Best Online Master’s in Criminal Justice 2025

Badge for BEST ONLINE MASTER'S IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE

By Dr. James Barham
Reviewed By Chloe Dembski

Updated: Nov 1, 2024

Find top-ranked online master’s in criminal justice degree programs to help students strengthen leadership skills within the context of criminal justice, law enforcement, and national security.

Key Takeaways

Top online master’s programs in criminal justice often offer specialized tracks in areas like forensic psychology, homeland security, and criminal behavior, allowing students to focus on their career interests and gain expertise in a specific field.
The best online master’s in criminal justice programs integrate real-world applications, case studies, and policy analysis, preparing students to address contemporary criminal justice challenges and advancing their skills for roles in law enforcement, policy-making, and public administration.
The programs in our ranking are designed for those balancing work and personal commitments, featuring flexible, asynchronous coursework and part-time options that allow students to complete their degree at their own pace.

Table of Contents

Top 10 Online Master's in Criminal Justice in 2025

University of Southern California
+1
Boston University
+5
University of Arizona
+3
University of California, Irvine
+7
Florida State University
–4
Texas A&M University
+3
University of Cincinnati
–3
Wayne State University
+9
University of Louisville
+12
University of Mississippi
–2

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.

In 2025, the top schools in our ranking of the best online master’s in criminal justice saw a considerable amount of movement. The University of Louisville gained the most ranking positions as the university has enhanced its online Master of Science in Criminal Justice program for the 2025 academic year by introducing a more flexible curriculum that allows students to tailor their studies to specific interests within the field. The program now offers increased opportunities for enriched learning, such as internships, service learning, and study abroad, enabling online students to gain practical experience and global perspectives.

Additionally, the university has expanded its online resources, providing access to virtual labs and interactive modules that facilitate hands-on learning in a digital environment.

Featured Programs

25 Best Online Master’s in Criminal Justice Degree Programs

Career Outlook for Students with Criminal Justice Degree

Go to Degree Finder tool

Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement Administration

Degree Level: Master's

Location: The U.S. (Private Schools)
Avg. Cost of Degree*: $11,765
Avg. Expenses*: $17,161
Avg. Starting Salary*: $53,317
Avg. Salary after 4 Years*: $56,028
Avg. Cost Recoup Time**: 6 years
Job Growth: 5.52%
Number of Jobs: 1,443,100
* 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
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
Forensic Science Technicians	13.98%	$64,940
Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All Other	5.88%	$58,350
First-Line Supervisors of Security Workers	3.69%	$54,580

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
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
Forensic Science Technicians	$64,940
Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All Other	$58,350
First-Line Supervisors of Security Workers	$54,580

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.

Frequently Asked Questions About Criminal Justice Degrees

Why get a master’s in criminal justice?

A master’s in criminal justice helps to strengthen leadership skills within the context of criminal justice, law enforcement, and national security.

What can I specialize in?

Students will have the opportunity to focus on a range of specialized topics including criminal psychology, legislative policy, and administration practices in law enforcement.

How long does it take to get a master’s in criminal justice?

Students can pursue this degree either online or on-campus, and most programs require the completion of between 30 and 36 credits. This typically takes two to three years to complete.

What can I do with a master’s in criminal justice?

Graduates can go on to hold supervisory positions in law enforcement, work in the field of forensic science, or act as district attorneys. The master’s degree in criminal justice may also be a basic threshold for many leadership roles in national intelligence, security and cybersecurity.

Learn more about what you can do with a master’s in criminal justice.

Online Degree Frequently Asked Questions

If this is your first time taking an online course, the experience may require some adjustment. While you’ll generally learn the same content and take the same exams as your on-campus peers, the medium will likely require you to manage much of this experience independently. You’ll be accountable for your own time management, your ability to harness the technology at your fingertips, and your ability to focus on the lectures, lessons, and assignments at hand. This means you’ll need to create a suitable workspace for yourself, maintain a realistic schedule, and take it upon yourself to build 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 is actually getting there. Taking the commute out of the equation means getting to class should be a lot more manageable. But that’s where it ends. In general, your online courses will incorporate the very same materials, concepts, and testing methods as would a traditional classroom.

And 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 or working with remote learning technology for the first time, online college may even be a little more challenging for you. For a few insights on how to manage this new 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 institutions and less-than-reputable for-profit schools. Accreditation gives you the power to differentiate between the two. Accreditation is a stamp of approval from an independent accrediting agency which indicates that a college or university is meeting standards of quality, credibility, and currency. 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 which is not regionally accredited could limit your opportunities. When seeking an online education, we strongly recommend that students 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.

As long as your online college degree is regionally accredited, 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. In many cases, you will be required to navigate a bureaucracy in which some of your credits will be transferred and others will be jettisoned. However, provided that you have attended an online school with the proper regional accreditation, you should have plenty of options for transfer.

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 resume 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.

While some employers may express concern about making the adjustment from online education to in-person workplace collaboration, many other employers will 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 require some adjustment.

While there is much that can be supplanted or simulated through the online medium, some students may find that there is nothing which can replace the conversation, collaboration, and motivation that occur in an actual classroom setting. As you make the adjustment to online education, one of the biggest challenges you will likely face is overcoming this difference in order to the get the most out of your classes. Fortunately, we’ve got some great Tips for Online Education Beginners.

The advantages of online classes are many. First and foremost, 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 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.

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Best Online Master’s in Criminal Justice 2025

Key Takeaways

Top 10 Online Master's in Criminal Justice in 2025

2025 Ranking Update

Featured Programs

25 Best Online Master’s in Criminal Justice Degree Programs

Last Year’s Ranking:

Career Outlook for Criminal Justice degree at University of Southern California

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for Criminal Justice degree at Boston University

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for Criminal Justice degree at University of Arizona

Online Degrees

Concentrations

Career Outlook for Criminal Justice degree at University of California, Irvine

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for Criminal Justice degree at Florida State University

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for Criminal Justice degree at Texas A&M University

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for Criminal Justice degree at University of Cincinnati

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for Criminal Justice degree at Wayne State University

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for Criminal Justice degree at University of Louisville

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for Criminal Justice degree at University of Mississippi

Online Degrees

Concentrations

Concentrations

Career Outlook for Criminal Justice degree at Florida International University

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for Criminal Justice degree at University of Central Florida

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for Criminal Justice degree at University of North Texas

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for Criminal Justice degree at Texas Christian University

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for Criminal Justice degree at University of Alaska Fairbanks

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for Criminal Justice degree at Marshall University

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for Criminal Justice degree at Wichita State University

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for Criminal Justice degree at Sam Houston State University

Online Degrees

Concentrations

Career Outlook for Criminal Justice degree at Nova Southeastern University

Online Degrees

Concentrations

Concentrations

Career Outlook for Criminal Justice degree at University of Massachusetts Lowell

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for Criminal Justice degree at University of Nebraska Omaha

Online Degrees

Concentrations

Career Outlook for Criminal Justice degree at University of New Haven

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for Criminal Justice degree at Roger Williams University

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for Criminal Justice degree at University of Texas at Tyler

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for Criminal Justice degree at Charleston Southern University

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for Students with Criminal Justice Degree

Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement Administration

Degree Level: Master's

Career Salaries

Top Industries

Frequently Asked Questions About Criminal Justice Degrees

Why get a master’s in criminal justice?

What can I specialize in?

How long does it take to get a master’s in criminal justice?

What can I do with a master’s in criminal justice?

Online Degree Frequently Asked Questions

What can I expect from an online college course?+

Is online college easier?+

Why does accreditation matter in online college?+

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

Will employers respect my online degree?+