Criminal Justice

About Criminal Justice

Wondering whether Criminal Justice is worth studying? What matters is what graduates actually earn, where they end up working, and which colleges produce the most of them. Most graduates end up in this field, so it is worth knowing what an Information Security Analyst earns and how the role is projected to grow.

Law enforcement, corrections, forensic science, and homeland security. Direct pathways into criminal justice careers, or a strong foundation for law school. Four years after finishing the degree, graduates in this field earn a national median of $55,378, per College Scorecard. You can study it at 2,085 colleges and universities across the country, so location is rarely the limiting factor. About 132,861 students complete a degree in this area every year.

Median Earnings · 1yr

$38,419

Median Earnings · 4yr

$55,378

Colleges Offering

2,085

Graduates / Year

132,861

Specializations

5

Avg Net Price / yr

$15,908

Is a Criminal Justice Degree Right for You?

Is the Investment Worth It?

Solid ROI. Median earnings of $55,378 after 4 years. Against an estimated $63,632 four-year net cost, the typical graduate reaches earnings breakeven in roughly 2.5 years.

How Much Do Criminal Justice Majors Earn?

Pay for Criminal Justice graduates climbs fast in the first few years out. The median start is $38,419 one year after graduation, rising to $55,378 by year four, so the early salary is not the ceiling. Source: College Scorecard, across all 2,085 US institutions offering programs in this field.

What Can You Do With a Criminal Justice Degree?

Career Paths for Criminal Justice Graduates

Studying Criminal Justice does not lock you into one job title. It opens 8 occupations tracked by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, from entry-level roles to senior ones, and Information Security Analyst pays the most among them at a median $129,180 a year. Each row below adds national wages, employment levels, and the 10-year growth outlook so you can weigh the rest.

Another common path leads to what Financial Examiners typically earn and how the field is trending.

Criminal Justice Specializations

Which specialization you pick inside Criminal Justice matters more than usual here. Criminal Justice breaks into 5 specializations, and four-year earnings swing from $55,378 to $86,436 depending on which one you choose. Each row below links to a full program profile, sorted highest-paying first. Source: College Scorecard.

The highest-paying specialization is the cost and outcomes for a Fire Protection program, which is worth a closer look before settling on the broader field.

Best Colleges for Criminal Justice

These are the 20 colleges that graduate the most students in Criminal Justice, ranked by how many completed the degree in the most recent reporting year, not by selectivity or prestige. Acceptance rate, net price, earnings, and graduation rate for each one come from College Scorecard and IPEDS.

By that measure, the list starts with the cost and admissions data for CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice.

Ranked by number of Criminal Justice graduates per IPEDS completion data. Acceptance rate, net price, earnings, and graduation rate from College Scorecard. Read our methodology →

How Criminal Justice Compares to Similar Majors

Plan Your Path

Decide with data, not guesswork. These tools turn the numbers on this page into a personal plan. Estimate the real cost of a Criminal Justice degree, compare colleges side-by-side, weigh the long-term payoff, and find programs that match your profile.

Criminal Justice Degree: Pros & Cons

Criminal Justice is a mixed case: real strengths, offset by real trade-offs, and neither side is large enough to settle the decision on its own. All 5 points below are sourced from College Scorecard earnings, Bureau of Labor Statistics projections, and IPEDS graduate counts, with no editorial opinion added.

Criminal Justice Degree: Frequently Asked Questions