Best Online Associate in Criminal Justice

Badge for BEST ONLINE ASSOCIATE'S IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE

Published: Jun 21, 2021
Updated: Nov 22, 2023

Find top-ranked online associate in administration of justice degree programs to help develop students problem-solving skills, refine communication techniques, learn strategies for community engagement, and more.

Top 10 Online Associate in Criminal Justice Degrees

Roger Williams University
Chaminade University of Honolulu
Blinn College
Lone Star College System
Tallahassee Community College
St. Petersburg College
Monroe Community College
Albany State University
Generations College
Central Texas College

Liberty University
Southern New Hampshire University
Northern Michigan University
Lone Star College System
Tallahassee Community College
Roger Williams University
St. Petersburg College
Keiser University
Albany State University
Chaminade University of Honolulu

Liberty University 99%
Keiser University 97%
Southern New Hampshire University 96%
Chaminade University of Honolulu 93%
Franklin Pierce University 93%
Roger Williams University 91%
University of the Cumberlands 83%
North Greenville University 76%
Northern Michigan University 71%
Madonna University 65%

Blinn College 35 to 1
Generations College 25 to 1
Campbellsville University 23 to 1
Florida State College at Jacksonville 23 to 1
Tallahassee Community College 23 to 1
Camden County College 23 to 1
St. Petersburg College 22 to 1
Southern New Hampshire University 22 to 1
Lone Star College System 21 to 1
Community College of Denver 20 to 1

Franklin Pierce University $43,155
Roger Williams University $40,962
Chaminade University of Honolulu $28,544
Campbellsville University $26,100
Madonna University $26,100
North Greenville University $23,590
Keiser University $23,248
Liberty University $22,511
Point University $22,300
Southern New Hampshire University $15,380

Franklin Pierce University $37,200
Keiser University $30,032
Chaminade University of Honolulu $25,200
Southern New Hampshire University $18,900
Roger Williams University $18,565
Madonna University $16,830
Point University $13,014
North Greenville University $12,220
Northern Michigan University $10,176
Campbellsville University $8,904

Camden County College
North Greenville University
Franklin Pierce University
University of the Cumberlands
Keiser University
Campbellsville University
Southern New Hampshire University
Trinity Valley Community College
Florida State College at Jacksonville
Liberty University

Generations College
Point University
Community College of Aurora
Trinity Valley Community College
North Greenville University
Monroe Community College
Central Texas College
University of the Cumberlands
Campbellsville University
Community College of Denver

Point University 24%
Madonna University 65%
Northern Michigan University 71%
North Greenville University 76%
University of the Cumberlands 83%
Roger Williams University 91%
Franklin Pierce University 93%
Chaminade University of Honolulu 93%
Southern New Hampshire University 96%
Keiser University 97%

Chaminade University of Honolulu 11 to 1
Franklin Pierce University 12 to 1
Madonna University 12 to 1
Central Texas College 13 to 1
Point University 13 to 1
Community College of Aurora 13 to 1
North Greenville University 13 to 1
Roger Williams University 14 to 1
Keiser University 15 to 1
Trinity Valley Community College 16 to 1

Trinity Valley Community College $1,170
St. Petersburg College $1,943
Tallahassee Community College $2,002
Florida State College at Jacksonville $2,095
Camden County College $2,856
Blinn College $3,600
Central Texas College $3,720
Community College of Denver $3,754
Community College of Aurora $3,754
Albany State University $4,064

Albany State University $3,438
University of the Cumberlands $4,282
Liberty University $7,893
Campbellsville University $8,904
Northern Michigan University $10,176
North Greenville University $12,220
Point University $13,014
Madonna University $16,830
Roger Williams University $18,565
Southern New Hampshire University $18,900

Key Takeaways

The associate degree in criminal justice is an affordable way to get started on your college education. The typical associate degree will take about two years to complete.

Many community colleges and two-year schools offer both traditional and online degree programs for students pursuing their associate degree in criminal justice.

Earning an online associate degree in criminal justice can prepare you for a variety of entry level jobs in your field. Many students also continue into a bachelor’s degree program in criminal justice or a related area.

Table of Contents

Featured Programs

Frequently Asked Questions About Criminal Justice Degrees

As an associate in the criminal justice or administration of justice, you’ll gain the training and knowledge required to enter a career in the criminal justice field in an area such as law enforcement, court administration, or corrections. The online associate degree is a great way for working law enforcement and corrections professionals to advance in their careers.

