Criminal justice associate degrees provide a solid foundation in areas like criminal law, juvenile justice, and homeland security. The degree offers excellent job prospects: The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects a 17% job growth forsocial service case managers and 10% job growth for paralegals and legal assistants between 2019 and 2029, much higher than growth projection for all occupations.
A criminal justice associate degree can be a promising stepping stone to a criminal justice career. Some students who complete an associate in criminal justice begin the job search process right after graduation, while others choose to pursue an additional two years of schooling to earn a bachelor's degree in the field.
The rankings below include detailed descriptions of the best associate in criminal justice programs. This page also discusses why prospective students may choose an associate in criminal justice, potential careers in the field for graduates, and how to choose the right criminal justice program.
Top 10 Best Criminal Justice Schools
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Explore program formats, transfer requirements, financial aid packages, and more by contacting the schools below.
Why Get an Associate Degree in Criminal Justice?
Criminal justice is the interdisciplinary academic study of law enforcement, criminal courts, correctional facilities, and juvenile justice agencies.
Studying full time, an associate in criminal justice typically takes two years to complete, enabling graduates to secure jobs and earn salaries more quickly than those opting for bachelor's degrees. Below, we describe three key benefits of earning an associate in criminal justice:
Variety of Careers Graduates qualify for a variety of well-paying and rewarding criminal justice associate degree jobs, including police officer, paralegal, forensic science technician, and social and human service assistant.
Increased Salary Potential Criminal justice jobs are often in demand and offer competitive salaries.
Possibility of Credit Transfer Most four-year colleges and universities allow criminal justice associate degree-holders to apply the 60 course credits from an associate degree toward a bachelor's degree in criminal justice.
Criminal Justice Associate Versus Bachelor's Degrees
Prospective criminal justice students may wonder how an associate in criminal justice differs from a bachelor's. Associate degrees in criminal justice are usually shorter and more succinct than bachelor's degrees in criminal justice. This condensed format may appeal to prospective learners who cannot commit to a four-year degree or who want to save on their bachelor's by taking an associate degree at a community college and then transferring to a four-year college.
The table below highlights the key differences between a bachelor's and an associate in criminal justice.
Comparing Associate and Bachelor's Degrees
| Criminal Justice Associate Degree | Criminal Justice Bachelor's Degree | |
|---|---|---|
| Degree Requirement | A high school degree | A high school degree |
| Minimum Unweighted GPA | 2.0 or higher | 2.0 or higher |
| Program Length | 2 years | 4 years |
| Number of Credits | 60 credits | 120 credits |
| Available Online | Yes | Yes |
| Possibility of Specializing | Yes | Yes |
The Top Associate in Criminal Justice Schools
This guide includes a ranking of the best 15 criminal justice associate degree programs for 2021. See the link below for more about our methods for assessing schools.
Jobs for Criminal Justice Associate Degree Graduates
Graduates with an associate in criminal justice can pursue a variety of rewarding careers. For many occupations in the field, The BLS reports median annual salaries higher than the national median of $39,810. For example, the median salary for paralegals was $51,740 as of 2019,and the median wage for forensic science technicians was $59,150 as of 2019.
Criminal justice professionals who earn licenses and certifications in their areas of expertise can expect even higher annual earnings.
Below we provide details about potential careers for criminal justice associate degree-holders, including police officer, paralegal, social service case manager, and forensic science technician.
What To Expect From Associate in Criminal Justice Programs
Criminal justice associate programs typically take two years to finish. Students complete 60 credits of coursework offering a foundational exploration of theoretical and practical criminal justice concerns. Some classes ask students to consider the history and efficacy of the legal and correctional institutions in the U.S., and others teach learners the real-world practices required for common criminal justice jobs.
Associate degrees typically cost much less than bachelor's degrees. Moreover, associate degree graduates are prepared to pursue further education or a variety of jobs in the criminal justice field, some of which pay double the median annual salary for all occupations.
The Admissions Process
To apply for a criminal justice associate degree, prospective students need to submit materials like a resume/CV, a statement of purpose, high school transcripts, and ACT/SAT scores. Students may be able to test out of certain required courses, allowing for faster completion of the program. Many degree-granting institutions require a minimum unweighted GPA of 2.0 or higher.
