Rankings by major · 472 schools scored

Best colleges for criminal justice

Every school we cover is scored 0–100 for criminal justice. The score weighs what graduates earn four years out against the same major nationally (25%), research spending in the field (20%, NSF), how many undergraduate courses the department lists (20%), the student body's test scores (20%) and the size of the program (15%, capped so size alone can't win). 80 and up is a standout program, 65+ strong, 45+ solid.

The top criminal justice schools: George Mason University, University of Massachusetts–Lowell, San Francisco State University.

Top 100 colleges for criminal justice
Rank	School	Score (0–100)	Tier	Graduates per year in the major	Share of the class	Pay vs. national, same major	Acceptance rate
1	George Mason University Fairfax, VA	100	Standout	346	5.6%	1.23×	87%
2	University of Massachusetts–Lowell Lowell, MA	98	Standout	208	7.1%	1.17×	83%
3	San Francisco State University San Francisco, CA	97	Standout	235	4%	1.13×	96%
4	George Washington University Washington, DC	96	Standout	74	2.3%	1.41×	47%
5	California State University–East Bay Hayward, CA	95	Standout	202	5.6%	1.14×	97%
6	American University Washington, DC	95	Standout	95	4.8%	1.18×	62%
7	California State University–Sacramento Sacramento, CA	94	Standout	554	7.3%	1.10×	92%
8	Westfield State University Westfield, MA	93	Standout	147	13.5%	1.19×	82%
9	Northeastern University Boston, MA	93	Standout	66	1.5%	1.37×	5%
10	Rutgers University–New Brunswick Piscataway, NJ	92	Standout	180	2.1%	1.09×	58%
11	Western Illinois University Macomb, IL	92	Standout	198	16.8%	1.11×	75%
12	St. John's University Queens, NY	92	Standout	187	8.2%	1.13×	83%
13	University of Arizona Tucson, AZ	91	Standout	164	2%	–	86%
14	Rutgers University–Newark Newark, NJ	91	Standout	184	8.9%	1.09×	71%
15	Michigan State University East Lansing, MI	91	Standout	217	2.3%	1.11×	85%
16	Merrimack College North Andover, MA	91	Standout	74	6.7%	1.23×	75%
17	Norwich University Northfield, VT	90	Standout	114	15.6%	1.24×	83%
18	Marist College Poughkeepsie, NY	90	Standout	57	4.3%	1.16×	63%
19	Arizona State University Tempe, AZ	90	Standout	340	2.3%	1.06×	88%
20	Iowa State University of Science and Technology Ames, IA	89	Standout	121	1.8%	1.08×	89%
21	CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice New York, NY	89	Standout	1,528	46.3%	1.05×	51%
22	University at Albany–SUNY Albany, NY	89	Standout	189	5.8%	–	69%
23	Florida State University Tallahassee, FL	88	Standout	555	5.7%	1.01×	24%
24	Curry College Milton, MA	88	Standout	67	12.3%	1.14×	88%
25	University of Massachusetts–Boston Boston, MA	88	Standout	144	5.4%	1.10×	84%
26	Pace University New York, NY	88	Standout	64	3.5%	1.12×	83%
27	Salve Regina University Newport, RI	87	Standout	47	8.4%	1.19×	70%
28	Quinnipiac University Hamden, CT	87	Standout	32	1.9%	1.40×	77%
29	Seattle University Seattle, WA	87	Standout	26	2%	1.31×	77%
30	The Pennsylvania State University–University Park University Park, PA	87	Standout	204	1.9%	1.00×	61%
31	The College of New Jersey Ewing, NJ	87	Standout	61	3.5%	1.09×	64%
32	California State University, Long Beach Long Beach, CA	86	Standout	260	2.9%	1.03×	45%
33	Indiana University–Bloomington Bloomington, IN	86	Standout	122	1.6%	1.02×	78%
34	Monmouth University West Long Branch, NJ	86	Standout	37	3.5%	1.20×	89%
35	University of Scranton Scranton, PA	85	Standout	37	4%	1.12×	80%
36	High Point University High Point, NC	85	Standout	45	4%	1.16×	79%
37	University of Dayton Dayton, OH	85	Standout	41	2%	1.07×	65%
38	Loyola University Chicago Chicago, IL	85	Standout	90	2.8%	1.03×	75%
39	Concordia University–Saint Paul Saint Paul, MN	85	Standout	31	3.3%	1.29×	75%
40	DeSales University Center Valley, PA	84	Standout	36	5.7%	1.13×	79%
41	The University of Oklahoma Norman, OK	84	Standout	40	0.8%	1.09×	77%
42	Marymount University Arlington, VA	84	Standout	30	6.1%	1.29×	81%
43	University of Illinois Chicago Chicago, IL	84	Standout	219	4.1%	1.05×	77%
44	Saint Louis University St. Louis, MO	83	Standout	30	1.7%	1.08×	75%
45	San Diego State University San Diego, CA	83	Standout	416	4.7%	1.01×	37%
46	Bridgewater State University Bridgewater, MA	83	Standout	154	7.7%	1.13×	88%
47	Worcester State University Worcester, MA	83	Standout	90	8.5%	1.16×	88%
48	Western Oregon University Monmouth, OR	83	Standout	78	8.2%	1.07×	99%
49	California State University–Dominguez Hills Carson, CA	82	Standout	210	5.9%	1.02×	91%
50	University of Wisconsin–Platteville Platteville, WI	82	Standout	92	6.7%	1.05×	85%
