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# Best Criminology Programs in the United States (2026)

Updated September 30, 2026

This page ranks 110 Criminology programs in the United States by the median earnings of Criminology graduates four years after completing. [University of Miami](/school/university-of-miami/majors/) leads the list with median earnings of $70,461 four years after completing.

Across the listed schools, the median figure is $55,413, with a range from $70,461 to $28,212. For 8 of the 110 programs the earnings figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one.

The list includes 54 public and 56 private nonprofit schools. CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice reports the lowest average net price at $3,203.

University of California-Irvine ranks 12th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions.

## The ranked list

Top 25 of 110 schools in list order

| Rank | School | Program Earnings | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | University of Miami · Coral Gables, FL | $70,461 | $37,244 | $15,978 | 18.9% |
|  | [University of Miami](/school/university-of-miami/majors/) reports [median earnings of $70,461](/school/university-of-miami/outcomes/) for its Criminology graduates four years after completing, the highest on this list. |
| 2 | University of St Thomas · Saint Paul, MN | $70,419 | $29,155 | $28,131 | 85.4% |
|  | With an admission rate of 85%, University of St Thomas posts median earnings of $70,419 for its Criminology graduates four years after completing. |
| 3 | Saint Anselm College · Manchester, NH | $69,676 | $34,779 | $25,143 | 78.1% |
|  | Saint Anselm College ranks 3rd on this list, with median earnings of $69,676 for its Criminology graduates four years after completing and a cohort of 48 graduates. |
| 4 | Gonzaga University · Spokane, WA | $68,190 | $35,119 | $20,833 | 81.7% |
|  | Gonzaga University shows median federal debt of $21,488 among Criminology completers who borrowed, alongside median earnings of $68,190 four years after completing. |
| 5 | Assumption University · Worcester, MA | $67,883 | $29,498 | $19,885 | 83.0% |
|  | An average net price of $29,498 coincides with median earnings of $67,883 for Criminology graduates of Assumption University four years after completing. |
| 6 | Emmanuel College · Boston, MA | $67,814 | $26,706 | $20,399 | 75.7% |
|  | Emmanuel College ranks 1121st on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions and posts median earnings of $67,814 for its Criminology graduates four years after completing. |
| 7 | University of Maryland-College Park · College Park, MD | $67,258 | $15,678 | $2,962 | 44.8% |
|  | [University of Maryland-College Park](/school/university-of-maryland-college-park/majors/), a public university in College Park, reports [median earnings of $67,258](/school/university-of-maryland-college-park/outcomes/) for its Criminology graduates four years after completing and an average net price of $15,678. |
| 8 | Maryville University of Saint Louis · Saint Louis, MO | $66,612 | $22,066 | $16,528 | 95.1% |
|  | Graduates across all fields who borrowed left [Maryville University of Saint Louis](/school/maryville-university-of-saint-louis/majors/) with a [median of $22,000](/school/maryville-university-of-saint-louis/outcomes/) in federal loans, while its Criminology graduates earned a median of $66,612 four years after completing. |
| 9 | University of Nevada-Reno · Reno, NV | $66,273 | $15,927 | $12,674 | 73.7% |
|  | [University of Nevada-Reno](/school/university-of-nevada-reno/majors/) [admits 74% of applicants](/school/university-of-nevada-reno/admissions/) and reports median earnings of $66,273 for its Criminology graduates four years after completing. |
| 10 | Le Moyne College · Syracuse, NY | $65,956 | $22,277 | $14,535 | 83.0% |
|  | [Le Moyne College](/school/le-moyne-college/majors/) ranks 10th on this list, with [median earnings of $65,956](/school/le-moyne-college/outcomes/) for its Criminology graduates four years after completing and an average net price of $22,277. |
| 11 | Stonehill College · Easton, MA | $64,957 | $33,016 | $23,605 | 66.3% |
|  | Stonehill College shows median federal debt of $25,000 among Criminology completers who borrowed, alongside median earnings of $64,957 four years after completing. |
| 12 | Pacific University · Forest Grove, OR | $64,029 | $35,273 | $23,318 | 89.6% |
|  | Pacific University reports median earnings of $64,029 for its Criminology graduates four years after completing, and graduates across all fields who borrowed left with a median of $23,223 in federal loans. |
| 13 | Valparaiso University · Valparaiso, IN | $63,772 | $18,578 | $11,043 | 89.4% |
