Best Schools for Criminal Justice and Corrections

Criminal Justice and Corrections graduates earn a median of $34,693 within two years of graduation, ranking #163 out of 283 tracked majors — 4% below the median across all fields. There are 547 colleges nationwide with tracked earnings for this major, producing 79,310 recent graduates.

Where you study matters: Herzing University-Birmingham graduates earn $58,943 while Inter American University of Puerto Rico-Barranquitas graduates earn $9,118 — a $49,825 difference. Factors like location, employer networks, co-op programs, and curriculum focus drive this gap.

Early career salary growth is modest: Criminal Justice and Corrections graduates see an average 2% increase between year 1 and year 2 post-graduation, reflecting career advancement and skill development in the first years after college.

547
Schools
$34,693
Avg. 2yr Earnings
#163
of 283 Majors
79,310
Graduates

Public vs Private: Criminal Justice and Corrections

Public (273 schools)
$34,353
avg. 2yr earnings
Private (254 schools)
$35,109
avg. 2yr earnings

Private schools produce $756 more in early earnings on average for Criminal Justice and Corrections graduates. Factor in tuition difference to calculate which offers better ROI.

Criminal Justice and Corrections by State

Top Criminal Justice and Corrections Schools by Graduate Earnings

#1
H

Herzing University-Birmingham

Birmingham, AL · Private

$58,943
2yr Earnings
1yr: $52,717
Grads: 90
Acceptance: 94.5%
#2
H

Herzing University-Atlanta

Atlanta, GA · Private

$58,943
2yr Earnings
1yr: $52,717
Grads: 90
Acceptance: 94.1%
#3
H

Herzing University-Minneapolis

St. Louis Park, MN · Private

$58,943
2yr Earnings
1yr: $52,717
Grads: 90
Acceptance: 93.8%
#4
H

Herzing University-Akron

Akron, OH · Private

$58,943
2yr Earnings
1yr: $52,717
Grads: 90
Acceptance: 94.0%
#5
H

Herzing University-Madison

Madison, WI · Private

$58,943
2yr Earnings
1yr: $52,717
Grads: 90
Acceptance: 94.2%
#6
H

Herzing University-Orlando

Winter Park, FL · Private

$58,943
2yr Earnings
1yr: $52,717
Grads: 90
Acceptance: 89.9%
#7
H

Herzing University-New Orleans

Metairie, LA · Private

$58,943
2yr Earnings
1yr: $52,717
Grads: 90
Acceptance: 89.1%
#8
H

Herzing University-Kenosha

Kenosha, WI · Private

$58,943
2yr Earnings
1yr: $52,717
Grads: 90
Acceptance: 89.4%
#9
H

Herzing University-Brookfield

Brookfield, WI · Private

$58,943
2yr Earnings
1yr: $52,717
Grads: 90
Acceptance: 90.8%
#10
F

Farmingdale State College

Farmingdale, NY · Public

$57,318
2yr Earnings
1yr: $37,839
Grads: 179
Acceptance: 69.1%
#11
O

Oakland City University

Oakland City, IN · Private

$56,544
2yr Earnings
1yr: $45,808
Grads: 42
Acceptance: 68.2%
#12
S

Siena Heights University

Adrian, MI · Private

$55,338
2yr Earnings
1yr: $66,436
Grads: 66
Acceptance: 66.6%
#13
C

Central Christian College of Kansas

McPherson, KS · Private

$52,941
2yr Earnings
1yr: $54,338
Grads: 76
Acceptance: N/A
#14
G

George Washington University

Washington, DC · Private

$52,107
2yr Earnings
1yr: $40,192
Grads: 31
Acceptance: 43.5%
#15
C

Colorado State University Global

Denver, CO · Public

$50,439
2yr Earnings
1yr: $50,031
Grads: 95
Acceptance: 92.9%
#16
B

Bethel University

McKenzie, TN · Private

$50,022
2yr Earnings
1yr: $47,898
Grads: 174
Acceptance: 97.2%
#17
S

Saint Mary's University of Minnesota

Winona, MN · Private

$49,631
2yr Earnings
1yr: $52,779
Grads: 29
Acceptance: 88.8%
#18
M

Marymount University

Arlington, VA · Private

$49,019
2yr Earnings
1yr: $44,543
Grads: 47
Acceptance: 80.5%
#19
U

University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus

Norman, OK · Public

$48,823
2yr Earnings
1yr: $48,204
Grads: 51
Acceptance: 76.5%
#20
R

Reinhardt University

Waleska, GA · Private

$47,260
2yr Earnings
1yr: $56,089
Grads: 28
Acceptance: 55.2%
#21
C

Concordia University-Saint Paul

Saint Paul, MN · Private

$46,087
2yr Earnings
1yr: $47,698
Grads: 37
Acceptance: 74.9%
#22
W

Widener University

Chester, PA · Private

$46,087
2yr Earnings
1yr: $37,102
Grads: 34
Acceptance: 84.0%
#23
T

Thomas More University

Crestview Hills, KY · Private

$45,500
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 97.0%
#24
L

Lynn University

Boca Raton, FL · Private

$45,198
2yr Earnings
1yr: $37,834
Grads: 22
Acceptance: 74.0%
#25
A

American University

Washington, DC · Private

$45,175
2yr Earnings
1yr: $39,002
Grads: 45
Acceptance: 47.4%
#26
A

Anna Maria College

Paxton, MA · Private

$44,971
