Best Colleges for Criminal Justice in 2025–26

30 colleges with strong criminal justice programs, ranked by size and selectivity.

Southern New Hampshire University

Manchester, NH

99.5% acceptance$17,200 in-state

University of Cincinnati

Cincinnati, OH

76% acceptance$13,424 in-state

Kennesaw State University

Kennesaw, GA

69.2% acceptance$5,808 in-state

American Public University System

Charles Town, WV

$8,400 in-state

California State University-Fullerton

Fullerton, CA

90.5% acceptance$7,470 in-state

Texas State University

San Marcos, TX

89.3% acceptance$11,450 in-state

California State University-Long Beach

Long Beach, CA

46.3% acceptance$7,350 in-state

Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL

24.2% acceptance$5,656 in-state

University of Cincinnati-Main Campus

Cincinnati, OH

85.3% acceptance$13,976 in-state

California State University-Sacramento

Sacramento, CA

94% acceptance$8,018 in-state

George Mason University

Fairfax, VA

87.5% acceptance$14,220 in-state

El Paso Community College

El Paso, TX

$4,080 in-state

California State University-Fresno

Fresno, CA

95.3% acceptance$7,350 in-state

California State University-Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA

91.3% acceptance$7,160 in-state

CUNY Borough of Manhattan Community College

New York, NY

$5,170 in-state

Sam Houston State University

Huntsville, TX

90.3% acceptance$9,228 in-state

California State University-San Bernardino

San Bernardino, CA

93.7% acceptance$8,093 in-state

Metropolitan State University of Denver

Denver, CO

98.8% acceptance$11,124 in-state

Suffolk County Community College

Selden, NY

$6,630 in-state

Northwest Vista College

San Antonio, TX

$3,412 in-state

Post University

Waterbury, CT

$16,327 in-state

University of Memphis

Memphis, TN

72% acceptance$10,728 in-state

Tarleton State University

Stephenville, TX

89.6% acceptance$8,302 in-state

University at Albany

Albany, NY

69.1% acceptance$10,866 in-state

University of Houston-Downtown

Houston, TX

90% acceptance$7,708 in-state

Eastern Kentucky University

Richmond, KY

77.6% acceptance$10,320 in-state

Columbia Southern University

Orange Beach, AL

$6,760 in-state

ECPI University

Virginia Beach, VA

74.5% acceptance$18,484 in-state

New Mexico State University-Main Campus

Las Cruces, NM

89% acceptance$8,183 in-state

CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice

New York, NY

57.1% acceptance$7,470 in-state

How to choose a criminal justice program

Consider whether you want a theoretical criminology programme or a more applied law enforcement track. Look for programs with partnerships with local police departments, courts, and federal agencies. Internship opportunities with the FBI, ATF, or state agencies are valuable.

Common career paths for criminal justice graduates

Police Officer, FBI Agent, Probation Officer, Crime Analyst, Corrections Administrator

Scholarships for criminal justice students

There are scholarships specifically for students studying criminal justice. Search our database to find awards you qualify for.

Find criminal justice scholarships →
Compare collegesCheck your chancesNet price calculatorBrowse all colleges

KidToCollege is free to use and editorially independent. Data sourced from public records including IPEDS, Common Data Sets, College Board and FAFSA.gov. Always verify deadlines and requirements directly with institutions. Not a guarantee of admission or financial aid.