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Best Criminology Schools
The top 25 of 110 U.S. colleges offering an undergraduate Criminology degree, ranked by early-career earnings and return on investment — using each school's real, aid-adjusted net price rather than sticker tuition.
Is Criminology worth it?
A criminology degree is a reliable investment, but only if you are ruthless about keeping your tuition costs down. Because many graduates enter public service, local law enforcement, or state-level agencies, entry-level salaries are often rigidly defined by government pay scales rather than open-market bidding wars. The financial value here is overwhelmingly found at accessible public universities and state colleges. If you leverage a low-cost public degree into a federal agency role or a private-sector corporate security position, the degree pays for itself rapidly. However, taking on massive debt at a high-priced private college for a career in local probation or social services is a financial trap.
| # | School | State | Median earnings | Net price / yr | 10-yr net ROI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Southern Maine | ME | $47,726 | $13,596† | +$423K |
| 2 | University of Maryland-College Park | MD | $43,698 | $15,678† | +$374K |
| 3 | University of Florida-Online | FL | $35,096 | $4,815† | +$332K |
| 4 | University of Florida | FL | $35,096 | $6,541† | +$325K |
| 5 | Mount St. Mary's University | MD | $43,230 | $22,655 | +$342K |
| 6 | CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice | NY | $33,798 | $3,203† | +$325K |
| 7 | University of Minnesota-Duluth | MN | $42,562 | $18,743† | +$351K |
| 8 | University at Albany | NY | $42,257 | $17,167† | +$354K |
| 9 | SUNY Old Westbury | NY | $38,764 | $11,282† | +$343K |
| 10 | University of Minnesota-Twin Cities | MN | $41,780 | $16,778† | +$351K |
| 11 | Framingham State University | MA | $41,431 | $16,114† | +$350K |
| 12 | Central Connecticut State University | CT | $40,713 | $16,857† | +$340K |
| 13 | University of Nevada-Reno | NV | $39,804 | $15,927† | +$334K |
| 14 | Indiana State University | IN | $39,769 | $10,873† | +$354K |
| 15 | Fairleigh Dickinson University-Metropolitan Campus | NJ | $37,619 | $15,404 | +$315K |
| 16 | University of South Florida | FL | $37,108 | $9,812† | +$332K |
| 17 | California State University-San Marcos | CA | $34,694 | $10,229† | +$306K |
| 18 | Saint Anselm College | NH | $46,814 | $34,779 | +$329K |
| 19 | University of Northern Iowa | IA | $43,914 | $15,901† | +$376K |
| 20 | Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia | PA | $43,283 | $29,689 | +$314K |
| 21 | Eastern Washington University | WA | $40,228 | $13,886† | +$347K |
| 22 | University of Wisconsin-Whitewater | WI | $40,060 | $14,158† | +$344K |
| 23 | Ohio State University-Mansfield Campus | OH | $39,396 | $16,197† | +$329K |
| 24 | Southern Illinois University-Carbondale | IL | $37,645 | $13,297† | +$323K |
| 25 | University of Delaware | DE | $35,968 | $17,799† | +$288K |
Top 10 programs by 10-year net ROI
Why these schools rank where they do
Geography and government pipelines dictate this ranking. The University of Southern Maine captures the #1 spot not through coastal prestige, but by operating as a direct funnel into New England's state agencies, regional law enforcement, and federal border and customs outposts. Because it costs a fraction of what private regional colleges charge, graduates step into stable government roles with minimal debt.
Proximity to power is the other major theme. The University of Maryland-College Park (#2) and Mount St. Mary's University (#5) dominate the top tier because they sit in the backyard of the federal government. UMD students can practically take the Metro to internships at the FBI, DHS, and the Department of Justice, giving them a massive head start on the federal GS pay scale. Similarly, CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice (#6) punches far above its weight. It is arguably the most famous criminal justice institution in the country, maintaining an ironclad pipeline into the NYPD, federal task forces, and private intelligence firms in Manhattan.
What is Criminology?
Criminology is the sociological and psychological study of crime—why it happens, who commits it, and how society responds. While criminal justice focuses on the mechanics of the legal system, criminologists look at the root causes and behavioral data, leading graduates to careers as intelligence analysts, federal agents, policy researchers, and fraud investigators.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between criminology and criminal justice?
Criminology is the theoretical and sociological study of crime—focusing on why people break the law and how society reacts. Criminal justice is the applied study of the system itself, covering police procedure, courts, and corrections. While the two fields overlap heavily (and many colleges combine them), criminology tends to be more focused on research, data analysis, and behavioral science.
Do I still need to go to a police academy?
If you want to become a sworn police officer, yes. A university degree does not replace state-mandated academy training. However, having a criminology bachelor's degree makes you highly competitive for federal law enforcement roles, accelerates your promotion track to detective or leadership positions, and opens doors to civilian intelligence roles that don't require carrying a badge.
What are the best private-sector jobs for this major?
While government work is the most visible path, the private sector is where the highest salaries live. Criminology graduates are heavily recruited by banks for anti-money laundering (AML) and financial fraud investigation. Major corporations also hire them for corporate security, loss prevention leadership, and cyber threat analysis, valuing their ability to spot behavioral anomalies and assess risk.