meet with your class online. However, many students seek synchronous online degree programs so that they have some structure – set meeting times, scheduled exams, etc. The good news is that attending an online college doesn’t mean you will miss out on getting to know your professors and classmates. In fact, many online students who have experienced both online and on-campus courses report having easier access to their professors. Since most communication with your professor is expected to be in text – via email or your class learning management system – it makes asking your questions easier. The same students also report that they got to better know the thoughts of their classmates. While in-person course conversations can be dominated by a few extroverts, online courses that require online discussions make it so that you see all of your classmates’ thoughts and questions. If you’re interested in an online bachelor’s degree, check out what the best online colleges offer, or search our online degrees for the exact program that interests you. In either case, you will find well respected colleges and universities that offer online degrees.

Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Criminal Justice Degrees

Q: Is a liberal arts college right for me?–

Often referred to as “teaching colleges” liberal arts colleges put a premium on undergraduate studies and offers a broad range of subjects for students to study. A college of liberal arts typically provides smaller class sizes, more direct engagement with professors, and, most importantly, the opportunity to sample a wide range of subject areas on the way to a bachelor’s degree. Do you want your professors to know you? Liberal arts colleges strive to cultivate campus cultures that encourage tight bonds between professors and students. Professors at these schools will typically conduct original research. Yet the best of these schools offer their faculty reduced teaching loads so that they can both be productive researchers and still have plenty of time for students (both in and outside the classroom). Do you want to feel like you know everybody? One of the most enticing features of a liberal arts college is that in very little time, you can feel like you know who’s who, which can create strong friendships and make walks across campus more fun. While your sports teams may never be on ESPN, it’s more likely that you’ll know the athletes as your peers. Beyond student and faculty relationships, it’s not unusual for the school president and other administrators to learn who you are. When faced with problems with your student account or the need to switch classes, this can be comforting during a stressful moment.

Badge for BEST FOR CRIMINAL JUSTICE LIBERAL ARTS COLLEGES

By Dr. James Barham
Reviewed By Jenn Finley

Updated: Nov 6, 2024

Key Takeaways

A criminal justice degree program utilizes the principles of sociology, psychology, political science, and philosophy.
Students seeking a criminal justice degree complete courses in Constitutional Law, judicial administration, police work, legal issues, and ethical practice.
Criminal justice degree programs produce competent federal intelligence analysts or police officers in law enforcement and many more job occupations.

Table of Contents

Top 10 Liberal Arts Colleges Criminal Justice Programs in 2026

San Francisco State University
+1
San Jose State University
+13
John Jay College of Criminal Justice
–2
California State University, Long Beach
+10
New York Institute of Technology
+4
Goucher College
+4
Fairleigh Dickinson University
–2
Suffolk University
–4
Loyola University Maryland
+2
Ashland University
+12

2025 Ranking Update

Our Influence Ranking Engine™ leverages machine learning to track the real-world influence of colleges and universities over time. Below you’ll see which schools gained or lost ground for the 2025 school year.

While San Francisco State University moved up 1 position to the number 1 spot in our 2025 ranking of the best liberal arts colleges for criminal justice, a number of schools made large jumps this year to move into the top 10.

San Jose State University jumped 10 spots to move up to the number 2 position. The Department of Justice Studies at the school now offers a Spartan Accelerated Graduate Education (SAGE) Scholars Program, enabling students to earn both a Bachelor of Science in Justice Studies and a Master of Science in Justice Studies within a reduced timeframe, providing significant cost savings.

The department has expanded its curriculum to include specialized courses such as “Guns and the Law” and “Gender and Crime,” allowing students to delve into contemporary justice issues.

California State University Long Beach moved up 13 positions to the 4th spot in our ranking. The School of Criminology, Criminal Justice, and Emergency Management at the school now offers a fully online Master of Science in Criminology and Criminal Justice (MSCCJ) program, designed for working professionals seeking advanced education in a flexible format. This program can be completed in 16 months and covers topics such as crime analysis, criminal justice policy, and law and social control.

Additionally, CSULB has also expanded its curriculum to include specialized courses like “Investigating High-Tech Crimes” and “Forensic Psychology and the Criminal Justice System,” allowing students to explore contemporary issues in the field.

Featured Programs

Studying the criminal mind and behavior is the core of a criminal justice degree. Whether you want to help people or give back to your community, pursuing a career in criminal justice is a satisfying vocation.

Criminal justice education examines the inner workings of law enforcement and correctional agencies in the government. There are also criminal justice colleges options for studying criminal law, constitutional law, and forensic science.

Becoming a law enforcement officer can be a strong prospective career from this a major in criminal justice, or it can serve as a springboard to law school. A criminal justice degree could unlock many opportunities.

For criminal justice students to determine which liberal arts college is right for them, prospective students should focus on the program academics, internships, location, and the availability of online programs.

