Best Schools for Criminology
Criminology graduates earn a median of $54,831 within four years of graduating, ranking #169 out of 283 tracked majors — 12% below the median across all fields. There are 126 colleges nationwide with tracked earnings for this major, producing 9,086 recent graduates.
Where you study matters: University of Massachusetts Global graduates earn $75,745 while Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico-Mayaguez graduates earn $22,958 — a $52,787 difference. Factors like location, employer networks, co-op programs, and curriculum focus drive this gap. Across all fields, though, which major you pick separates earnings more than which college does.
Early career salary growth is moderate: Criminology graduates see an average 6% increase between year 1 and year 2 post-graduation, reflecting career advancement and skill development in the first years after college.
Public vs Private: Criminology
Private schools produce $210 more in early earnings on average for Criminology graduates. Factor in tuition difference to calculate which offers better ROI.
Criminology by State
Also by state: Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolina, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Virginia, Washington
Top Criminology Schools by Graduate Earnings
University of Massachusetts Global
Aliso Viejo, CA · Public
University of Miami
Coral Gables, FL · Private
Saint Anselm College
Manchester, NH · Private
Gonzaga University
Spokane, WA · Private
Assumption University
Worcester, MA · Private
Emmanuel College
Boston, MA · Private
University of Maryland-College Park
College Park, MD · Public
Maryville University of Saint Louis
Saint Louis, MO · Private
University of Nevada-Reno
Reno, NV · Public
Le Moyne College
Syracuse, NY · Private
Stonehill College
Easton, MA · Private
Pacific University
Forest Grove, OR · Private
Valparaiso University
Valparaiso, IN · Private
University of Delaware
Newark, DE · Public
University of Wisconsin-Whitewater
Whitewater, WI · Public
Regis University
Denver, CO · Private
Central Connecticut State University
New Britain, CT · Public
Lycoming College
Williamsport, PA · Private
University at Albany
Albany, NY · Public
Niagara University
Niagara University, NY · Private
University of Iowa
Iowa City, IA · Public
Hamline University
Saint Paul, MN · Private
The University of Tampa
Tampa, FL · Private
Hofstra University
Hempstead, NY · Private
St. John Fisher University
Rochester, NY · Private
Mount St. Mary's University
Emmitsburg, MD · Private
Framingham State University
Framingham, MA · Public
University of Minnesota-Duluth
Duluth, MN · Public
University of New Hampshire-Main Campus
Durham, NH · Public
University of Southern Maine
Portland, ME · Public
Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Bartlesville, OK · Private
Marquette University
Milwaukee, WI · Private
University of Minnesota-Twin Cities
Minneapolis, MN · Public
Ohio State University-Main Campus
Columbus, OH · Public
Mount St. Joseph University
Cincinnati, OH · Private
Drexel University
Philadelphia, PA · Private
Albright College
Reading, PA · Private
Lebanon Valley College
Annville, PA · Private
Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania
Slippery Rock, PA · Public
Loyola University New Orleans
New Orleans, LA · Private
University of Florida
Gainesville, FL · Public
University of Florida-Online
Gainesville, FL · Public
University of California-Irvine
Irvine, CA · Public
University of Denver
Denver, CO · Private
University of Wisconsin-Stout
Menomonie, WI · Public
CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice
New York, NY · Public
William Peace University
Raleigh, NC · Private
National Louis University
Chicago, IL · Private
Upper Iowa University
Fayette, IA · Private
Lasell University
Newton, MA · Private
Showing top 50 of 126 schools. View all or filter by state above.
Majors with Similar Earnings
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best school for Criminology?
How much do Criminology graduates earn?
How hard is it to get into a top Criminology program?
Is a public or private school better for Criminology?
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Earnings are median 2 years after graduation for bachelor's degree holders, from the field-of-study file last updated June 2026. Institution-level figures elsewhere on the site come from the June 2026 release — Scorecard publishes the two separately.
Get Criminology Career Insights
We're building major-specific salary reports with ROI by school. Be the first to get yours.
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.