51	Boston College Chestnut Hill, MA	82	Standout	5	0.2%	–	16%
52	Portland State University Portland, OR	82	Standout	151	3.4%	1.03×	93%
53	Marian University (WI) Fond Du Lac, WI	82	Standout	26	9.1%	1.25×	67%
54	SUNY Oswego Oswego, NY	81	Standout	110	7%	1.05×	83%
55	St. Joseph's University–New York Brooklyn, NY	81	Standout	48	5%	1.07×	77%
56	Western Connecticut State University Danbury, CT	81	Standout	84	9.6%	1.17×	81%
57	Rutgers University–Camden Camden, NJ	81	Standout	72	5.1%	1.09×	66%
58	Mercer University Macon, GA	80	Standout	12	1%	1.26×	69%
59	Rowan University Glassboro, NJ	80	Standout	252	5.9%	0.99×	78%
60	Southwestern College Winfield, KS	80	Standout	20	5.7%	1.11×	65%
61	Virginia Commonwealth University Richmond, VA	80	Standout	246	4.9%	1.04×	84%
62	Fitchburg State University Fitchburg, MA	80	Standout	66	8.8%	1.10×	90%
63	Stevenson University Owings Mills, MD	80	Standout	42	5.6%	1.08×	84%
64	Illinois State University Normal, IL	79	Strong	161	3.5%	1.10×	88%
65	Nova Southeastern University Fort Lauderdale, FL	79	Strong	24	1.6%	1.27×	73%
66	University of Indianapolis Indianapolis, IN	79	Strong	36	3.8%	1.10×	73%
67	Boston University Boston, MA	79	Strong	4	0.1%	–	13%
68	Utica University Utica, NY	78	Strong	52	6.3%	1.23×	87%
69	Chicago State University Chicago, IL	78	Strong	34	12%	1.02×	41%
70	Southern Utah University Cedar City, UT	78	Strong	58	3.6%	1.06×	84%
71	Point Loma Nazarene University San Diego, CA	78	Strong	30	3.4%	1.04×	82%
72	Indiana University Indianapolis Indianapolis, IN	78	Strong	102	2.4%	1.05×	76%
73	Western New England University Springfield, MA	78	Strong	40	6.4%	1.07×	88%
74	Northern Michigan University Marquette, MI	77	Strong	61	4.8%	1.05×	71%
75	University of Cincinnati Cincinnati, OH	77	Strong	212	3.2%	0.96×	85%
76	Xavier University Cincinnati, OH	77	Strong	26	1.9%	1.07×	86%
77	SUNY Oneonta Oneonta, NY	77	Strong	68	4.7%	1.04×	73%
78	Nichols College Dudley, MA	77	Strong	31	10.8%	1.33×	88%
79	University of North Carolina at Charlotte Charlotte, NC	77	Strong	232	4%	0.95×	80%
80	Texas Christian University Fort Worth, TX	76	Strong	71	2.7%	1.00×	48%
81	University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire Eau Claire, WI	76	Strong	67	3%	1.04×	77%
82	University of South Dakota Vermillion, SD	76	Strong	48	3.7%	1.02×	99%
83	Creighton University Omaha, NE	76	Strong	8	0.6%	–	92%
84	Lewis University Romeoville, IL	76	Strong	93	8.6%	1.11×	73%
85	University of Sioux Falls Sioux Falls, SD	76	Strong	28	6.8%	1.11×	82%
86	University of Central Florida Orlando, FL	75	Strong	489	3.3%	0.93×	43%
87	Florida International University Miami, FL	75	Strong	546	4.2%	0.99×	55%
88	Endicott College Beverly, MA	75	Strong	33	4.6%	1.03×	73%
89	Felician University Lodi, NJ	75	Strong	20	4.2%	1.18×	94%
90	St. Edward's University Austin, TX	74	Strong	24	3.3%	1.18×	85%
91	University of Nevada–Reno Reno, NV	74	Strong	156	4%	–	83%
92	Saint Mary's University of Minnesota Winona, MN	74	Strong	14	3.3%	1.40×	89%
93	Temple University Philadelphia, PA	74	Strong	162	2.8%	0.99×	86%
94	Saint Leo University Saint Leo, FL	74	Strong	232	17.9%	1.07×	72%
95	Reinhardt University Waleska, GA	74	Strong	16	6.3%	1.20×	55%
96	Springfield College Springfield, MA	73	Strong	20	3.9%	1.07×	70%
97	Appalachian State University Boone, NC	73	Strong	144	3.4%	0.98×	83%
98	Suffolk University Boston, MA	73	Strong	18	1.7%	–	87%
99	Wayland Baptist University Plainview, TX	73	Strong	65	10.3%	1.02×	54%
100	Widener University Chester, PA	73	Strong	20	3.1%	1.07×	88%

372 more schools are on the full criminal justice ranking.

How this ranking works

Updated October 18, 2026. Sources: early-career pay for graduates of each program, by field of study (College Scorecard), graduates per year in the major (IPEDS), undergraduate courses listed in each department's current catalog, and the student body's test scores. Inputs that are missing for a school are dropped and the rest reweighted; programs with fewer than five graduates a year are capped at 30. Scores are relative to the other schools covered, from 0 to 100.

To cite: prefrosh.ai, "Best colleges for criminal justice," updated October 18, 2026, https://prefrosh.ai/majors/criminal-justice. For a specific student's chances at these schools, use Chance me, which reads odds from the student's own high school's admissions chart.

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Best colleges for criminal justice

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