This roughly 60-credit degree provides students with the foundational and job-specific knowledge needed to enter the workforce as police officers, security guards, paralegals, victim advocates, and sheriff patrol officers. Though it may be possible to become a police officer with a high school diploma, earning a criminal justice associate degree can improve your chances of advancing to a leadership role in law enforcement. The online associate degree can also allow you to advance into other areas of the criminal justice field just as private sector security and Homeland Security.

You may be required to earn a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice or a related field in order to advance into certain leadership roles. The associate degree in the administration of justice is an affordable first step on the way to a four-year criminal justice program.

Whether you earn your associate degree in criminal justice online or on-campus, this 60-credit degree typically takes about two years to complete. Some schools offer an accelerated option where prospective students can earn an online associate degree in criminal justice in as little as 18 months.

The typical associate-level criminal justice program will include both general education courses and core courses in subjects specific to criminal law. Criminal justice students will typically also take courses in areas such as corrections, Constitutional law and juvenile justice.

Learn more about how to major in criminal justice.

How do we determine the best online criminal justice associate degree programs?

Methodology

Pursuing your degree online doesn’t mean you need to settle for an inferior school. Today, most universities and colleges offer online degrees, and many respected schools are seeing significant growth in their numbers of online students.

The people affiliated with a school are ultimately what make it great. This is why influence — i.e., the academic impact of faculty and alumni associated with a school — gets at the heart of what is truly best in education. The combined influence score of a college or university’s top academic influencers is the best indicator of academic excellence. For our online degree rankings, we focus on the academic influence of faculty and alumni in the specific disciplines we’re ranking.

If you are serious about finding the best online colleges, 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 arbitrary performance metrics. Influence, as measured by our InfluenceRanking engine, provides a ranking that is free from bias, insulated from manipulation, and reflective of real-world educational outcomes.

An associate degree is a great way for many to start their educational journey, but you may want to also consider an online bachelor’s in criminal justice.

25 Best Online Associate in Criminal Justice Degree Programs

Career Outlook for Students with Criminal Justice Degree

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Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement Administration

Degree Level: Associate's

Location: The U.S. (Private Schools)
Avg. Cost of Degree*: $2,916
Avg. Expenses*: $14,244
Avg. Starting Salary*: $32,897
Avg. Salary after 4 Years*: $39,986
Avg. Cost Recoup Time**: 5 years
Job Growth: 3.31%
Number of Jobs: 1,382,700
* denotes ‘annually’
** denotes ‘at 15% of annual salary’

Career Salaries

Career	Job Growth	Avg. Salary
Managers, All Other	3.35%	$106,040
First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives	3.12%	$84,600
Transit and Railroad Police	2.94%	$75,399
Detectives and Criminal Investigators	1.49%	$73,715
Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Teachers, Postsecondary	2.43%	$70,208
First-Line Supervisors of Correctional Officers	-2.74%	$63,348
Forensic Science Technicians	12.43%	$61,676
Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officers	3.29%	$60,664
Private Detectives and Investigators	6.01%	$54,928
First-Line Supervisors of Security Workers	-3.86%	$52,264

Average Career Salaries

Bottom 10%	Median	Top 10%
$46,885	$68,700	$102,208

Promising Job Markets

State	Cost of Living	Avg. Salary
#2 California	26% higher than average	$108,645
#3 Illinois	7% higher than average	$78,640
#4 New York	5% higher than average	$84,489
#5 Ohio	14% higher than average	$67,925
#6 Michigan	15% higher than average	$66,857
#7 Wisconsin	7% higher than average	$73,181
#8 Colorado	3% higher than average	$80,316
#9 Minnesota	4% higher than average	$73,386
#10 Virginia	5% higher than average	$72,717
#11 New Jersey	13% higher than average	$86,421
#12 Pennsylvania	5% higher than average	$72,052
#13 Washington	7% higher than average	$80,382
#14 Texas	10% higher than average	$66,933
#15 Iowa	9% higher than average	$67,661
#16 Delaware	2% higher than average	$75,718
#17 Alaska	23% higher than average	$89,842
#18 Missouri	16% higher than average	$60,444
#19 Utah	4% higher than average	$68,839
#20 Arizona	5% higher than average	$67,993
#21 Nebraska	6% higher than average	$66,308
#22 Nevada	5% higher than average	$73,013
#23 Oregon	11% higher than average	$76,510
#24 Oklahoma	13% higher than average	$59,386
#25 North Dakota	average	$68,570
#26 North Carolina	11% higher than average	$60,069
#27 Alabama	13% higher than average	$58,080
#28 New Mexico	7% higher than average	$61,803
#29 Montana	3% higher than average	$63,957
#30 Massachusetts	24% higher than average	$81,427
#31 West Virginia	11% higher than average	$58,368
#32 Rhode Island	20% higher than average	$78,352
#33 Georgia	13% higher than average	$56,830
#34 South Dakota	7% higher than average	$60,511
#35 Connecticut	18% higher than average	$77,176
#36 Florida	6% higher than average	$61,547
#37 Idaho	7% higher than average	$60,296
#38 Wyoming	2% higher than average	$63,249
#39 Maryland	18% higher than average	$75,361
#40 Kentucky	14% higher than average	$54,671
#41 New Hampshire	13% higher than average	$71,619
#42 Louisiana	9% higher than average	$57,473
#43 Kansas	9% higher than average	$57,956
#44 South Carolina	8% higher than average	$57,871
#45 Vermont	13% higher than average	$70,984
#46 Tennessee	14% higher than average	$53,826
#47 Arkansas	16% higher than average	$52,113
#48 Indiana	11% higher than average	$54,940
#49 District of Columbia	49% higher than average	$90,263
#50 Mississippi	18% higher than average	$48,269
#51 Maine	9% higher than average	$62,408
#52 Hawaii	40% higher than average	$79,040

