Written by Holland Webb | Edited by Lauren Mastbaum
Updated February 21, 2024
Hoping to land a career in law enforcement, corrections, or legal services? An online criminal justice degree program can teach you everything you need to know about the justice system, legal processes, and criminology.
Studying online is a flexible, accessible way to get the credentials you need for well-paying jobs in the field. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), detectives and criminal investigators earned an average annual wage of $91,610 in 2022.
Keep reading to discover the best online criminal justice programs in 2024.
Top Online Criminal Justice Programs
| Rank | School Name | School Logo | City | Cost | Address & Contact Info | School Links | Acclaim for Online Programs | School Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Arkansas at Little Rock | Little Rock | $$$$$ | 2801 S University Ave Little Rock, AR 72204 (501) 569-3000 | School Profile | Cost per Credit: In-State | $292 Out-of-State | $292 Credits to Graduate: 120 UA Little Rock's BA in criminal justice teaches criminal behavior, administration, and criminal issues through theory study and hands-on practice. The program offers accelerated seven-week courses, which allow students to finish the degree within four years. The criminal justice curriculum includes five mandatory courses and five major electives. Elective choices include criminal evidence, cybercrime, and criminal law. Students may complete a relevant internship for up to six credits with the approval of an instructor. | ||
| 2 | Franklin University | Columbus | $$$$$ | 201 S Grant Ave Columbus, OH 43215 (614) 797-4700 | School Website | Cost per Credit: In-State | $398 Out-of-State | $398 Credits to Graduate: 120 Franklin offers a BS in criminal justice administration that teaches crime control theories, justice systems, and modern technologies used by law enforcement. The school focuses on educating students through classes, virtual field trips, guest speakers, and accounts from offenders. Attendees will obtain hands-on experience by completing case studies. The program offers six-week classes that can be taken one at a time. The institution guarantees that a student's tuition rate will remain unchanged from enrollment to graduation. | ||
| 3 | Campbellsville University | Campbellsville | $$$$$ | 1 University Dr Campbellsville, KY 42718-2799 (270) 789-50005000 | School Profile | Cost per Credit: In-State | $424 Out-of-State | $424 Credits to Graduate: 120 CU offers an undergraduate degree in criminal justice administration that covers criminology, victimology, and law enforcement. The program emphasizes the importance of critical thinking, ethics, and human interaction in criminal justice. Enrollees study the theories of criminology and investigate police operations. The curriculum's required core courses include criminal justice administration, criminology, and a senior seminar. Attendees must also attend at least one course in business, psychology, and sociology. | ||
| 4 | Southeastern Louisiana University | Hammond | $$$$$ | 548 Ned McGehee Ave. Hammond, LA 70402 (985) 549-2000 | School Profile | Cost per Credit: In-State | $375 Out-of-State | $375 Credits to Graduate: 120 Southeastern's BA in criminal justice provides a fundamental understanding of criminal behavior, the sociological roots of crime, and criminal justice principles. The school recommends enrollees pursue interests outside the classroom, including an internship, undergraduate research, and student associations. Advanced learners can sign up for the school's honor curriculum. The program's general curriculum includes mandatory criminal justice courses, including the American judicial process, juvenile delinquency, and criminology. Students can also take six electives in criminal justice topics. | ||
| 5 | Ashland University | Ashland | $$$$$ | 401 College Avenue Ashland, OH 44805 (800) 882-1548 | School Profile | Cost per Credit: In-State | $395 Out-of-State | $395 Credits to Graduate: 120 Ashland's criminal justice program provides an understanding of criminology through a curriculum developed by experts in law enforcement, law, and forensic science. Attendees can learn through traditional classes, expert speakers, and professional meetings. Students must choose a concentration among general criminal justice, law enforcement administration, correctional administration, criminology, or legal studies. Enrollees can earn a police certification simultaneously by attending a police academy. Individuals with prior relevant work and life experience can receive up to 30 credits via a prior learning assessment portfolio. | ||
