Best Criminal Justice Colleges in Ohio (2026)
Updated
This page ranks the 22 colleges in Ohio that report earnings for their Criminal Justice graduates, ordered by median earnings of Criminal Justice graduates four years after completing. Tiffin University leads with $65,446, and the gap to second-ranked Xavier University is $4,831.
Across the 21 schools with a reported completion median, median earnings reach $53,386, with values spanning from $65,446 to $31,133.
The list includes 7 public and 15 private nonprofit institutions. University of Cincinnati-Main Campus ranks 250th 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.
Youngstown State University posts the lowest average net price at $12,767, and University of Dayton reports the highest six-year completion rate, graduating 80% of its students within six years.
The ranked list
| Rank | School | Median Criminal Justice Earnings | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tiffin University · Tiffin, OH | $65,446 | $26,500 | $24,278 | 80.1% |
| Tiffin University ranks 1st on this list, with median earnings of $65,446 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 (41 graduates), Criminal Justice and Corrections (36 graduates), Security Science and Technology (33 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting and Related Protective Services, Other ($71,296), Criminal Justice and Corrections ($66,059) | |||||
| 2 | Xavier University · Cincinnati, OH | $60,615 | $32,997 | $26,728 | 86.4% |
| Xavier University admits 86% of applicants and reports a six-year completion rate of 69%. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Criminal Justice and Corrections (22 graduates) | |||||
| 3 | University of Dayton · Dayton, OH | $60,583 | $29,533 | $21,736 | 65.5% |
| University of Dayton posts median earnings of $60,583 for its Criminal Justice graduates four years after completing, alongside an average net price of $29,533. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Criminal Justice and Corrections (39 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Criminal Justice and Corrections ($60,583) | |||||
| 4 | University of Akron Main Campus · Akron, OH | $59,384 | $13,946 | $10,413 | 59.7% |
| A public university in Akron, University of Akron Main Campus reports an average net price of $13,946 and a six-year completion rate of 52%. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Criminal Justice and Corrections (82 graduates), Security Science and Technology (22 graduates), Fire Protection (14 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Fire Protection ($71,482), Criminal Justice and Corrections ($57,319) | |||||
| 5 | Baldwin Wallace University · Berea, OH | $59,020 | $27,603 | $21,296 | 75.7% |
| Baldwin Wallace University ranks 5th on this list and reports median earnings of $59,020 for its Criminal Justice graduates four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Criminal Justice and Corrections (23 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Criminal Justice and Corrections ($59,020) | |||||
| 6 | University of Mount Union · Alliance, OH | $55,751 | $23,280 | $16,786 | 78.2% |
| University of Mount Union shows an average net price of $23,280 and an admission rate of 78%. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Criminal Justice and Corrections (20 graduates) | |||||
| 7 | Defiance College · Defiance, OH | $54,633 | $26,337 | $27,196 | 47.6% |
| Defiance College admits 48% of applicants and reports median earnings of $54,633 for its Criminal Justice graduates four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Criminal Justice and Corrections (9 graduates) | |||||
| 8 | University of Cincinnati-Main Campus · Cincinnati, OH | $54,231 | $25,648 | $17,974 | 85.3% |
| University of Cincinnati-Main Campus ranks 250th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions and graduates 75% of its students within six years. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Criminal Justice and Corrections (227 graduates), Fire Protection (7 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Criminal Justice and Corrections ($54,231) | |||||
| 9 | University of Toledo · Toledo, OH | $53,585 | $17,249 | $13,524 | 92.0% |
| Median earnings of $53,585 for its Criminal Justice graduates four years after completing coincide with an average net price of $17,249 at University of Toledo. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Criminal Justice and Corrections (107 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Criminal Justice and Corrections ($53,585) | |||||
| 10 | Ohio Christian University · Circleville, OH | $53,480 | $20,607 | $22,113 | 38.0% |
| Ohio Christian University admits 38% of applicants and posts a six-year completion rate of 34%. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Criminal Justice and Corrections (10 graduates) | |||||
| 11 | Ashland University · Ashland, OH | $53,386 | $21,988 | $16,489 | 76.4% |
| Ashland University reports median earnings of $53,386 for its Criminal Justice graduates four years after completing, matching the list median of $53,386. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Criminal Justice and Corrections (21 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Criminal Justice and Corrections ($53,386) | |||||
| 12 | Ohio Northern University · Ada, OH | $52,606 | $24,478 | $18,525 | 74.4% |
| Ohio Northern University shows a six-year completion rate of 75% and an average net price of $24,478. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Criminal Justice and Corrections (16 graduates), Security Science and Technology (7 graduates) | |||||
| 13 | Bowling Green State University-Main Campus · Bowling Green, OH | $52,068 | $24,022 | $18,396 | 81.0% |