The Criminal Justice Degree Explained

The study of criminal justice encompasses various subjects within the criminal justice field, including law enforcement and correctional facilities.

Students often get criminal justice degrees and criminology degrees confused, but these two degrees differ. In criminology, students study how people commit crimes and why they commit them, and more importantly, how they might be prevented.

Meanwhile, criminal justice degrees, many of which are online criminal justice programs, emphasizes the practical side of the law, including the types of crimes committed, how the courts and prisons operate, and the role of the police, among others.

Bottom Line: While criminal justice and criminology degrees differ, it is important to note that these two fields often overlap.

A bachelor’s degree in criminal justice is an excellent starting point for a career in policing, corrections, homeland security, and a host of other important roles related to crime, justice, and public safety. Students majoring in criminal justice will study three primary subject areas—law enforcement, corrections, and the courts.

Majoring in criminal justice is a good starting point if you plan to study policing, law, administration of justice, counter-terrorism, and more. You’ll study related subjects including criminal psychology, rehabilitation, and sociology.

And if you’re interested in eventually going to law school and becoming a practicing attorney, majoring in criminal justice could be a good starting point. A degree in criminal justice will give you the knowledge and qualifications to contribute to public safety, national security, social justice, and a host of other related fields.

Degree popularity: Criminal justice bachelor’s degrees are the 16th most popular undergraduate degrees across all student demographics. It is slightly more popular among men. Crimianl justice degrees rank 6th among Black men, 8th for Black women, 8th among Hispanic men, and 15th for Hispanic women, according to the number of degree earners reported by the National Center for Educational Statistics.

If you think a research university may be a better fit for you, see our ranking of the best research universities for a bachelor’s in criminal justice.

How do we determine the best criminal justice research universities?

Methodology

The people affiliated with a school are ultimately what make it great. This is why we rank the best colleges and universities based on what we call “Influence”.

The influence of a college or university is based on the schools’s top academic influencers related to the discipline in this ranking. We track the influence of faculty and alumni affiliate with these school counting not only the publications and citations of the school’s affiliated people, but we also consider the overall web presence of the faculty and alumni. The greater the citations, authority of web links, web searches, and page views, the greater the individuals’s influence. Those combined make up the departments’s influence in the field of study. We believe tracking the academic influence of the people affiliated with a school is the best indicator of academic excellence.

If you are serious about finding the best colleges and universities, you should be asking where the most influential professors are teaching, and whether their graduates themselves are advancing the school’s reputation for academic excellence. Most ranking sites rely on an opaque combination of reputation surveys and misused performance metrics. Influence, as measured by our InfluenceRanking engine, provides a ranking that is more insulated from manipulation, and more reflective of real-world educational outcomes.

Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Criminal Justice Degrees

Career Outlook for Students with Criminal Justice Degree

Go to Degree Finder tool

Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement Administration

Degree Level: Bachelor's

Location: The U.S. (Private Schools)
Avg. Cost of Degree*: $10,761
Avg. Expenses*: $17,051
Avg. Starting Salary*: $37,658
Avg. Salary after 4 Years*: $46,048
Avg. Cost Recoup Time**: 12 years
Job Growth: 3.42%
Number of Jobs: 333,500
* denotes ‘annually’
** denotes ‘at 15% of annual salary’

Career Salaries

Career	Job Growth	Avg. Salary
Managers, All Other	5.75%	$133,560
First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives	3.81%	$101,750
Detectives and Criminal Investigators	2.29%	$91,100
Financial Examiners	20.92%	$84,300
Emergency Management Directors	4.03%	$83,960
Compliance Officers	5.42%	$75,670
Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officers	3.92%	$72,280
Transit and Railroad Police	4.17%	$72,250
First-Line Supervisors of Correctional Officers	-1.62%	$70,530
Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Teachers, Postsecondary	3.11%	$69,030

Top Industries

Industry	Avg. Salary
Managers, All Other	$133,560
First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives	$101,750
Detectives and Criminal Investigators	$91,100
Financial Examiners	$84,300
Emergency Management Directors	$83,960
Compliance Officers	$75,670
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers	$72,280
Transit and Railroad Police	$72,250
First-Line Supervisors of Correctional Officers	$70,530
Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Teachers, Postsecondary	$69,030

Data from The Bureau of Labor Statistics, The Department of Education College Scorecard, The Department of Education NCES, and The Council for Community and Economic Research.

Go to all Liberal Arts Colleges for Criminal Justice programs

Frequently Asked Questions About Criminal Justice Bachelor’s Degrees

Earning a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice can open numerous professional doors. As noted above, the study of criminal justice is divided into three key areas: law enforcement, corrections, and the court system. Within each of these areas, there are countless avenues to a career. Whether you wish to work in a police precinct, for the Department of Homeland Security, as part of a private security firm, as a private detective, or in a specialized field like the prevention of cybercrime, majoring in criminal justice can help you get there.