| 6 | Lewis University | Romeoville | $$$$$ | One University Parkway Romeoville, IL 60446-2200 (815) 838-0500 | School Profile | Cost per Credit: In-State | $445 Out-of-State | $445 Credits to Graduate: 128 Lewis provides an accelerated online BA in criminal justice for individuals interested in a career involving social justice, public safety, or criminology. The program covers the topics of justice policies, ethical issues, and community-oriented policing. The curriculum offers eight-week courses and is designed for adults and working professionals. Students can obtain a master's in criminal justice with an additional year of studying through the school's BA-to-MS program. Enrollees must complete 90 credit hours with a GPA of 3.0 or higher to qualify for the program. | ||
| 7 | Georgia State University | Atlanta | $$$$$ | 33 gilmer st Atlanta, GA 30303-3083 (404) 413-2000 | School Profile | Cost per Credit: In-State | $298 Out-of-State | $933 Credits to Graduate: 120 Georgia State's online bachelor's in criminal justice mixes the ideas of traditional criminal justice with modern technology and theories. The degree offers two concentrations: crime and justice or legal studies. Students may also pursue a minor in digital criminology. All attendees must complete a senior-year internship through one of the 350 approved participating agencies. Students can choose from internships in police, law, mental health, and more. Digital criminology minors must also complete a capstone project involving analytics and forecasting. | ||
| 8 | Methodist University | Fayetteville | $$$$$ | 5400 Ramsey St Fayetteville, NC 28311 (910) 630-7000 | School Website | Cost per Credit: In-State | $435 Out-of-State | $435 Credits to Graduate: 124 MU offers a BS in criminal justice that discusses the causes and behaviors that lead to criminality. The program's hands-on approach teaches through online courses, a practicum, and weekly seminars. Attendees can pursue an online minor in accounting, business administration, or marketing. The program's capstone course provides an opportunity for students to display their accumulated knowledge and research skills. Applicants can apply by completing the online application and submitting official transcripts. The school accepts up to 93 transfer credits. | ||
| 9 | Texas A&M University - Commerce | Commerce | $$$$$ | 2600 South Neal Commerce, TX 75429-3011 (888) 868-2682 | School Profile | Cost per Credit: In-State | $67 Out-of-State | $133 Credits to Graduate: 120 A&M Commerce offers a BS in criminal justice with an emphasis in law enforcement leadership for working professionals to learn about ethical policing, community trust-building, and digital crimes. The asynchronous courses allow attendees to complete assignments at their own pace. The program offers up to 30 credits for prior work experience or law enforcement training. Applicants to this major must have completed 30 credit hours of criminal justice coursework through work experience, a community college, or the school's traditional format courses. | ||
| 10 | United Tribes Technical College | Bismarck | $$$$$ | 3315 University Drive Bismarck, ND 58504 (701) 255-3285 | School Website | Cost per Credit: In-State | $115-200 Out-of-State | $115-200 Credits to Graduate: 121 UTTC's BS in criminal justice programprovides an understanding of professional conduct for law enforcement, criminology theory, and the technology used in relevant careers. The curriculum covers the same courses as the school's associate degree in criminal justice but adds on an additional two years of education. Enrollees take core courses including media relations, community policing, and court processing. Applicants must complete an online form and submit official transcripts, ACT test scores, a photo ID, and immunization records. Individuals must also submit to a background check, which has a $70 fee. |
Delivery Formats for Online Criminal Justice Degrees
Studying online is not a uniform experience. How you learn depends on how your institution delivers its coursework. Popular delivery formats for online criminal justice degree programs include:
- Hybrid Learning: A hybrit format consists of in-person learning experiences alongside online courses. In some programs, these meetings occur at assigned times and locations. In others, you might take a few classes online and others in person. Internships are not considered in-person learning, so an online program could require an internship.