| Bowling Green State University-Main Campus reports $52,068 in median earnings of Criminal Justice graduates four years after completing and an average net price of $24,022. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Criminal Justice and Corrections (111 graduates), Fire Protection (17 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Criminal Justice and Corrections ($52,068) | |||||
| 14 | Youngstown State University · Youngstown, OH | $51,827 | $12,767 | $9,328 | 84.5% |
| Youngstown State University carries the lowest average net price on the list at $12,767 and graduates 50% of its students within six years. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Criminal Justice and Corrections (129 graduates), Security Science and Technology (12 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Criminal Justice and Corrections ($52,574) | |||||
| 15 | Muskingum University · New Concord, OH | $51,445 | $19,532 | $14,684 | 81.8% |
| A private nonprofit university in New Concord, Muskingum University admits 82% of applicants and reports a six-year completion rate of 56%. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Criminal Justice and Corrections (18 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Criminal Justice and Corrections ($51,445) | |||||
| 16 | Lake Erie College · Painesville, OH | $49,426 | $20,961 | $20,195 | 70.4% |
| Lake Erie College posts $49,426 in median earnings of Criminal Justice graduates four years after completing alongside a six-year completion rate of 38%. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Criminal Justice and Corrections (8 graduates) | |||||
| 17 | Kent State University at Kent · Kent, OH | $48,569 | $20,787 | $15,280 | 86.3% |
| Kent State University at Kent ranks 17th on this list and reports an average net price of $15,280 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Criminal Justice and Corrections (173 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Criminal Justice and Corrections ($48,569) | |||||
| 18 | Central State University · Wilberforce, OH | $46,914 | $13,096 | $19,581 | 98.6% |
| Central State University admits 99% of applicants, the most open admission rate on the page, and reports $46,914 in median earnings of Criminal Justice graduates four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Criminal Justice and Corrections (112 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Criminal Justice and Corrections ($46,914) | |||||
| 19 | The University of Findlay · Findlay, OH | $39,009 | $27,221 | $22,052 | 83.4% |
| The University of Findlay reports $39,009 in median earnings of Criminal Justice graduates two years after completing and an average net price of $27,221. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Criminal Justice and Corrections (18 graduates), Security Science and Technology (10 graduates) | |||||
| 20 | Mount Vernon Nazarene University · Mount Vernon, OH | $35,416 | $22,421 | $22,358 | 84.2% |
| Mount Vernon Nazarene University graduates 68% of its students within six years and reports $35,416 in median earnings of Criminal Justice graduates two years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Criminal Justice and Corrections (7 graduates) | |||||
| 21 | Lourdes University · Sylvania, OH | $31,305 | $23,206 | $22,220 | 74.1% |
| Lourdes University ranks 21st on this list with $31,305 in median earnings of Criminal Justice graduates two years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Criminal Justice and Corrections (9 graduates) | |||||
| 22 | Wilmington College · Wilmington, OH | $31,133 | $24,153 | $19,820 | 92.4% |
| Wilmington College reports $31,133 in median earnings of Criminal Justice graduates two years after completing and an average net price of $19,820 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Criminal Justice and Corrections (12 graduates) | |||||
How this list is ordered
Schools are ordered by the median earnings of their Criminal Justice graduates four years after completing, or two years for programs that report only a two-year figure, highest first. The figure captures federally aided completers who were working and not enrolled after completing. For 4 of the 22 listed programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one. The metric does not adjust for graduate school enrollment, cost, or who enrolls, and it is not a measure of teaching quality. The figures cited on this page cover the 21 schools with a reported completion median. Tiffin University leads the list at $65,446, and the gap to second-ranked Xavier University is $4,831.
Job market context in Ohio
The occupations linked to Criminal Justice in Ohio include roles such as Security Guards, Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officers, and Firefighters. Across those occupations the median annual wage is $61,964, and a quarter of workers in those occupations earn less than $49,608. State projections for 2024 to 2034 count about 13,980 openings a year, or about 888 openings a year for every hundred graduates, with more projected openings than graduates. Projections for 2024 to 2034 put employment in those occupations about -0.1% lower. Wages and top occupations exclude management occupations; openings include them. The ranking above uses the median earnings of Criminal Justice graduates four years after completing; the market figures describe the broader occupations, and the two are not the same measure.
Related rankings
- Criminal Justice Colleges
- Best Colleges in Ohio
- Best Criminal Justice Colleges in New York
- Best Criminal Justice Colleges in Texas
- Best Criminal Justice Colleges in Florida
- Best Criminal Justice Colleges in Georgia
- Criminal Justice Colleges in Ohio for Social Mobility