Inside Look at Online Criminal Justice Degrees

2020’s Best Online Schools for Criminal Justice

With more and more schools offering online criminal justice degrees, it’s more important than ever to make sure your program of choice has been properly vetted. Students should consider several factors when researching what school and program will best fit their needs. Flexibility, affordability, accreditation, and a well-rounded curriculum are all essential to picking the right program. Below you will find a list of rankings based not only on convenience, cost, and quality, but also on the factors most important to you, like study format, program length, graduation rate, and more. See which programs rank best according to your own set of academic needs.

Can You Get a Criminal Justice Degree Online?

Absolutely. Online criminal justice degree programs are extremely popular and are offered by a large number of both public and private colleges and universities throughout the U.S. Additionally, online programs are available for all degree levels with a variety of specialties to choose from. Here’s a breakdown of the various online criminal justice degree options out there, what they’re comprised of, who they’re best for, how long they’ll take to complete, and more.

Online Certificates in Criminal Justice

Criminal justice online schools offer certificate programs on both the undergraduate and graduate levels and serve different purposes for the students they cater to. There are two basic types of undergraduate criminal justice certificate programs. General studies certificates provide students with an introduction to the world of criminal justice and a foundational understanding of the criminal justice system’s three major branches: law enforcement, the courts, and corrections. Vocational subject certificates also provide introductory coursework, but focus on specific areas in the field, such as policing, corrections, or private security. Undergraduate certificates typically require a year or less of study to complete. Sometimes the right certificate may be all that’s required for certain entry-level positions in criminal justice. It is also not uncommon for credits earned in a certificate program to be applied to a criminal justice associate or even a bachelor’s degree program.

Graduate criminal justice certificate programs are geared toward currently-employed professionals seeking to advance their knowledge and hone their skills in a particular area within the criminal justice field. Examples of certificate subjects include criminal justice and criminology, homeland security, cybercrime investigation and cybersecurity, and security management. Most graduate-level criminal justice certificates require applicants to possess a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice or a closely related field and can typically be completed in a year or less.

Online Associate Degrees in Criminal Justice

Much like undergraduate certificate programs, online criminal justice associate degree programs are designed to provide students with the foundational knowledge of the criminal justice system, but with a more in-depth. Topics covered include crime scene investigation, police studies, corrections, ethics, and constitutional law.  Associate degree programs also include general education coursework in subjects such as math, science, history, sociology, and English composition. Programs are generally two years in length, but accelerated formats may be offered that can be completed in 18 months or less.

An associate degree in criminal justice helps prepare graduates for careers as investigators, and as police, probation and corrections officers. In most cases, credits earned may be applied to a criminal justice bachelor’s degree program.

Learn more about earning your associate degree in criminal justice online school.

Online Bachelor’s Degrees in Criminal Justice

Students who hold a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice are more likely to land better jobs, enjoy higher pay, and have more access to career advancement opportunities. A bachelor’s curriculum includes both general education and major-specific coursework in subject areas such as criminology, corrections, governmental policy, and crime prevention. Additionally, many programs offer a choice of concentrations that allow students to tailor their studies to better meet their personal, professional goals.

Online criminal justice bachelor’s degree programs typically require four years of full-time study. Accelerated programs, however, can be completed in substantially less time – two years or less in some cases – depending on the number of previously-earned college credits transferred into the program.

Online Master’s Degrees in Criminal Justice

The criminal justice master’s degree program is designed for experienced professionals interested in developing the knowledge, skills, and credentials necessary for advanced positions within the criminal justice field. A masters-level education prepares students for mid- and top-level jobs in leadership, management, and administration. Concentrations in areas such as crime analysis, cybersecurity, forensic science, and strategic management are offered by some programs, while others programs allow for students to customize their coursework to focus on a specific specialized area of interest.

Online master’s degree in criminal justice programs are available for both full-time and part-time study. Full-time programs typically require two years to finish, but some can be completed in 18 months or less, depending on the availability of previously-earned transferable college credits.  

Learn more about earning your master’s degree in criminal justice online.

Online Doctoral Degrees in Criminal Justice

Criminal justice doctoral degrees may be referred to by two titles: the Doctor of Criminal Justice (DCJ) and the PhD in Criminal Justice. Generally speaking, DCJ programs emphasize leadership and management skills to prepare students for top-tier administrative positions. PhD in Criminal Justice programs typically emphasize research, theory, and policy for students interested in careers in academic research, working on college campuses and in academic settings. However, not all online programs follow the same criteria, so it’s important to fully understand the focus of any program you’re considering, regardless of the degree title.

Online doctoral degree programs in criminal justice are intensive, highly competitive, and require applicants to hold a previously-earned master’s degree with a good grade point average. Students should expect to dedicate from three to five years to complete all coursework and dissertation requirements. A small number of online programs admit students with only a bachelor’s degree, but these programs typically take five to seven years for completion.

Learn more about earning your doctoral degree in criminal justice online.

How Do Online Criminal Justice Programs Work?

Online degree programs offer a convenient, quality alternative to traditional on-campus programs. Successful online study, however, requires self-discipline and strong time-management skills. If you’re lacking either of these qualities, an on-campus program may likely be the better choice for you. The subject of criminal justice is a good fit for distance learning, with all degree levels available with 100% fully-online coursework. However, not all programs deliver all of their coursework online, so check course delivery methods carefully before enrolling. Also, some programs include in-person fieldwork components, which we will discuss below.

Here’s a closer look at the various course and program formats and delivery methods used by online criminal justice degree programs:

Does an Online Degree in Criminal Justice Include Fieldwork?

Depending on the specific program, an in-person internship, field practicum, or a field experience component may be a requirement or option, but not necessarily. In most cases, online criminal justice undergraduate (both associate and bachelor’s) and master’s programs offer fieldwork as an option and participation are strongly encouraged. And while in-person residencies are a common requirement of online doctoral programs in criminal justice, field experience is not.

How Much Does an Online Criminal Justice Degree Cost?

Earning a criminal justice degree is an expensive pursuit. Costs can vary significantly, however, depending on the specific program and due to several factors (in-state vs. out-of-state student residency, public vs. private school, etc.) This chart provides examples of per-credit tuition costs (as of the summer of 2019) for five online criminal justice bachelor’s programs to give you an idea of what you might spend. Visit our pages for online associate, master’s, and doctoral criminal justice degrees for information on costs for those programs.

School Name	No. of Credits*	Cost/Credit**	Total Cost**
Bellevue University	127	$425	$53,975
Liberty University	120	$390 full-time (12 credits or more per semester); $455 part-time (less than 12 credits per semester)	$46,000 full-time; $54,600 part-time
North Carolina Central University	120	$144.29 in-state; $573.58 out-of-State	$17,314.80 in-state; $68,829.60 out-of-state
Southern New Hampshire University	120	$225.00	$27,000
University of Arkansas at Little Rock	120	$280	$33,600

Discover more ways to learn about paying for college by reading our guides on financial aid and scholarships.

Career Outlook for a Criminal Justice Graduate

In broad terms, criminal justice degrees are meant for individuals interested in careers in a wide range of criminal justice fields, including:

Career outlook varies substantially by specific occupation. For example, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Career Outlook Handbook, the 2016-2026 job growth estimate for police and detectives is 7%, while the job growth estimate for correctional officers and jailers is -7%.

To learn more, visit our what can you do with a criminal justice degree page.