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College Factual  by our College Data Analytics Team
       Unbiased Factual Guarantee

2026 Best Criminal Justice Studies Schools in District of Columbia

3 Colleges in the United States
247 Criminal Justice Studies Degrees Awarded
$42,888 Avg Early-Career Salary

Criminal Justice Studies degree programs prepare students for a range of careers in the field. A focused field like this rewards careful comparison of the schools that offer it.

For its 2026 ranking, College Factual looked at 3 schools in the United States to determine which ones were the best for criminal justice studies students pursuing a degree.

What’s on this page:

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Best Schools for Criminal Justice Studies in District of Columbia

Below are the schools that deliver the strongest overall criminal justice studies education in District of Columbia.

Top Schools in Criminal Justice Studies

1

George Washington University is one of the finest schools in the country for getting a degree in criminal justice studies. Set in the city of Washington, George Washington University is a very large private not-for-profit institution. About 84% of students finish within six years. About 52 criminal justice studies degrees were awarded at George Washington University in the most recent year. Criminal Justice Studies graduates of George Washington University earn a median of $51,256 early in their careers. Typical student debt for the program is $20,500. Read more about the criminal justice studies program at George Washington University

2
American University crest
American University
Washington, DC

A rank of #2 makes American University one of the top schools for criminal justice studies. This large private not-for-profit university is located in the city of Washington. About 76% of students finish within six years. There were roughly 131 criminal justice studies students who graduated with this degree at American University in the most recent data year. Graduates of the criminal justice studies program make about $49,607 in their early career. Students borrow a median of $23,250 to complete this degree. Get the full criminal justice studies details for American University

3
Howard University crest
Howard University
Washington, DC

A rank of #3 makes Howard University one of the top schools for criminal justice studies. Set in the city of Washington, Howard University is a large private not-for-profit institution. Howard University graduates 70% of students within six years. About 64 criminal justice studies degrees were awarded at Howard University in the most recent year. Soon after graduation, criminal justice studies degree recipients from Howard University generally make around $27,801. Students borrow a median of $26,000 to complete this degree. Get the full criminal justice studies details for Howard University

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Notes and References

This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs graduation rate, post-graduation earnings, cost, and program quality, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).

Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 3 schools evaluated.

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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