2025 Best Criminology Schools in the Great Lakes Region
21
Colleges in the Great Lakes Region
1,396
Criminology Degrees Awarded
$39,038
Avg Early-Career Salary
A degree in
criminology is more popular than many other degrees. In fact, it ranks #80 out of 395 on popularity of all such degrees in the nation. This means you won't have too much trouble finding schools that offer the degree.
In 2025, College Factual analyzed 21 schools in order to identify the top ones for its Best Criminology Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Combined, these schools handed out 1,396 degrees in criminology to qualified students.
What's on this page: * Degree-Level Rankings
Choosing a Great Criminology School
The criminology program you select can have a big impact on your future. That's why we developed our collection of Best Schools for Criminology rankings. In order to come up with a best overall ranking for criminology schools, we combine our degree-level rankings, weighting them by the number of degrees awarded at each level.
In order to find the schools that are the best fit for you, you may want to filter to one of the degree levels below.
Criminology Rankings by Degree Level
Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we've developed a number of rankings, including this Best Criminology Schools in the Great Lakes Region list, to help you choose the best school for you.
You can also filter this list by location to find schools closer to you.
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.
More information on how we come up with our rankings can be found here: College Factual's Data Methodology.
Best Schools for Criminology in the Great Lakes Region
The schools below may not offer all types of criminology degrees so you may want to filter by degree level first. However, they are great for the degree levels they do offer.
10 Top Great Lakes Region Schools in Criminology
Ohio State University - Main Campus is a wonderful decision for students pursuing a degree in criminology. Located in the large city of Columbus, Ohio State is a public university with a very large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #70 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means Ohio State is a great university overall.
There were approximately 143 criminology students who graduated with this degree at Ohio State in the most recent year we have data available. Graduates who receive their degree from the criminology program earn around $39,396 in their early career salary.
More information about a degree in criminology from Ohio State University - Main Campus
It's difficult to beat Southern Illinois University Carbondale if you wish to pursue a degree in criminology. Located in the town of Carbondale, SIUC is a public university with a large student population. This university ranks 36th out of 85 schools for overall quality in the state of Illinois.
There were approximately 81 criminology students who graduated with this degree at SIUC in the most recent data year. After graduating, criminology degree recipients usually make about $37,645 at the beginning of their careers.
More information about a degree in criminology from Southern Illinois University Carbondale
Bachelors
Degree Type
BS in Criminal Justice - Criminology & Crime Analysis
Program Name
Track and understand criminal behavior by earning a BS in Criminal Justice with a concentration in Criminology & Crime Analysis.
More information about a degree in BS in Criminal Justice - Criminology & Crime Analysis from Southern New Hampshire UniversityRelated Programs
Marquette University is a great decision for students interested in a degree in criminology. Marquette is a large private not-for-profit university located in the large city of Milwaukee. A Best Colleges rank of #114 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means Marquette is a great university overall.
There were approximately 81 criminology students who graduated with this degree at Marquette in the most recent year we have data available. Students who graduate with their degree from the criminology program report average early career wages of $35,650.
More information about a degree in criminology from Marquette University
It's hard to beat Eastern Michigan University if you want to pursue a degree in criminology. Located in the suburb of Ypsilanti, Eastern Michigan is a public university with a large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #598 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means Eastern Michigan is a great university overall.
There were roughly 92 criminology students who graduated with this degree at Eastern Michigan in the most recent data year. Students who graduate with their degree from the criminology program state that they receive average early career wages of $36,891.
More information about a degree in criminology from Eastern Michigan University
Bachelor's Degree
Highest Degree Type
3rd
Most Popular In IL
DePaul is a fairly large private not-for-profit university located in the large city of Chicago. A Best Colleges rank of #135 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means DePaul is a great university overall.
There were about 30 criminology students who graduated with this degree at DePaul in the most recent year we have data available.
More information about a degree in criminology from DePaul University
Located in the city of Terre Haute, Indiana State is a public university with a medium-sized student population. This university ranks 23rd out of 41 schools for overall quality in the state of Indiana.
There were roughly 135 criminology students who graduated with this degree at Indiana State in the most recent year we have data available. Students who receive their degree from the criminology program make about $40,538 in the first couple years of their career.
More information about a degree in criminology from Indiana State University
Located in the town of Whitewater, UW - Whitewater is a public university with a large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #400 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means UW - Whitewater is a great university overall.
There were roughly 58 criminology students who graduated with this degree at UW - Whitewater in the most recent year we have data available. Students who graduate with their degree from the criminology program state that they receive average early career income of $40,060.
More information about a degree in criminology from University of Wisconsin - Whitewater
Associates
Degree Type
AS in Criminal Justice
Program Name
Gain a solid foundation in the American justice system, criminal law and social science when you earn your associate degree in criminal justice online from Southern New Hampshire University.
More information about a degree in AS in Criminal Justice from Southern New Hampshire UniversityRelated Programs
UW - River Falls is a moderately-sized public university located in the distant town of River Falls. A Best Colleges rank of #743 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means UW - River Falls is a great university overall.
There were approximately 39 criminology students who graduated with this degree at UW - River Falls in the most recent year we have data available. Criminology degree recipients from University of Wisconsin - River Falls get an earnings boost of approximately $6,075 over the average income of criminology majors.
More information about a degree in criminology from University of Wisconsin - River Falls
Cleveland State University is a fairly large public university located in the large city of Cleveland. This university ranks 54th out of 91 colleges for overall quality in the state of Ohio.
There were about 69 criminology students who graduated with this degree at Cleveland State University in the most recent year we have data available. Graduates who receive their degree from the criminology program make around $32,393 for their early career.
More information about a degree in criminology from Cleveland State University
Valpo is a small private not-for-profit university located in the small suburb of Valparaiso. This university ranks 21st out of 41 colleges for overall quality in the state of Indiana.
There were approximately 6 criminology students who graduated with this degree at Valpo in the most recent data year. Graduates who receive their degree from the criminology program make about $30,653 for their early career.
More information about a degree in criminology from Valparaiso University
