Most Selective Highest Earnings Best Value Free Tuition UK Universities

Best Schools for Criminology

Criminology graduates earn a median of $34,133 within two years of graduation, ranking #170 out of 292 tracked majors — 4% below the median across all fields. There are 108 colleges nationwide with tracked earnings for this major, producing 8,846 recent graduates.

Where you study matters: Lindenwood University graduates earn $59,883 while Universidad Ana G. Mendez-Gurabo Campus graduates earn $17,067 — a $42,816 difference. Factors like location, employer networks, co-op programs, and curriculum focus drive this gap.

Early career salary growth is moderate: Criminology graduates see an average 6% increase between year 1 and year 2 post-graduation, reflecting career advancement and skill development in the first years after college.

108
Schools
$34,133
Avg. 2yr Earnings
#170
of 292 Majors
8,846
Graduates

Public vs Private: Criminology

Public (53 schools)
$34,275
avg. 2yr earnings
Private (52 schools)
$34,082
avg. 2yr earnings

Public schools produce comparable or higher early earnings for Criminology, often at lower tuition — making them strong value options for this major.

Criminology by State

Pennsylvania
11 schools
$36,355
Ohio
9 schools
$34,163
Florida
8 schools
$30,514
New York
7 schools
$34,847
California
7 schools
$31,093
Texas
6 schools
$34,254
Massachusetts
5 schools
$37,243
Missouri
4 schools
$41,880