Top Industries

Industry	Avg. Salary
Managers, All Other	$106,040
First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives	$84,600
Transit and Railroad Police	$75,399
Detectives and Criminal Investigators	$73,715
Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Teachers, Postsecondary	$70,208
First-Line Supervisors of Correctional Officers	$63,348
Forensic Science Technicians	$61,676
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers	$60,664
Private Detectives and Investigators	$54,928
First-Line Supervisors of Security Workers	$52,264

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.

Online Criminal Justice Programs Looking for You

Online Degree Frequently Asked Questions

If this is your first time taking an online course, the experience may require a time of adjustment. Although you’ll typically learn the same material and take the same exams as your on-campus peers, going online will require greater independence and responsibility than going in person. You’ll be accountable for your own time management, for harnessing the online educational technology that you’ll need to use, and for completing the course requirements, such as listening to lectures, learning lessons, reading texts, and handing in assignments. This means you’ll need to create a suitable workspace for yourself, maintain a realistic schedule, and take the initiative in building relationships with your instructors and classmates. With online college, your goal is to find a balance between independence and engagement.

No. The only part of online education that’s easier than campus-based education is ease of access: all you need is a computer and an internet connection for online education. But even this seeming advantage of online education can be misleading: what’s easier, studying online with your computer and internet connection from your home where you need to cook, clean, pay rent, and maintain a job? Or studying on campus in a dorm where all your living needs are handled by the school, and college staff are there to help you every step of the way?

If you take the commute to campus out of the equation, campus-based education is easier. All the support structures available on campus for students, especially with real people to help you in person, are not there online. The demands on you as an online student will largely be the same as for your campus-based counterpart, but without the same helps.

In general, your online courses will present the same material and test you in the same way as traditional in-person courses. In many cases, you’ll even have the same instructors as your on-campus counterparts. In fact, if you are adjusting to the experience of independent learning with remote educational technology for the first time, online college may be considerably more challenging than campus-based college. For a few insights on how to manage this new online experience, check out our 10 Tips for Adjusting to School Online.

Accreditation is especially important when it comes to online college. This is because the online education landscape is a mix of highly-reputable non-profit institutions on the one end and less-than-reputable for-profit institutions on the other end. Accreditation gives you the power to identify the more reputable actors in online education. Accreditation is a stamp of approval from an independent accrediting agency indicating that a college or university is meeting standards of quality and credibility. School-wide accreditation falls into two major categories: regional and national accreditation. Regional accreditors generally hold jurisdiction only over schools in the states comprising their region, whereas national accreditors hold jurisdiction over schools in all states. Regional accreditation is widely regarded as a more rigorous standard of quality and credibility than national accreditation.

Attending a college or university that is not regionally accredited could limit your opportunities. For students seeking an online education, we strongly recommend that they opt for regionally accredited schools. Regional accreditation ensures eligibility for federal loans and grants, ensures your college credits can be transferred between schools, and ensures that your degree credits can be accepted if you wish to earn an advanced degree. For more on this important topic, check out our What is Accreditation and Why Does It Matter? College & University Accreditation Guide.

As long as your online college degree is regionally accredited (see the previous point), you should have little difficulty transferring most of your credits or credentials to another regionally accredited undergraduate school. Every school carries its own standards and procedures for granting a transfer of credits. In many cases, you will encounter some bureaucratic haggling in which some of your credits will be transferred and others may be refused. However, provided that you have attended an online school with recognized regional accreditation, you should be in good shape in transferring your credits earned online.

