by our College Data Analytics Team
When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Criminal Justice Major” ranking is part of that endeavor.
In 2021-2022, 109,996 criminal justice & corrections students received their degree, making the major the 7th most popular in the country. In , criminal justice & corrections graduates who were awarded their degree in , earned an average of $35,614 and had an average of $22,981 in loans still to pay off.
At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 7,387 criminal justice & corrections graduates with average earnings and debt of $58,979 and $43,370 respectively.
For this year’s “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Criminal Justice Major” ranking, we looked at 318 colleges that offer a degree in criminal justice & corrections. The colleges and universities that top this list are recognized because their criminal justice & corrections program is one of the largest majors offered at the school.
See our ranking methodology to learn more.
Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Criminal Justice Major” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.
You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. If you’re torn between two schools, you can use it to help you see how they stack up against one another. Bookmark it so you can compare any new schools that might interest you.
The following schools top our list of the Best “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Criminal Justice Major”.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Grambling State University. The school came in at #1 for the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Criminal Justice Major. Grambling State University is located in Grambling, Louisiana and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 32 masters’s criminal justice degrees to qualified students.
Full Grambling State University Criminal Justice & Corrections Report
Out of the 318 schools in the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Criminal Justice Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Hilbert College landed the #2 spot on the list. Hilbert College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Hamburg, New York. It awarded 18 masters’s criminal justice degrees in 2021-2022.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Anna Maria College. The school came in at #3 for the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Criminal Justice Major. Paxton, Massachusetts is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s criminal justice degrees to 83 students in 2021-2022.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.0% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Read full report on Criminal Justice & Corrections at Anna Maria College
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Southern University at New Orleans. The school came in at #4 for the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Criminal Justice Major. SUNO is located in New Orleans, Louisiana and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 28 masters’s criminal justice degrees to qualified students.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 5.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of New Haven. The school came in at #5 for the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Criminal Justice Major. Located in West Haven, Connecticut, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school handed out 198 diplomas to qualified masters’s criminal justice students in 2021-2022.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.6% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Full University of New Haven Criminal Justice & Corrections Report
Faulkner University came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Criminal Justice Major ranking. Faulkner University is a small school located in Montgomery, Alabama that handed out 55 masters’s criminal justice degrees in 2021-2022.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Criminal Justice & Corrections at Faulkner University
With a ranking of #7, Salve Regina University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Criminal Justice Major list. Salve Regina is located in Newport, Rhode Island and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 54 masters’s criminal justice degrees to qualified students.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.4% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Read full report on Criminal Justice & Corrections at Salve Regina University
Bethel University came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Criminal Justice Major ranking. This small school is located in McKenzie, Tennessee, and it awarded 14 masters’s criminal justice degrees in 2021-2022.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Criminal Justice & Corrections at Bethel
Inter American University of Puerto Rico - Barranquitas ranked #9 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Criminal Justice Major list. Barranquitas, Puerto Rico is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s criminal justice degrees to 19 students in 2021-2022.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full Inter American University of Puerto Rico - Barranquitas Criminal Justice & Corrections Report
With a ranking of #10, Webber International University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Criminal Justice Major list. Located in Babson Park, Florida, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 2 diplomas to qualified masters’s criminal justice students in 2021-2022.
Full Webber International University Criminal Justice & Corrections Report
Saint Leo University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Criminal Justice Major ranking, coming in at #11. St. Leo University is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Saint Leo, Florida. It awarded 150 masters’s criminal justice degrees in 2021-2022.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.6% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Read more about Criminal Justice & Corrections at Saint Leo University
John Jay College of Criminal Justice did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Criminal Justice Major ranking, coming in at #12. John Jay is a fairly large school located in New York, New York that handed out 229 masters’s criminal justice degrees in 2021-2022.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Criminal Justice & Corrections at John Jay
Albertus Magnus College did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Criminal Justice Major ranking, coming in at #13. Albertus Magnus is located in New Haven, Connecticut and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 23 masters’s criminal justice degrees to qualified students.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
South University, Virginia Beach landed the #14 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Criminal Justice Major ranking. Located in Virginia Beach, Virginia, this small private for-profit school awarded 3 degrees to qualified masters’s criminal justice students in 2021-2022.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.1% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 100%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read full report on Criminal Justice & Corrections at South University, Virginia Beach
North Carolina Wesleyan College came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Criminal Justice Major ranking. Rocky Mount, North Carolina is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s criminal justice degrees to 18 students in 2021-2022.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Criminal Justice & Corrections at North Carolina Wesleyan College
New England College came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Criminal Justice Major ranking. New England College is a small school located in Henniker, New Hampshire that handed out 135 masters’s criminal justice degrees in 2021-2022.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.9% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.
Read more about Criminal Justice & Corrections at New England College
University of San Diego came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Criminal Justice Major ranking. Located in San Diego, California, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school handed out 161 degrees to qualified masters’s criminal justice students in 2021-2022.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
With a ranking of #18, South University, Montgomery did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Criminal Justice Major list. South University, Montgomery is located in Montgomery, Alabama and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 1 masters’s criminal justice degrees to qualified students.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.1% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Full South University, Montgomery Criminal Justice & Corrections Report
Columbus State University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Criminal Justice Major ranking, coming in at #19. This medium-sized school is located in Columbus, Georgia, and it awarded 56 masters’s criminal justice degrees in 2021-2022.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full Columbus State University Criminal Justice & Corrections Report
Trine University-Regional/Non-Traditional Campuses landed the #20 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Criminal Justice Major ranking. Located in Angola, Indiana, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 7 diplomas to qualified masters’s criminal justice students in 2021-2022.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.
Full Trine University-Regional/Non-Traditional Campuses Criminal Justice & Corrections Report
Mount Mercy University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Criminal Justice Major ranking, coming in at #21. Located in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 3 degrees to qualified masters’s criminal justice students in 2021-2022.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full Mount Mercy University Criminal Justice & Corrections Report
Columbia College landed the #22 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Criminal Justice Major ranking. Columbia, South Carolina is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s criminal justice degrees to 14 students in 2021-2022.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Criminal Justice & Corrections at Columbia College South Carolina
Curry College landed the #23 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Criminal Justice Major ranking. This small school is located in Milton, Massachusetts, and it awarded 20 masters’s criminal justice degrees in 2021-2022.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Hardin - Simmons University ranked #24 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Criminal Justice Major list. This small school is located in Abilene, Texas, and it awarded 13 masters’s criminal justice degrees in 2021-2022.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full Hardin - Simmons University Criminal Justice & Corrections Report
With a ranking of #25, South University, Columbia did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Criminal Justice Major list. Columbia, South Carolina is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private for-profit school handed out masters’s criminal justice degrees to 7 students in 2021-2022.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Criminal Justice & Corrections at South University, Columbia
Not only did these schools make the top 48 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:
Read more about our data sources and methodologies