- Online Learning: If a degree is offered 100% online, you do not have to spend time on campus. Online degrees can be synchronous, asynchronous, or a blend of the two.
- Synchronous: In a synchronous online class, you and other students meet together with your professor in an online classroom at a scheduled time. Synchronous learning is much like in-person education, except you participate virtually.
- Asynchronous: In an asynchronous online class, students do not meet at an assigned time or place. Although the course may have a defined timeline and due dates, it maximizes flexibility and minimizes scheduling conflicts. In a 2022 survey by Anthology, an online learning company, 37% of students said they preferred fully asynchronous courses.
- Blended: Some classes comprise both synchronous and asynchronous learning experiences.
Accreditation for Online Criminal Justice Degrees
Many criminal justice organizations expect applicants to hold a degree from an accredited school. Accreditation gives your degree a marketability that non-accredited programs cannot match. In addition, many financial aid packages are only available to students attending accredited schools.
Not all accreditation is the same. An institutionally accredited school has been accredited by an agency that evaluates the whole institution. Institutional accreditors include the Higher Learning Commission and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. Institutional accreditation is the gold standard, and you should only consider programs at schools that are institutionally accredited.
Programmatic accreditation is for specific degrees or departments within a school. As of 2024, no agency accredits criminal justice programs. The Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences approves some degrees, but this agency is not a member of the Department of Education or the Council on Higher Education Accreditation.
In addition to accreditation, be sure to look for an online college with state authorization. You want to be sure that a school located in one state can teach students remotely in other states. State authorization protects you from potentially losing your federal financial aid support by attending a school not authorized to provide instruction in your state.
How Much Will an Online Criminal Justice Bachelor’s Cost?
According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), an online social or behavioral science degree such as criminal justice costs an average of $10,570 annually. In practice, costs can range from less than $160 to almost $1,500 per credit. Many factors impact prices, especially school prestige and location. Students usually pay the least at in-state public schools.
Some online programs charge in-state tuition, or only slightly more, to all learners regardless of state residence. Be aware, however, that online programs often charge extra per-credit, technology, or subscription fees on top of tuition.
Grants, scholarships, and student loans all can help pay for an online degree in criminal justice. Scholarships are usually privately funded and competitive, however, they do not need to be paid back. Grants are public funds awarded based on need. Like scholarships, they do not need to be paid back. Student loans, however, need to be repaid along with interest and possibly penalties.
Why Get Your Bachelor’s in Criminal Justice Online?
Online education offers students flexibility, and consequently, distance learning is increasingly popular. Online learning’s benefits may include:
- Flexibility: You have much more discretion over when to complete your assignments than an on-campus learner has.
- Lower Costs: Online degrees often cost less than campus-based programs.
- Accountability: Without a professor or classmates nearby, you take greater responsibility for your own learning.
However, some students find online degrees harder than traditional programs, and others simply miss the community aspect of the classroom. Before enrolling in an online criminal justice degree, ask yourself if the flexibility and savings are worth the added responsibility.
Questions About Online Criminal Programs
How long does it take to get a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice online?
Traditionally, a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice takes four years. However, by enrolling in an accelerated program, maximizing transfer credits, or taking courses year-round, you can shorten your time to graduation.
How much is an online degree in criminal justice?
According to NCES, the average annual tuition of an online social or behavioral science degree, such as criminal justice, stands at $10,570. Public schools typically charge lower tuition than private institutions, and colleges with high brand recognition may cost more than other schools.
Is criminal justice hard?
Criminal justice classes usually require a lot of reading and writing but are not especially difficult. You probably will not find yourself in tough, advanced STEM classes except for forensic science courses. Besides, criminal justice can be so interesting that it doesn’t feel hard.
Which is better: a BA or BS in criminal justice?
A BA in criminal justice can prepare you for a career in corrections, criminology, or law enforcement administration. However, a BS may be the better option if you aspire to be a fraud investigator, forensic scientist, or paralegal.