University Headquarters (HQ) is an industry-leading, independent educational organization that provides independent college rankings using a proprietary formula to create first class, unbiased rankings. The team at University HQ strives to provide accurate and trustworthy rankings that highlight the best programs for a masters in criminal justice.
Why Earn a Master’s in Criminal Justice?
A traditional or online master’s degree in criminal justice can cover a wide range of topics in the criminal justice system. Some prospective students pursue a strict law enforcement path (such as local, state, and federal law enforcement, corrections and correctional institutions, and public safety and public administration) while others are venturing into new learning fields in the criminal justice system such as cyber-crime or international law enforcement. With the rising awareness of white-collar crime, programs have also begun offering certificates or concentrations in forensic accounting, or students can become leaders and emergency management directors.
No matter how you focus your graduate studies in a criminal justice program, an online master’s in criminal justice degree will promote student success and can certainly be a boon to criminal justice careers by giving you leadership skills, a deeper understanding of forensic psychology and mental health that leads to violent crime, critical thinking skills based on real world examples, and a better understanding of the legal system and public safety. Raises, promotions, and new career opportunities in the criminal justice system including career advancement are very likely to follow a criminal justice professional's graduation for years to come.
Top 25 Best Online Masters in Criminal Justice Programs
1
University of Southern California
Score: 87.34
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $68,237
- Out-of-State:$68,237
- Net Price: $36,808
- Acceptance Rate: 12%
- Retention Rate: 97%
- Graduation Rate: 92%
- Total Enrollment: 48,945
- Undergrad Students: 20,699
- Graduate Students: 28,246
- Grads Salary: $92,000
- Student-to-faculty: 9:1
2
Boston University
Score: 86.07
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $65,168
- Out-of-State:$65,168
- Net Price: $27,829
- Acceptance Rate: 14%
- Retention Rate: 94%
- Graduation Rate: 89%
- Total Enrollment: 36,714
- Undergrad Students: 18,459
- Graduate Students: 18,255
- Grads Salary: $85,000
- Student-to-faculty: 11:1
3
Northeastern University
Score: 84.02
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $63,141
- Out-of-State:$63,141
- Net Price: $35,827
- Acceptance Rate: 7%
- Retention Rate: 97%
- Graduation Rate: 91%
- Total Enrollment: 30,013
- Undergrad Students: 16,302
- Graduate Students: 13,711
- Grads Salary: $87,000
- Student-to-faculty: 16:1
4
California State University-Long Beach
Score: 81.47
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $7,008
- Out-of-State:$18,888
- Net Price: $9,346
- Acceptance Rate: 40%
- Retention Rate: 85%
- Graduation Rate: 73%
- Total Enrollment: 38,973
- Undergrad Students: 32,931
- Graduate Students: 6,042
- Grads Salary: $79,000
- Student-to-faculty: 22:1
5
University of South Florida
Score: 78.8
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $6,410
- Out-of-State:$17,324
- Net Price: $11,004
- Acceptance Rate: 44%
- Retention Rate: 90%
- Graduation Rate: 74%
- Total Enrollment: 49,600
- Undergrad Students: 38,047
- Graduate Students: 11,553
- Grads Salary: $73,000
- Student-to-faculty: 22:1
6
University of Massachusetts-Lowell
Score: 77.72
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $16,570
- Out-of-State:$35,396
- Net Price: $17,240
- Acceptance Rate: 86%
- Retention Rate: 84%
- Graduation Rate: 71%
- Total Enrollment: 17,153
- Undergrad Students: 12,389
- Graduate Students: 4,764
- Grads Salary: $82,000
- Student-to-faculty: 17:1
7
Michigan State University
Score: 77.68
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $15,988
- Out-of-State:$43,372
- Net Price: $22,803
- Acceptance Rate: 88%
- Retention Rate: 89%
- Graduation Rate: 82%
- Total Enrollment: 50,023
- Undergrad Students: 39,201
- Graduate Students: 10,822
- Grads Salary: $79,000
- Student-to-faculty: 17:1
8
University of Central Florida
Score: 76.61
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $6,368
- Out-of-State:$22,467
- Net Price: $13,108
- Acceptance Rate: 41%
- Retention Rate: 93%
- Graduation Rate: 76%
- Total Enrollment: 68,346
- Undergrad Students: 58,662
- Graduate Students: 9,684
- Grads Salary: $71,000
- Student-to-faculty: 29:1
9
Texas A&M International University
Score: 76.5
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $7,846
- Out-of-State:$19,382
- Net Price: $5,383
- Acceptance Rate: 48%
- Retention Rate: 79%
- Graduation Rate: 49%
- Total Enrollment: 8,505
- Undergrad Students: 6,979
- Graduate Students: 1,526
- Grads Salary: $80,000
- Student-to-faculty: 19:1
10
Webster University
Score: 76.2
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $30,730
- Out-of-State:$30,730
- Net Price: $23,069
- Acceptance Rate: 55%
- Retention Rate: 79%
- Graduation Rate: 59%
- Total Enrollment: 6,396
- Undergrad Students: 2,197
- Graduate Students: 4,199
- Grads Salary: $86,000