Today, top influencers in Criminal Justice are working on felon disenfranchisement, place-based criminology, alternative drug policies, and much more.

Criminal justice is a popular major because it can provide pathways into countless fields and career opportunities. If you’re looking for a well-paying and secure job, a criminal justice degree is a great place to start. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2019, the average median pay for police officers and detectives was $65,170. For Detectives and Criminal Investigators, that figure was $81,920 in 2018. And if you parlay your criminal justice major into a postgraduate law degree, note that lawyers, in 2019, earned a well-above-average median pay of $122,960.

Once you’ve declared your major in criminal justice, you will likely be required to complete a set of core courses in a number of related subject areas. While your concentration will give you a chance to choose from a wide range of highly-specialized criminal justice electives, there are a number of common courses that most Criminal justice majors will be required to take, including:

Introduction to Criminology
International Law
Criminal Psychology
Race and the State
Comparative Criminal Law
Big Data and Surveillance
Transformative Justice
Capital Punishment in America

With a degree in criminal justice, you could qualify for an array of opportunities in law enforcement, security, forensics, counter-terrorism, corrections, and much more. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) identifies the following top jobs in criminal justice:

Frequently Asked Questions About Research Universities, Liberal Arts Colleges, Online Colleges

In pursuing a bachelor’s degree, you will need to choose between three kinds of schools: research universities, liberal arts colleges, and online colleges.

Research universities are colleges and universities whose faculty are active in research and publishing. Research universities offer a wide array of doctoral programs, especially in the sciences. They tend to be big, with tens of thousands of students.

Do you prefer a larger university setting, such as largest public university in your state? Research universities are typically big, offering degrees in many different disciplines.

Is a big high-powered research environment the thing for you? If not, you should think about a liberal arts college. In deciding on an undergraduate institution, ask yourself what sort of environment will best help you to be happy and excel.

Consider whether you are self motivated enough to be a face in the crowd for some classes and largely unknown on campus at a large university. Of course you can find clubs and friends at a large university, but often liberal arts colleges have a more personal quality to them. If you want the community feel, a research university may not fit you well.
Are you interested in STEM fields? Research universities have that name for a reason – real research is happening there. This can create an exciting atmosphere for students interested in STEM. Attending a research university can give you a better chance of getting into better programs for graduate degrees, although a lot of that depends on your performance.

Learn more about research universities by reading about the best research universities in the US.

Often referred to as “teaching colleges” liberal arts colleges put a premium on undergraduate studies and offers a broad range of subjects for students to study. A college of liberal arts typically provides smaller class sizes, more direct engagement with professors, and, most importantly, the opportunity to sample a wide range of subject areas on the way to a bachelor’s degree.

Do you want your professors to know you? Liberal arts colleges strive to cultivate campus cultures that encourage tight bonds between professors and students.

Professors at these schools will typically conduct original research. Yet the best of these schools offer their faculty reduced teaching loads so that they can both be productive researchers and still have plenty of time for students (both in and outside the classroom).

Do you want to feel like you know everybody? One of the most enticing features of a liberal arts college is that in very little time, you can feel like you know who’s who, which can create strong friendships and make walks across campus more fun. While your sports teams may never be on ESPN, it’s more likely that you’ll know the athletes as your peers.

Beyond student and faculty relationships, it’s not unusual for the school president and other administrators to learn who you are. When faced with problems with your student account or the need to switch classes, this can be comforting during a stressful moment.

Learn more about liberal arts colleges by reading about the best liberal arts colleges in the US.

If you think a liberal arts college may be a better fit for you, see our ranking of the best liberal arts colleges for a bachelor’s in mathematics.

Online colleges are typically the same colleges and universities you could attend in-person, but for certain degree programs the college or unviersity has made the degree programs available to be completed online. For over 5 million students, online degree programs allow students to earn their degrees in the most flexible format available.

Online degrees are as respected as the on-campus degrees you could earn from the same schools. There’s usually no distinction between the two degrees, and your degree and transcript will not say that the degree was earned online.

Online degree programs are offered by a vast majority of colleges and universities, and the number of offering continues to grow. Whether you are searching for an associate, bachelor’s, master’s, or doctorate, there’s a good chance you can earn your degree online from a respectable online college.

Are you a self-driven student? Perhaps the hardest aspect of obtaining an online degree is whether you will be disciplined enough to manage your time and course demands.

Many online students report that online college made them more disciplined in all areas of their lives, but the flexible, self-paced learning that makes online colleges attractive can often be the same qualities that make it difficult. If you tend to be a procrastinator, you need to be honest with yourself. You can change your habits and propensities, or you can throw money down the drain.