2yr Earnings
1yr: $27,563
Grads: 32
Acceptance: 89.6%
#27
S

Southern New Hampshire University

Manchester, NH · Private

$44,595
2yr Earnings
1yr: $40,917
Grads: 302
Acceptance: 96.1%
#28
T

Texas Christian University

Fort Worth, TX · Private

$44,021
2yr Earnings
1yr: $38,562
Grads: 43
Acceptance: 42.6%
#29
M

Metropolitan State University

Saint Paul, MN · Public

$43,485
2yr Earnings
1yr: $42,056
Grads: 196
Acceptance: 96.5%
#30
A

Auburn University at Montgomery

Montgomery, AL · Public

$43,426
2yr Earnings
1yr: $24,957
Grads: 37
Acceptance: 92.6%
#31
S

Saint Cloud State University

Saint Cloud, MN · Public

$43,426
2yr Earnings
1yr: $43,607
Grads: 116
Acceptance: 95.0%
#32
G

George Mason University

Fairfax, VA · Public

$43,143
2yr Earnings
1yr: $40,661
Grads: 410
Acceptance: 88.8%
#33
N

National University

San Diego, CA · Private

$42,682
2yr Earnings
1yr: $53,819
Grads: 83
Acceptance: N/A
#34
M

Minnesota State University-Mankato

Mankato, MN · Public

$42,682
2yr Earnings
1yr: $41,544
Grads: 157
Acceptance: 91.3%
#35
N

Norwich University

Northfield, VT · Private

$42,682
2yr Earnings
1yr: $39,043
Grads: 152
Acceptance: 73.6%
#36
N

Northeastern University

Boston, MA · Private

$42,363
2yr Earnings
1yr: $44,672
Grads: 48
Acceptance: 5.7%
#37
W

Westfield State University

Westfield, MA · Public

$42,123
2yr Earnings
1yr: $36,915
Grads: 296
Acceptance: 80.7%
#38
U

University of Massachusetts-Boston

Boston, MA · Public

$42,025
2yr Earnings
1yr: $43,068
Grads: 173
Acceptance: 83.0%
#39
B

Baldwin Wallace University

Berea, OH · Private

$41,937
2yr Earnings
1yr: $36,486
Grads: 26
Acceptance: 76.8%
#40
C

California Baptist University

Riverside, CA · Private

$41,789
2yr Earnings
1yr: $33,512
Grads: 66
Acceptance: 73.6%
#41
B

Bemidji State University

Bemidji, MN · Public

$41,789
2yr Earnings
1yr: $40,717
Grads: 75
Acceptance: 70.7%
#42
G

Grand View University

Des Moines, IA · Private

$41,725
2yr Earnings
1yr: $37,116
Grads: 41
Acceptance: 98.4%
#43
S

Saint Leo University

Saint Leo, FL · Private

$41,601
2yr Earnings
1yr: $42,956
Grads: 410
Acceptance: 72.1%
#44
U

University of Alaska Anchorage

Anchorage, AK · Public

$41,565
2yr Earnings
1yr: $36,810
Grads: 31
Acceptance: 66.5%
#45
N

New England College

Henniker, NH · Private

$41,565
2yr Earnings
1yr: $35,436
Grads: 29
Acceptance: 95.7%
#46
M

Madonna University

Livonia, MI · Private

$41,342
2yr Earnings
1yr: $37,311
Grads: 116
Acceptance: 92.9%
#47
F

Franklin Pierce University

Rindge, NH · Private

$41,286
2yr Earnings
1yr: $43,102
Grads: 45
Acceptance: 90.2%
#48
W

Winona State University

Winona, MN · Public

$41,058
2yr Earnings
1yr: $38,804
Grads: 55
Acceptance: 68.5%
#49
L

Liberty University

Lynchburg, VA · Private

$40,970
2yr Earnings
1yr: $40,903
Grads: 601
Acceptance: 99.3%
#50
E

East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania

East Stroudsburg, PA · Public

$40,652
2yr Earnings
1yr: $32,484
Grads: 115
Acceptance: 92.9%

Showing top 50 of 547 schools. View all or filter by state above.

Majors with Similar Earnings

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best school for Criminal Justice and Corrections?
Herzing University-Birmingham ranks #1 for Criminal Justice and Corrections with median graduate earnings of $58,943 within two years. There are 547 schools nationwide offering this major with tracked earnings data.
How much do Criminal Justice and Corrections graduates earn?
Criminal Justice and Corrections graduates earn an average of $34,693 within two years of graduation. This is near the median across all majors. Earnings range from $9,118 to $58,943 depending on the school.
How hard is it to get into a top Criminal Justice and Corrections program?
The average acceptance rate across Criminal Justice and Corrections programs is 79.1%. The most selective program is at Northeastern University with a 5.7% acceptance rate. Competitive programs value strong math/analytical skills and relevant coursework.
Is a public or private school better for Criminal Justice and Corrections?
Private Criminal Justice and Corrections programs average $35,109 in early earnings vs $34,353 at public schools. Private schools lead in earnings, but cost significantly more — calculate net price before deciding.

Data updated June 2026. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Earnings are median 2 years after graduation for bachelor's degree holders.

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