|  | [Valparaiso University](/school/valparaiso-university/majors/) reports [median earnings of $63,772](/school/valparaiso-university/outcomes/) for its Criminology graduates four years after completing, alongside an average net price of $11,043 for families earning under $30,000. |
| 14 | University of Delaware · Newark, DE | $63,553 | $17,799 | $10,901 | 70.6% |
|  | [University of Delaware](/school/university-of-delaware/majors/) [admits 71% of applicants](/school/university-of-delaware/admissions/) and its Criminology completers who borrowed left with a median of $23,375 in federal loans. |
| 15 | University of Wisconsin-Whitewater · Whitewater, WI | $63,365 | $14,158 | $8,440 | 85.7% |
|  | With [median earnings of $63,365](/school/university-of-wisconsin-whitewater/outcomes/) for its Criminology graduates four years after completing, [University of Wisconsin-Whitewater](/school/university-of-wisconsin-whitewater/majors/) ranks 15th on this list. |
| 16 | Regis University · Denver, CO | $63,255 | $18,397 | $13,713 | 86.5% |
|  | A private nonprofit university in Denver, Regis University posts an average net price of $18,397 and a median of $28,332 in federal debt among Criminology completers who borrowed. |
| 17 | Central Connecticut State University · New Britain, CT | $61,950 | $16,857 | $13,589 | 73.3% |
|  | [Central Connecticut State University](/school/central-connecticut-state-university/majors/) sits at 175th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions and reports [median earnings of $61,950](/school/central-connecticut-state-university/outcomes/) for its Criminology graduates four years after completing. |
| 18 | Lycoming College · Williamsport, PA | $61,144 | $19,140 | $12,151 | 74.1% |
|  | Lycoming College shows an admission rate of 74% and an average net price of $12,151 for families earning under $30,000. |
| 19 | Niagara University · Niagara University, NY | $60,995 | $17,248 | $9,564 | 87.4% |
|  | Niagara University ranks 19th on this list, with median federal debt of $26,997 among its Criminology completers who borrowed. |
| 20 | University of Iowa · Iowa City, IA | $60,947 | $22,531 | $15,316 | 83.6% |
|  | [University of Iowa](/school/university-of-iowa/majors/) reports [median earnings of $60,947](/school/university-of-iowa/outcomes/) for its Criminology graduates four years after completing, alongside an average net price of $22,531. |
| 21 | Hamline University · Saint Paul, MN | $60,757 | $20,744 | $15,371 | 87.6% |
|  | [Hamline University](/school/hamline-university/majors/) [admits 88% of applicants](/school/hamline-university/admissions/) and its Criminology graduates four years after completing earn a median of $60,757. |
| 22 | The University of Tampa · Tampa, FL | $60,742 | $36,211 | $30,011 | 40.3% |
|  | [The University of Tampa](/school/the-university-of-tampa/majors/) [ranks 1089th on Azimuth's composite ranking](/school/the-university-of-tampa/) among nonprofit four-year institutions, with an admission rate of 40%. |
| 23 | Hofstra University · Hempstead, NY | $60,697 | $34,176 | $28,219 | 68.1% |
|  | [Hofstra University](/school/hofstra-university/majors/) posts an [average net price of $28,219](/school/hofstra-university/cost/) for families earning under $30,000 and median federal debt of $25,250 among Criminology completers who borrowed. |
| 24 | St. John Fisher University · Rochester, NY | $60,481 | $28,945 | $16,054 | 66.4% |
|  | St. John Fisher University ranks 24th on this list, with median earnings of $60,481 for its Criminology graduates four years after completing. |
| 25 | Mount St. Mary's University · Emmitsburg, MD | $60,428 | $22,655 | $11,603 | 73.8% |
|  | Mount St. Mary's University reports median earnings of $60,428 for its Criminology graduates four years after completing, alongside an average net price of $22,655. |

Continue by region[Best Criminology Programs in the Midwest](/rankings/best-criminology-programs-in-the-midwest/)[Top Criminology Programs in the Northeast by Earnings](/rankings/best-criminology-programs-in-the-northeast/)[Best Criminology Programs in the South](/rankings/best-criminology-programs-in-the-south/)[Best Criminology Programs in the West](/rankings/best-criminology-programs-in-the-west/)

## How this list is ordered

Programs are ordered by the median earnings of their Criminology graduates four years after completing, highest first. Only programs with a reported earnings cohort in the United States appear. The figure captures federally aided completers who were working and not enrolled four years after finishing. For 8 of the 110 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 gap between University of Miami and University of St Thomas is just $42.

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-   Social Sciences Colleges
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