We use a unique methodology for ranking criminal justice programs. On this page, readers can explore the criteria we use and find information on our sources.
When ranking criminal justice programs, we consider four main criteria: academics, affordability, reputation, and program availability and online flexibility. Each point includes 2-4 subfactors. For example, when considering a school's reputation, we account for the percentage of applicants admitted, admissions yield, and return on investment. This page describes each subfactor in detail below.
Our approach to school rankings centers issues that prospective students prioritize in their search for the right criminal justice program. Academic credibility matters when students enter the job market. A program needs to prepare them for success in the field without requiring them to incur a debilitating amount of debt.
Degree-seekers should feel confident about the expertise of a program's faculty and the success of each program's alumni. They must also understand the financial aid opportunities available and the debt students typically face after graduation.
No outside influences impact our ranking methodology for criminal justice schools. Schools cannot pay for a spot on the list. Though we partner with advertisers on our websites, we do not consider those relationships when ranking programs. We compile all of our data from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a federal agency that collects, analyzes, and publishes statistics about education in the United States.
About the Data We Use
A division of the U.S. Department of Education, the NCES studies educational data across the nation and around the world. They gather, assess, and report on their findings, making the information publicly available. The information collected by the NCES covers early childhood, elementary, secondary, and postsecondary education. The agency also looks at areas of education like SAT and ACT scores, subject-by-subject trends, and adult literacy.
As a federal agency, the NCES provides reliable information and educational statistics. They offer a variety of tools including a college navigator, public and private school search engines, and a bibliography section with education-based journal articles. The NCES website also provides a data lab with resources on financial information, faculty, and enrollment for various schools.
Through the NCES's Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), we sort through a wealth of educational data. We look up specific institutions and analyze trends in enrollment, graduation rates, staff, and financial aid, and compare details side by side. IPEDS provides statistical tables, summary tables, graphic representations of institutional data, and archived information.
By studying this data, we rank criminal justice programs according to the specific requirements of this website. Our methodology also includes a round of quality assurance, in which the team eliminates schools that do not meet our standards. We also eliminate schools that do not provide enough data about their programs.
Because students need current information, we regularly update our rankings. This involves a thorough reranking, rather than a cursory refresh. During this process, we assess every list again, and readers can expect brand-new rankings for 2021. Generally, this process repeats on an annual basis, though we sometimes redo rankings if significant new data surfaces. For smaller niches, the rankings may update less frequently.
As of Nov. 3, 2020, IPEDS has released only a portion of its updated school data for 2020. Our rankings on this site use the most current data available at the time of publication.
A Breakdown of Our Rankings Methodology
Choosing the right methodology factors ensures that we present lists of quality programs.
With solid academic backgrounds, students can enter the job market with confidence or qualify for advancement opportunities. Affordability helps students receive a good return on investment; reputation offers a measure of confidence in program strength; and flexibility makes it easier to earn a degree under a variety of personal circumstances.
Explore the pie charts below to see how we weigh each factor differently as we rank programs, depending on the degree type.
About Our Ranking Factors
Within each weighted factor category, we consider subfactors, which we weigh to determine each category score. By weighting each subfactor separately, we prioritize the most relevant aspects of each category.
We use IPEDS data to determine the scores for each subfactor.