by our College Data Analytics TeamA major in Criminal Justice Studies explores Criminal Justice/safety Studies. A Program That Focuses On The Criminal Justice System, Its Organizational Components And Processes, And Its Legal And Public Policy Contexts. Includes Instruction In Criminal Law And Policy, Police And Correctional Systems Organization, The Administration Of Justice And The Judiciary, And Public Attitudes Regarding Criminal Justice Issues. Read on to learn the important information every criminal justice studies student should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering criminal justice studies programs.
Across the country, criminal justice studies is a popular field of study, with 41,895 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best Criminal Justice Studies Schools ranking analyzes these 821 schools to determine the best overall colleges for criminal justice studies students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of criminal justice studies programs later in this article.
Coursework for Criminal Justice Studies emphasize a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations criminal justice studies graduates commonly enter.
The skill set built by a criminal justice studies program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
Based on O*NET data, a criminal justice studies major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several criminal justice studies degree levels. The table below shows the typical length of the most common levels, and how many graduates earn each one.
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 1,261 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 6,232 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 27,949 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 6,249 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 179 |
People currently working in careers related to criminal justice studies tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| High school diploma or equivalent | 48.8% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 18.4% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 12.1% |
| Some college courses | 9.9% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 4.5% |
| Master’s degree | 2.7% |
| Doctoral degree | 1.8% |
| Less than a high school diploma | 0.8% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 0.6% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 0.4% |
| First professional degree | 0.1% |
See the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in criminal justice studies careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
A degree in criminal justice studies prepares you for many career paths. These are some of the most common occupations related to criminal justice studies.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to criminal justice studies.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives | 290,410 | 11.9% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Correctional Officers | 263,811 | 8.8% |
| Quality Control Analysts | 105,873 | 12.9% |
| Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All Other | 71,781 | 0.4% |
| Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Teachers, Postsecondary | 52,113 | 12.0% |
| Remote Sensing Technicians | 30,427 | -2.2% |
College Scorecard reports median earnings of criminal justice studies graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Earnings tend to climb as graduates gain experience.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $40,812 |
| 4 years | $44,073 |
| 5 years | $49,815 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.
Salaries for criminal justice studies graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers criminal justice studies grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Remote Sensing Technicians | $99,834 |
| Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All Other | $95,957 |
| Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Teachers, Postsecondary | $91,449 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Correctional Officers | $78,129 |
| Quality Control Analysts | $53,423 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives | $52,907 |
With 821 different criminal justice studies programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased criminal justice studies school rankings to help you.
Those considering criminal justice studies, you may also want to explore other closely related fields of study within the same broad area.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement Administration | 26,997 |
| Criminal Justice/Police Science | 20,474 |
| Corrections | 4,967 |
| Corrections and Criminal Justice, Other | 4,327 |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | 2,175 |
| Securities Services Administration/Management | 662 |
| Security and Loss Prevention Services | 494 |
| Law Enforcement Investigation and Interviewing | 300 |
| Corrections Administration | 97 |
| Juvenile Corrections | 68 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