Degree and Concentration Options
Different programs offer different types of associate degrees in criminal justice. The three most common degrees are:
Associate of Arts
An AA tends to involve fewer STEM courses and more humanities and social science courses compared to the other associate degrees. Coursework completed during an AA can typically be applied toward a BA.
Associate of Science
An AS requires more STEM courses than an AA and fewer applied courses than an AAS. Coursework completed during an AS can usually be applied toward a BS.
Associate of Applied Science
An AAS requires more STEM courses than an AA, but a greater proportion of the AAS courses provide hands-on experience, thus preparing learners for a job immediately after graduation.
Some programs also offer coursework concentrations in subfields of criminal justice, including homeland security, criminology, and forensic science. These prepare graduates for more niche jobs in the field.
Popular Criminal Justice Courses
Most criminal justice curricula require students to take at least 30 credits of core courses in criminal law, criminal investigation, juvenile justice, and homeland security. Commonly offered electives include forensic science, corrections, and probation. Some programs also offer an optional internship, providing supervised training from seasoned professionals. Below, we describe some typical courses learners may encounter in a criminal justice associate degree program:
Criminal Correction
Criminal correction is typically a mandatory course in criminal justice curricula. This class examines the success of different types of criminal correction, such as incarceration, rehabilitation, and drug courts.
Criminal Law
In this class, students learn about the origin of the U.S. legal system, how to interpret and apply criminal statutes, and how to comply with the Bill of Rights.
Methods in Criminal Justice
A methods in criminal justice course is usually mandatory for learners on an associate of science track. In this class, enrollees gain insight into the methods of data acquisition and statistical analysis used to research the causes and distribution of crimes.
Juvenile Justice
Typically offered as an elective course, a class in juvenile justice focuses on the socioeconomic factors behind the high crime rates among minors in the U.S. Students learn methods for preventing juvenile crime and gain a deeper understanding of juveniles' enhanced need for rehabilitation.
How Much Will an Associate in Criminal Justice Cost?
The cost of a criminal justice associate degree varies by type of school (public or private), program format (online or in-person), and state residency. At public colleges and universities, out-of-state tuition tends to be substantially higher than in-state tuition. Out-of-state tuition is typically comparable to the tuition at private institutions.
Learners who plan to get a bachelor's in criminal justice can save money by completing the first two years of their degree at a community college, then transferring to a four-year college or university to complete the rest of their degree.
Students should consider other costs they may incur while earning an associate criminal justice degree. Costs to figure into the budget include the price of books, the cost of an internship, and potential loss of wages while studying. Learners opting for a standard on-campus degree may also incur extra living expenses. Financing options for a criminal justice associate degree include scholarships, student loans, and grants.
Choosing the Right Criminal Justice Program
Although we cannot ignore the importance of attending a highly ranked program, there are many other factors to consider. Here, we look at three such factors: institution-wide accreditation, program-specific accreditation, and program cost.
To ensure that you receive a quality education, make sure the institution you attend has been accredited. Nonprofit, academically focused colleges and universities are eligible for regional accreditation. Trade and vocational institutions may hold national accreditation, but credits from nationally accredited schools rarely transfer to four-year schools.
Program-specific accreditation also matters to the quality of a criminal justice program. The leading accreditation body for criminal justice education programs is the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences (ACJS). A stamp of approval from ACJS signals that the program offers education that meets set internal quality standards.
Finally, consider program costs. Weigh each school's tuition and seek out scholarships and grants that may help lower the out-of-pocket cost of attendance. If considering an online degree, seek out schools who charge in-state tuition to all learners as a way to save money.
Should You Get Your Associate Degree Online?
Earning an online criminal justice associate degree can be an attractive option for prospective students looking to cut costs or avoid relocating away from their career or family obligations.
Some online programs provide synchronous lectures, class discussions, and networking events, which give enrollees the opportunity to learn in real time. Other distance learning programs provide fully asynchronous courses, which enable students to listen to lectures and contribute to online message boards at their own pace.
Prospective learners who opt for online programs must consider whether they would prefer a synchronous or an asynchronous format. Students who value the increased flexibility of studying at their own pace may prefer fully asynchronous programs. Degree-seekers who strive in group settings where they can engage with teachers and peers in real time may lean toward synchronous programs.
