It may surprise you to find out that criminal justice is one of the most popular majors out of all college majors in America.
In fact, according to this recent USA Today article, Criminal Justice is the 6th most popular major out of all majors in the US.
And why not? Law enforcement is a major field that is consistently employing people into its multifarious ranks…
Whether you want to be a criminologist, customs agent, police detective, private investigator, or have nearly any other career that is in law enforcement, obtaining a degree in criminal justice could be the very best option for you.
Because of the high rate of employment for criminal justice majors in the US, there are a large number of colleges that provide high-level training for the aspiring criminal justice major.
So which ones are the very best in the country?
We examined a number of factors when making this list, including what each college’s faculty has accomplished, the rate of employment among active alumni in the law enforcement field, and the depth and strength of the overall criminal justice curriculum.
Here are the 10 best colleges in the country for criminal justice.
10. Northeastern University School of Criminology and Criminal Justice
Northeastern University fosters a community of future law enforcement professionals with a faculty of nationally acclaimed professors.
Amy Farrell, Professor at Northeastern University’s School of Criminology and Criminal Justice, was recently bequeathed one of the highest honors in academia today. Lauded for her teaching, Farrell was recently named the Mentor of the Year Award by the Society of Criminology. Much of her work has been in researching and developing theses on human trafficking; she has been appointed to the Massachusetts Attorneys General Human Trafficking Policy Task Force.
Students of Northeastern University regularly graduate into the highest ranks of the criminology and law enforcement fields. Some recent students are now working at the Massachusetts Parole Board, the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG), and more positions in government.
Founded in 1967, Northeastern’s School of Criminology and Criminal Justice is among the most prestigious in the entire world for those wishing to pursue this complex, intricate field.
9. University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania has been a haven for high-level criminal justice research and education for decades; several generations of students interested in the theories and ethics behind law enforcement have sought instruction at the University of Pennsylvania.
In fact, the University of Pennsylvania has the oldest active program in criminology out of all American Universities, according to the school’s website.
Perhaps their most notable faculty member is DiIulio, a political scientist who has consulted with Barack Obama on restructuring the White House’s Faith Based Initiative.
UPenn is most noted for its graduate program in criminology, which, according to the school’s website, is an “interdisciplinary” approach to all significant aspects of criminology, combining theory, ethics, practices, and in-field research.
8. George Washington University
Located in Washington, D.C., George Washington University has many ties to the federal government agencies in its parent city, making it an ideal destination for Criminal Justice majors wishing to develop connections in the field with top criminologists and government employees while studying at a high level Criminology institution.
Rated by study.com as the #1 Criminal Justice program, GWU boasts some of the most accomplished criminal justice faculty in the country. Ronald Weitzer, who has been on the faculty at GWU for nearly 27 years, is a widely regarded expert in police-minority relations as well as human trafficking. His publications have been published by New York University Press, Cambridge University Press, and other collegiate publications.
George Washington University offers students the opportunity to study Criminal Justice as both a scholarship and as an employable practice. One of the best graduate programs in the country for Criminal Justice, students regularly find themselves employed in major positions throughout the country.
7. Saint Anselm College
Saint Anselm’s College of Criminal Justice is among the most successful of programs graduating students finding full-time employment. According the school’s website, 97% of the college’s Class of 2014 is either employed, in graduate school, working in internships, or volunteering.
The previous director of the United States Secret Service, Mark Sullivan, is one of the many distinguished alumni that have come from this school. Another noted alumnus of the school is Jim McDonnell, chief of police of Long Beach, California.
Perhaps the most favorable edge Saint Anselm has over competitor higher education Criminal Justice programs is the close relationship students have with the faculty at the school. The faculty work very closely and directly with their entire student body, ensuring maximal success and mentorship from teacher to student.
Additionally, the school also maintains an elite Criminal Justice internship program, providing students with hands-on experience in work related to their future careers.
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