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Best Criminal Justice Colleges in Massachusetts (2026)

Updated

This page ranks the 20 colleges in Massachusetts that report a Criminal Justice earnings cohort, ordered by the median earnings of Criminal Justice graduates four years after completing. Anna Maria College leads the list at $97,937, and the figures range from $97,937 down to $50,021, with a median of $64,292 across the 20 schools.

The list includes 8 public and 12 private nonprofit institutions. University of Massachusetts-Boston ranks 122nd on Azimuth's composite ranking among the 1,467 public and private nonprofit four-year institutions Azimuth ranks nationally, the strongest showing on the page.

Worcester State University posts the lowest average net price at $13,381, and Northeastern University reports the highest six-year completion rate at 91%.

The ranked list

20 schools in list order
RankSchoolMedian Criminal Justice EarningsAverage net priceNet price, families under $30KAdmission rate
1Anna Maria College · Paxton, MA$97,937$28,333$25,55450.3%
Anna Maria College reports $97,937 in median earnings for its Criminal Justice graduates four years after completing, and ranks 1st on this list.

Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Fire Protection (67 graduates), Criminal Justice and Corrections (37 graduates), Security Science and Technology (11 graduates)

Highest four-year median earnings by program: Fire Protection ($110,044)

2Massachusetts Maritime Academy · Buzzards Bay, MA$85,256$21,582$8,75794.7%
A public university in Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts Maritime Academy shows a six-year completion rate of 74% alongside median earnings of $85,256 for its Criminal Justice graduates four years after completing.

Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting and Related Protective Services, Other (62 graduates)

Highest four-year median earnings by program: Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting and Related Protective Services, Other ($85,256)

3Fisher College · Boston, MA$80,136$26,649$25,07170.7%
Fisher College admits 71% of applicants and posts median earnings of $80,136 for its Criminal Justice graduates four years after completing.

Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Criminal Justice and Corrections (24 graduates)

4Northeastern University · Boston, MA$77,477$30,915$2,2645.2%
With an admission rate of 5%, Northeastern University is the most selective school on the page and reports median earnings of $77,477 for its Criminal Justice graduates four years after completing.

Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Criminal Justice and Corrections (62 graduates)

Highest four-year median earnings by program: Criminal Justice and Corrections ($77,477)

5Nichols College · Dudley, MA$75,321$33,036$22,05480.8%
Nichols College has an average net price of $33,036 and median earnings of $75,321 for its Criminal Justice graduates four years after completing.

Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Criminal Justice and Corrections (32 graduates)

Highest four-year median earnings by program: Criminal Justice and Corrections ($75,321)

6Merrimack College · North Andover, MA$69,615$37,927$31,71070.0%
Merrimack College graduates 70% of its students within six years and reports median earnings of $69,615 for its Criminal Justice graduates four years after completing.

Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Criminal Justice and Corrections (66 graduates)

Highest four-year median earnings by program: Criminal Justice and Corrections ($69,615)

7Westfield State University · Westfield, MA$67,363$16,721$10,75181.4%
Westfield State University ranks 7th on this list, with median earnings of $67,363 for its Criminal Justice graduates four years after completing and an average net price of $16,721.

Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Criminal Justice and Corrections (151 graduates)

Highest four-year median earnings by program: Criminal Justice and Corrections ($67,363)

8University of Massachusetts-Lowell · Lowell, MA$66,258$17,163$9,94383.0%
University of Massachusetts-Lowell reports median earnings of $66,258 for its Criminal Justice graduates four years after completing, and its six-year completion rate is 65%.

Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Criminal Justice and Corrections (207 graduates)

Highest four-year median earnings by program: Criminal Justice and Corrections ($66,258)

9Worcester State University · Worcester, MA$65,588$13,381$8,79388.0%
Worcester State University holds the lowest average net price on the page at $13,381, alongside median earnings of $65,588 for its Criminal Justice graduates four years after completing.

Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Criminal Justice and Corrections (97 graduates)

Highest four-year median earnings by program: Criminal Justice and Corrections ($65,588)

10Curry College · Milton, MA$64,406$29,207$23,80687.7%
Curry College admits 88% of applicants and reports median earnings of $64,406 for its Criminal Justice graduates four years after completing.

Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Criminal Justice and Corrections (71 graduates)

Highest four-year median earnings by program: Criminal Justice and Corrections ($64,406)

11Bridgewater State University · Bridgewater, MA$64,178$16,383$10,00787.8%
Bridgewater State University posts median earnings of $64,178 for its Criminal Justice graduates four years after completing and an average net price of $16,383.

Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Criminal Justice and Corrections (164 graduates)

Highest four-year median earnings by program: Criminal Justice and Corrections ($64,178)

12Fitchburg State University · Fitchburg, MA$62,396$14,262$10,20486.9%
Fitchburg State University reports a six-year completion rate of 55% and median earnings of $62,396 for its Criminal Justice graduates four years after completing.

Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Criminal Justice and Corrections (75 graduates)

Highest four-year median earnings by program: Criminal Justice and Corrections ($62,396)

13University of Massachusetts-Boston · Boston, MA$62,222$17,707$14,07083.8%
University of Massachusetts-Boston ranks 13th on this list and 122nd on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions, with a six-year completion rate of 49%.

Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Criminal Justice and Corrections (145 graduates)

Highest four-year median earnings by program: Criminal Justice and Corrections ($62,222)

14Springfield College · Springfield, MA$60,494$30,587$22,51971.9%
Springfield College reports median earnings of $60,494 for its Criminal Justice graduates four years after completing, alongside an average net price of $30,587.

Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Criminal Justice and Corrections (15 graduates)

Highest four-year median earnings by program: Criminal Justice and Corrections ($60,494)

15Western New England University · Springfield, MA$60,486$27,290$20,72683.5%
With an admission rate of 83%, Western New England University admits 83% of applicants and graduates 64% of its students within six years.

Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Criminal Justice and Corrections (42 graduates)

16Salem State University · Salem, MA$59,774$15,996$10,51695.9%
Salem State University, a public university in Salem, posts an average net price of $15,996 and median earnings of $59,774 for its Criminal Justice graduates four years after completing.

Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Criminal Justice and Corrections (81 graduates), Fire Protection (10 graduates)

Highest four-year median earnings by program: Criminal Justice and Corrections ($59,774)

17Endicott College · Beverly, MA$58,605$40,654$29,78071.2%
Endicott College graduates 76% within six years and reports median earnings of $58,605 for its Criminal Justice graduates four years after completing.

Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Criminal Justice and Corrections (27 graduates)

Highest four-year median earnings by program: Criminal Justice and Corrections ($58,605)

18Bay Path University · Longmeadow, MA$56,262$14,271$11,94885.2%
Bay Path University reports median earnings of $56,262 for its Criminal Justice graduates four years after completing, and an average net price of $11,948 for families earning under $30,000.

Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Security Science and Technology (16 graduates), Criminal Justice and Corrections (5 graduates)

Highest four-year median earnings by program: Security Science and Technology ($56,262)

19College of Our Lady of the Elms · Chicopee, MA$56,168$17,545$8,09985.3%
College of Our Lady of the Elms ranks 19th on this list and 597th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions, with a six-year completion rate of 68%.

Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Criminal Justice and Corrections (14 graduates)

20American International College · Springfield, MA$50,021$23,274$24,43799.6%
American International College admits 100% of applicants and reports median earnings of $50,021 for its Criminal Justice graduates four years after completing.

Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Criminal Justice and Corrections (29 graduates)

Highest four-year median earnings by program: Criminal Justice and Corrections ($50,021)

How this list is ordered

Schools are ordered by the median earnings of their Criminal Justice graduates four years after completing, highest first. The figure captures federally aided completers who were working and not enrolled four years after finishing the program. It does not adjust for graduate school enrollment, cost, or who enrolls, and it is not a measure of teaching quality. Anna Maria College leads the list at $97,937, and the gap to second-ranked Massachusetts Maritime Academy is $12,681.

Job market context in Massachusetts

Criminal Justice graduates in Massachusetts enter a labor market linked to occupations such as Security Guards, Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officers, and Firefighters. Across those occupations the median annual wage is $76,167, and a quarter of workers in those occupations earn less than $63,550. Projections for 2024 to 2034 show about 11,270 openings a year, or about 712 openings a year for every hundred graduates, with more projected openings than graduates. Projections for 2024 to 2034 put employment in those occupations about 2.8% higher. Wages and top occupations exclude management occupations; openings include them. The ranking above uses graduate earnings four years after completing; the market figures describe the broader occupations and are not the same measure.

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