- Student-to-faculty: 12:1
11
Florida International University
Score: 75.59
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $6,565
- Out-of-State:$18,963
- Net Price: $9,881
- Acceptance Rate: 64%
- Retention Rate: 91%
- Graduation Rate: 69%
- Total Enrollment: 55,609
- Undergrad Students: 45,688
- Graduate Students: 9,921
- Grads Salary: $71,000
- Student-to-faculty: 24:1
12
University of Oklahoma
Score: 75.31
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $9,595
- Out-of-State:$26,665
- Net Price: $22,601
- Acceptance Rate: 73%
- Retention Rate: 88%
- Graduation Rate: 76%
- Total Enrollment: 28,308
- Undergrad Students: 21,282
- Graduate Students: 7,026
- Grads Salary: $75,000
- Student-to-faculty: 16:1
13
Arizona State University
Score: 74.84
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $12,051
- Out-of-State:$32,193
- Net Price: $14,808
- Acceptance Rate: 90%
- Retention Rate: 85%
- Graduation Rate: 67%
- Total Enrollment: 80,065
- Undergrad Students: 65,492
- Graduate Students: 14,573
- Grads Salary: $77,000
- Student-to-faculty: 19:1
14
Wayne State University
Score: 74.52
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $14,297
- Out-of-State:$30,419
- Net Price: $15,347
- Acceptance Rate: 75%
- Retention Rate: 84%
- Graduation Rate: 60%
- Total Enrollment: 23,630
- Undergrad Students: 15,958
- Graduate Students: 7,672
- Grads Salary: $77,000
- Student-to-faculty: 14:1
15
St. John's University
Score: 74.3
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $50,110
- Out-of-State:$50,110
- Net Price: $26,052
- Acceptance Rate: 85%
- Retention Rate: 82%
- Graduation Rate: 69%
- Total Enrollment: 19,663
- Undergrad Students: 15,652
- Graduate Students: 4,011
- Grads Salary: $83,000
- Student-to-faculty: 16:1
16
CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice
Score: 74.27
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $7,470
- Out-of-State:$15,420
- Net Price: $5,001
- Acceptance Rate: 51%
- Retention Rate: 76%
- Graduation Rate: 54%
- Total Enrollment: 13,921
- Undergrad Students: 12,061
- Graduate Students: 1,860
- Grads Salary: $71,000
- Student-to-faculty: 16:1
17
Lewis University
Score: 74.21
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $37,882
- Out-of-State:$37,882
- Net Price: $19,184
- Acceptance Rate: 74%
- Retention Rate: 81%
- Graduation Rate: 62%
- Total Enrollment: 6,513
- Undergrad Students: 3,933
- Graduate Students: 2,580
- Grads Salary: $79,000
- Student-to-faculty: 14:1
18
Saint Joseph's University
Score: 73.77
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $51,340
- Out-of-State:$51,340
- Net Price: $33,777
- Acceptance Rate: 89%
- Retention Rate: 86%
- Graduation Rate: 82%
- Total Enrollment: 7,861
- Undergrad Students: 5,071
- Graduate Students: 2,790
- Grads Salary: $77,000
- Student-to-faculty: 10:1
19
University of Cincinnati
Score: 73.39
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $13,570
- Out-of-State:$30,582
- Net Price: $20,149
- Acceptance Rate: 86%
- Retention Rate: 86%
- Graduation Rate: 72%
- Total Enrollment: 41,155
- Undergrad Students: 29,663
- Graduate Students: 11,492
- Grads Salary: $74,000
- Student-to-faculty: 18:1
20
University of Mississippi
Score: 72.96
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $9,412
- Out-of-State:$26,980
- Net Price: $14,289
- Acceptance Rate: 97%
- Retention Rate: 89%
- Graduation Rate: 68%
- Total Enrollment: 22,300
- Undergrad Students: 17,302
- Graduate Students: 4,998
- Grads Salary: $70,000
- Student-to-faculty: 16:1
21
American Public University System
Score: 72.73
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $8,400
- Out-of-State:$8,400
- Net Price: $11,172
- Acceptance Rate: 100%
- Retention Rate: 90%
- Graduation Rate: 55%
- Total Enrollment: 48,668
- Undergrad Students: 39,206
- Graduate Students: 9,462
- Grads Salary: $79,000
- Student-to-faculty: 24:1
22
Lincoln Memorial University
Score: 72.34
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $26,150
- Out-of-State:$26,150
- Net Price: $19,162
- Acceptance Rate: 78%
- Retention Rate: 77%
- Graduation Rate: 51%
- Total Enrollment: 5,418
- Undergrad Students: 1,560
- Graduate Students: 3,858
- Grads Salary: $80,000
- Student-to-faculty: 8:1
23
DeSales University
Score: 72.23
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $44,800
- Out-of-State:$44,800
- Net Price: $29,104
- Acceptance Rate: 77%
- Retention Rate: 78%
- Graduation Rate: 68%
- Total Enrollment: 2,991
- Undergrad Students: 2,225
- Graduate Students: 766
- Grads Salary: $79,000
- Student-to-faculty: 11:1
24
Texas Christian University
Score: 71.85
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $57,220
- Out-of-State:$57,220
- Net Price: $44,190
- Acceptance Rate: 56%
- Retention Rate: 92%
- Graduation Rate: 84%
- Total Enrollment: 12,273
- Undergrad Students: 10,523
- Graduate Students: 1,750
- Grads Salary: $77,000
- Student-to-faculty: 14:1
25
New Mexico State University
Score: 71.7
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $8,147
- Out-of-State:$25,271
- Net Price: $10,407
- Acceptance Rate: 78%
- Retention Rate: 72%
- Graduation Rate: 51%
- Total Enrollment: 14,268
- Undergrad Students: 11,591
- Graduate Students: 2,677
- Grads Salary: $76,000
- Student-to-faculty: 16:1