Do you need the flexibility of an online degree program? Most online students study online because of time demands of balancing work and life, or because the online college affords them the chance to attend a better school without moving.

If you are serious about earning your degree for career advancement, online colleges make it possible. The most flexible options among online degrees are those that are asynchronous, meaning you don’t have scheduled times to meet with your class online. However, many students seek synchronous online degree programs so that they have some structure – set meeting times, scheduled exams, etc.

The good news is that attending an online college doesn’t mean you will miss out on getting to know your professors and classmates. In fact, many online students who have experienced both online and on-campus courses report having easier access to their professors.

Since most communication with your professor is expected to be in text – via email or your class learning management system – it makes asking your questions easier. The same students also report that they got to better know the thoughts of their classmates. While in-person course conversations can be dominated by a few extroverts, online courses that require online discussions make it so that you see all of your classmates’ thoughts and questions.

If you’re interested in an online bachelor’s degree, check out what the best online colleges offer, or search our online degrees for the exact program that interests you. In either case, you will find well respected colleges and universities that offer online degrees.

The Best Criminal Justice Schools in Your State

Learn More About Criminal Justice

If you want to know more about criminal justice, then check out our related content:

Learn how to major in criminal justice
Learn about criminal justice from our expert interviews with influential criminologist
Find out who are the most influential criminologists today

Do you have a question about this topic? Ask it here

Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Criminal Justice Degrees

Key Takeaways

Top 10 Liberal Arts Colleges Criminal Justice Programs in 2026

2025 Ranking Update

Featured Programs

The Criminal Justice Degree Explained

Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Criminal Justice Degrees

Last Year’s Ranking:

Career Outlook for Criminal Justice degree at San Francisco State University

Most Influential Alumni

SFSU BA Criminal Justice Emphases:

Career Outlook for Criminal Justice degree at San Jose State University

Most Influential Alumni

San Jose State University Majors in Criminal Justice:

Career Outlook for Criminal Justice degree at John Jay College of Criminal Justice

Most Influential Alumni

John Jay College of Criminal Justice Majors in Criminal Justice:

John Jay College of Criminal Justice’s Online Degrees

Career Outlook for Criminal Justice degree at California State University, Long Beach

Most Influential Alumni

CSU, Long Beach Majors in Criminal Justice:

Career Outlook for Criminal Justice degree at New York Institute of Technology

Most Influential Alumni

New York Institute of Technology Majors in Criminal Justice:

Career Outlook for Criminal Justice degree at Goucher College

Most Influential Alumni

Goucher College Majors in Criminal Justice:

Career Outlook for Criminal Justice degree at Fairleigh Dickinson University

Most Influential Alumni

Fairleigh Dickinson University Majors in Criminal Justice:

Career Outlook for Criminal Justice degree at Suffolk University

Most Influential Alumni

Suffolk University Majors in Criminal Justice:

Career Outlook for Criminal Justice degree at Loyola University Maryland

Most Influential Alumni

Loyola University Maryland Majors in Criminal Justice:

Career Outlook for Criminal Justice degree at Ashland University

Most Influential Alumni

Ashland University Majors in Criminal Justice:

Career Outlook for Criminal Justice degree at La Salle University

Most Influential Alumni

La Salle University Majors in Criminal Justice:

Career Outlook for Criminal Justice degree at St. Mary's University, Texas

Most Influential Alumni

St. Mary’s University Texas Majors in Criminal Justice:

Career Outlook for Criminal Justice degree at Radford University

Most Influential Alumni

Radford University Majors in Criminal Justice:

Radford University’s Online Degrees

Career Outlook for Criminal Justice degree at University of New Haven

Most Influential Alumni

New Haven College Majors in Criminal Justice:

University of New Haven’s Online Degrees

Career Outlook for Criminal Justice degree at University of Baltimore

Most Influential Alumni

University of Baltimore Majors in Criminal Justice:

University of Baltimore’s Online Degrees

Degree Concentrations

Career Outlook for Criminal Justice degree at Marist College

Most Influential Alumni

Marist College Majors in Criminal Justice:

Marist College’s Online Degrees

Career Outlook for Criminal Justice degree at University of Southern Maine

Most Influential Alumni

University of Southern Maine

University of Southern Maine’s Online Degrees

Degree Concentrations

Degree Concentrations

Degree Concentrations

Career Outlook for Criminal Justice degree at Roger Williams University

Most Influential Alumni

Roger Williams University Majors in Criminal Justice:

Roger Williams University’s Online Degrees

Career Outlook for Criminal Justice degree at Adrian College

Most Influential Alumni

Adrian College Criminal Justice Pre-professional Tracks

Career Outlook for Criminal Justice degree at New Jersey City University

Most Influential Alumni

New Jersey City University Majors in Criminal Justice:

Career Outlook for Criminal Justice degree at Governors State University