by our College Data Analytics TeamFor its 2024 ranking, College Factual looked at 185 schools in the United States to determine which ones were the best for criminal justice students pursuing a bachelor's degree. Combined, these schools handed out 14,288 bachelor's degrees in criminal justice to qualified students.
What's on this page: * Our Methodology
The criminal justice bachelor's degree program you select can have a big impact on your future. This section explores some of the factors we include in our ranking and how much they vary depending on the school you select. When choosing a school we recommend considering some of the following factors:
The overall quality of a bachelor's degree school is important to ensure a good education, not just how well they do in a particular major. To take this into account we consider a school's overall Best Colleges ranking which itself looks at a host of various factors like degree completion, educational resources, student body caliber and post-graduation earnings for the school as a whole.
The metrics below are just some of the other metrics that we use to determine our rankings.
Our complete ranking methodology documents in more detail how we consider these factors to identify the best schools for criminal justice students working on their bachelor's degree.
The criminal justice school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we've developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of the Best Criminal Justice Bachelor's Degree Schools.
In addition to College Factual's rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don't forget it.
Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.
BS in Criminal Justice - Criminology & Crime Analysis
Track and understand criminal behavior by earning a BS in Criminal Justice with a concentration in Criminology & Crime Analysis.
Learn about the top ranked colleges and universities for criminal justice students seeking a a bachelor's degree. Only those schools that rank in the top 15% of all the schools we analyze get awarded with a place on this list.
Any student pursuing a degree in a bachelor's degree in criminal justice has to take a look at University of Phoenix - Arizona. Located in the city of Phoenix, UOPX - Arizona is a private for-profit university with a fairly large student population.More information about a bachelor’s in criminal justice from University of Phoenix - Arizona
Any student who is interested in a bachelor's degree in criminal justice has to look into Columbia Southern University. Columbia Southern University is a large private for-profit university located in the town of Orange Beach.More information about a bachelor’s in criminal justice from Columbia Southern University
Arizona State University - Tempe is a great option for individuals interested in a bachelor's degree in criminal justice. Located in the medium-sized city of Tempe, ASU - Tempe is a public university with a fairly large student population.More information about a bachelor’s in criminal justice from Arizona State University - Tempe
Any student pursuing a degree in a bachelor's degree in criminal justice needs to take a look at John Jay College of Criminal Justice. John Jay is a large public college located in the large city of New York.More information about a bachelor’s in criminal justice from John Jay College of Criminal Justice
Michigan State is a fairly large public university located in the city of East Lansing.More information about a bachelor’s in criminal justice from Michigan State University
UMass Lowell is a fairly large public university located in the suburb of Lowell.More information about a bachelor’s in criminal justice from University of Massachusetts - Lowell
ASU - Skysong is a fairly large public university located in the medium-sized city of Scottsdale.More information about a bachelor’s in criminal justice from Arizona State University - Skysong
Located in the city of San Diego, UAGC is a private for-profit university with a fairly large student population.More information about a bachelor’s in criminal justice from The University of Arizona Global Campus
Located in the midsize city of Columbia, UofSC is a public university with a fairly large student population.More information about a bachelor’s in criminal justice from University of South Carolina - Columbia
National University is a large private not-for-profit university located in the large city of San Diego.More information about a bachelor’s in criminal justice from National University
VCU is a fairly large public university located in the city of Richmond.More information about a bachelor’s in criminal justice from Virginia Commonwealth University
RWU is a small private not-for-profit university located in the large suburb of Bristol.More information about a bachelor’s in criminal justice from Roger Williams University
Union is a small private not-for-profit university located in the city of Cincinnati.More information about a bachelor’s in criminal justice from Union Institute & University
University of New Haven is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university located in the suburb of West Haven.More information about a bachelor’s in criminal justice from University of New Haven
UT Rio Grande Valley is a very large public university located in the city of Edinburg.More information about a bachelor’s in criminal justice from The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
Located in the large suburb of Clinton, MC is a private not-for-profit college with a small student population.More information about a bachelor’s in criminal justice from Mississippi College
UofL is a very large public university located in the large city of Louisville.More information about a bachelor’s in criminal justice from University of Louisville
Salve Regina is a small private not-for-profit university located in the suburb of Newport.More information about a bachelor’s in criminal justice from Salve Regina University
University of Oklahoma is a very large public university located in the suburb of Norman.More information about a bachelor’s in criminal justice from University of Oklahoma Norman Campus
Park University is a medium-sized private not-for-profit university located in the suburb of Parkville.More information about a bachelor’s in criminal justice from Park University
Located in the city of Fort Lauderdale, Keiser University - Ft Lauderdale is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population.More information about a bachelor’s in criminal justice from Keiser University - Ft Lauderdale
UGA is a fairly large public university located in the city of Athens.More information about a bachelor’s in criminal justice from University of Georgia
Located in the distant town of Big Rapids, Ferris is a public university with a large student population.More information about a bachelor’s in criminal justice from Ferris State University
Located in the remote town of Plainview, Wayland Baptist University is a private not-for-profit university with a small student population.More information about a bachelor’s in criminal justice from Wayland Baptist University
Located in the remote town of Macomb, WIU is a public university with a moderately-sized student population.More information about a bachelor’s in criminal justice from Western Illinois University
These are some additional schools worth mentioning that are also great but just didn't quite make the cut to earn our top Best Criminal Justice Bachelor's Degree Schools award.
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 28 | University of Central Oklahoma | Edmond, OK |
| 29 | University of Central Missouri | Warrensburg, MO |
| 30 | Tarleton State University | Stephenville, TX |
| 31 | Marymount University | Arlington, VA |
| 32 | Monroe College | Bronx, NY |
| 33 | University of Colorado at Colorado Springs | Colorado Springs, CO |
| 34 | Robert Morris University | Moon Township, PA |
| 35 | Lake Superior State University | Sault Ste Marie, MI |
| 36 | University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus | Denver, CO |
| 37 | Grand Valley State University | Allendale, MI |
View the Best Criminal Justice Bachelor's Degree Schools for a specific region near you.
One of 21 majors within the Criminal Justice & Corrections area of study, Criminal Justice has other similar majors worth exploring.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Criminal Justice Studies | 31,518 |
| Criminal Justice & Police Science | 3,210 |
| Other Corrections & Criminal Justice | 1,748 |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections, General | 777 |
| Securities Services Administration/Management | 433 |
| Corrections | 354 |
| Corrections Administration | 98 |
| Law Enforcement Investigation & Interviewing | 44 |
| Juvenile Corrections | 17 |
| Protective Services Operations | 3 |