In most cases, as long you graduate from a well-regarded, regionally-accredited online college, prospective employers won’t look sideways at your degree. In fact, unless you attend an exclusively online college or university, there will likely be no specific indicator on your degree, transcript, or resumé differentiating your school from its brick-and-mortar counterpart. This means that your employer will likely only differentiate between an online and in-person degree if you mention this distinction.

Some employers may express the concern that because you did your degree online, you may need to transition from an online education experience to in-person workplace experience. But in an age of Covid, that concern seems much diminished. The fact is that much employment these days is remote. And collaboration increasingly happens online over Zoom. Many employers will therefore view your online degree as evidence of valuable 21st century professional skills such as independence, self-motivation, time management, and tech savvy.

If you are a student who thrives on the dynamic energy of in-person discussion, who requires the physical surroundings of a classroom to feel engaged, or who considers the social aspects of education to be of equal importance to the actual content of your courses, online education will be less than ideal for you (though depending on your circumstances, it may also be the only viable option).

While there is much in traditional campus-based education that can be substituted or simulated through the online medium, some students may find that there is nothing that can replace the conversation, collaboration, and motivation that occur in an actual in-person classroom setting. As you transition to online education, one of the biggest challenges you will likely face in getting the most out of your online classes is overcoming this difference between “real reality” and “virtual reality.” Fortunately, we’ve got some great Tips for Online Education Beginners.

The advantages of online classes are many. Above all, online courses give you the freedom and flexibility to attend class from anywhere that works for you, whether you’re at home, in a coffee shop, or in a quiet conference room at work. In many cases, you’ll also enjoy the convenience of asynchronous learning opportunities-educational experiences that you can complete at your own pace and on your own schedule. This may include pre-taped lectures, ongoing chat-board discussions, and 24/7 access to digital materials. And of course, just as there are some learners who prefer the energy of a live classroom, there are those who learn best when working in their own personal space, free from distractions. If this sounds like you, you might find the solitude of online learning to be a major advantage.

Whether you’re just getting started on your college search, you’re looking for survival tips on your way to a bachelor’s degree, or you’re preparing for the transition into grad school, we’ve got guides, how to’s and tons of other valuable resources to keep you moving forward in your educational journey.

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

Best Online Associate in Criminal Justice

Top 10 Online Associate in Criminal Justice Degrees

Key Takeaways

Featured Programs

Frequently Asked Questions About Criminal Justice Degrees

Why get an associate in criminal justice?

What will I learn while getting an associate degree in criminal justice?

How long does it take to get an associate degree in criminal justice?

What do courses cover while getting an associate degree in criminal justice?

25 Best Online Associate in Criminal Justice Degree Programs

Career Outlook for Criminal Justice degree at Roger Williams University

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for Criminal Justice degree at Chaminade University of Honolulu

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for Criminal Justice degree at Blinn College

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for Criminal Justice degree at Lone Star College System

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for Criminal Justice degree at Tallahassee Community College

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for Criminal Justice degree at St. Petersburg College

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for Criminal Justice degree at Monroe Community College

Online Degrees

Concentrations

Career Outlook for Criminal Justice degree at Albany State University

Online Degrees

Concentrations

Career Outlook for Criminal Justice degree at Generations College

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for Criminal Justice degree at Central Texas College

Online Degrees

Concentrations

Career Outlook for Criminal Justice degree at Point University

Online Degrees

Concentrations

Career Outlook for Criminal Justice degree at Community College of Aurora

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for Criminal Justice degree at Northern Michigan University

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for Criminal Justice degree at Madonna University

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for Criminal Justice degree at Community College of Denver

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for Criminal Justice degree at Liberty University

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for Criminal Justice degree at Florida State College at Jacksonville

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for Criminal Justice degree at Trinity Valley Community College

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for Criminal Justice degree at Southern New Hampshire University

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for Criminal Justice degree at Campbellsville University

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for Criminal Justice degree at Keiser University

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for Criminal Justice degree at University of the Cumberlands

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for Criminal Justice degree at Franklin Pierce University

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for Criminal Justice degree at North Greenville University

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for Criminal Justice degree at Camden County College

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for Students with Criminal Justice Degree

Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement Administration

Degree Level: Associate's

Career Salaries

Average Career Salaries

Promising Job Markets

Top Industries

Online Criminal Justice Programs Looking for You

Online Degree Frequently Asked Questions

What can I expect from an online college course?+

Is online college easier than campus-based college?+

Why does accreditation matter in online college?+

Will I be able to transfer my online college degree?+

Will employers respect my online degree?+

What are the disadvantages of online classes?+

What are the advantages of online classes?+