Top Criminology Schools by Graduate Earnings

#1
L

Lindenwood University

Saint Charles, MO · Private

$59,883
2yr Earnings
1yr: $38,594
Grads: 32
Acceptance: 65.9%
#2
R

Regis University

Denver, CO · Private

$48,823
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 87.3%
#3
S

Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia

Philadelphia, PA · Private

$47,260
2yr Earnings
1yr: $27,755
Grads: 23
Acceptance: 86.4%
#4
S

Saint Anselm College

Manchester, NH · Private

$45,696
2yr Earnings
1yr: $41,099
Grads: 58
Acceptance: 78.3%
#5
U

University of Maryland-College Park

College Park, MD · Public

$43,585
2yr Earnings
1yr: $36,992
Grads: 357
Acceptance: 44.8%
#6
N

National Louis University

Chicago, IL · Private

$42,682
2yr Earnings
1yr: $33,099
Grads: 35
Acceptance: 93.1%
#7
B

Briar Cliff University

Sioux City, IA ·

$42,682
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: N/A
#8
U

University of Southern Maine

Portland, ME · Public

$41,565
2yr Earnings
1yr: $38,634
Grads: 42
Acceptance: 79.3%
#9
T

The University of Texas Permian Basin

Odessa, TX · Public

$41,193
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 84.5%
#10
L

Lebanon Valley College

Annville, PA · Private

$41,007
2yr Earnings
1yr: $25,491
Grads: 16
Acceptance: 74.5%
#11
M

Maryville University of Saint Louis

Saint Louis, MO · Private

$40,485
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 93.7%
#12
U

University of Saint Mary

Leavenworth, KS · Private

$40,281
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 89.8%
#13
U

Upper Iowa University

Fayette, IA · Private

$40,089
2yr Earnings
1yr: $38,511
Grads: 68
Acceptance: 93.4%
#14
E

Elizabethtown College

Elizabethtown, PA · Private

$39,592
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 76.8%
#15
U

University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth

North Dartmouth, MA · Public

$39,153
2yr Earnings
1yr: $36,031
Grads: 117
Acceptance: 92.2%
#16
F

Fairleigh Dickinson University-Metropolitan Campus

Teaneck, NJ · Private

$39,153
2yr Earnings
1yr: $30,436
Grads: 51
Acceptance: 95.9%
#17
F

Fairleigh Dickinson University-Florham Campus

Madison, NJ · Private

$39,153
2yr Earnings
1yr: $30,436
Grads: 51
Acceptance: 95.3%
#18
U

University of Minnesota-Duluth

Duluth, MN · Public

$38,649
2yr Earnings
1yr: $37,919
Grads: 69
Acceptance: 81.8%
#19
E

Eastern Michigan University

Ypsilanti, MI · Public

$38,505
2yr Earnings
1yr: $35,159
Grads: 139
Acceptance: 81.3%
#20
U

University of Northern Iowa

Cedar Falls, IA · Public

$38,289
2yr Earnings
1yr: $34,892
Grads: 98
Acceptance: 94.4%
#21
S

St. John Fisher University

Rochester, NY · Private

$38,289
2yr Earnings
1yr: $30,359
Grads: 19
Acceptance: 67.8%
#22
N

North Carolina State University at Raleigh

Raleigh, NC · Public

$38,289
2yr Earnings
1yr: $34,305
Grads: 52
Acceptance: 39.9%
#23
O

Ohio State University-Mansfield Campus

Mansfield, OH ·

$37,808
2yr Earnings
1yr: $33,830
Grads: 220
Acceptance: N/A
#24
O

Ohio State University-Main Campus

Columbus, OH · Public

$37,808
2yr Earnings
1yr: $33,830
Grads: 220
Acceptance: 50.8%
#25
U

University of Massachusetts Global

Aliso Viejo, CA · Public

$37,671
2yr Earnings
1yr: $46,624
Grads: 73
Acceptance: N/A
#26
U

University of Houston-Clear Lake

Houston, TX · Public

$37,568
2yr Earnings
1yr: $33,207
Grads: 56
Acceptance: 75.3%
#27
L

Lasell University

Newton, MA · Private

$37,478
2yr Earnings
1yr: $41,517
Grads: 22
Acceptance: 82.3%
#28
M

Mount St. Mary's University

Emmitsburg, MD · Private

$37,363
2yr Earnings
1yr: $38,014
Grads: 44
Acceptance: 71.9%
#29
L

Le Moyne College

Syracuse, NY · Private

$37,208
2yr Earnings
1yr: $35,055
Grads: 37
Acceptance: 75.3%
#30
S

Suffolk University

Boston, MA · Private

$36,848
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 84.7%
#31
U

University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA · Private

$36,848
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 5.9%
#32
G

Gonzaga University

Spokane, WA · Private

$36,848
2yr Earnings
1yr: $34,393
Grads: 30
Acceptance: 76.0%
#33
F

Framingham State University

Framingham, MA · Public

$36,488
2yr Earnings
1yr: $36,904
Grads: 86
Acceptance: 84.9%
#34
A

Albright College

Reading, PA · Private

$36,312
2yr Earnings
1yr: $35,465
Grads: 20
Acceptance: 86.2%
#35
S

Stonehill College

Easton, MA · Private

$36,246
2yr Earnings
1yr: $40,224
Grads: 55
Acceptance: 72.6%
#36
U

University of Delaware

Newark, DE · Public

$35,774
2yr Earnings
1yr: $33,603
Grads: 149
Acceptance: 65.1%
#37
S

Saint Vincent College

Latrobe, PA · Private

$35,594
2yr Earnings
1yr: $31,548
Grads: 19
Acceptance: 59.1%
#38
I

Indiana State University

Terre Haute, IN · Public

$35,546
2yr Earnings
1yr: $33,773
Grads: 210
Acceptance: 91.5%
#39
M

Marquette University

Milwaukee, WI · Private

$35,518
2yr Earnings
1yr: $35,632
Grads: 70
Acceptance: 87.4%
#40
U

University of Minnesota-Twin Cities

Minneapolis, MN · Public

$35,416
2yr Earnings
1yr: $35,727
Grads: 138
Acceptance: 77.0%
#41
E

Eastern Washington University

Cheney, WA · Public

$35,327
2yr Earnings
1yr: $31,680
Grads: 96
Acceptance: 91.8%
#42
V

Valparaiso University

Valparaiso, IN · Private

$35,060
2yr Earnings
1yr: $29,415
Grads: 22
Acceptance: 92.2%
#43
C

Central Connecticut State University

New Britain, CT · Public

$34,823
2yr Earnings
1yr: $37,810
Grads: 189
Acceptance: 75.5%
#44
S

SUNY Old Westbury

Old Westbury, NY · Public

$34,621
2yr Earnings
1yr: $37,745
Grads: 78
Acceptance: 84.6%
#45
U

University of Florida

Gainesville, FL · Public

$34,603
2yr Earnings
1yr: $29,868
Grads: 168
Acceptance: 24.0%
#46
U

University of Florida-Online

Gainesville, FL · Public

$34,603
2yr Earnings
1yr: $29,868
Grads: 168
Acceptance: 64.4%
#47
N

Northern Arizona University

Flagstaff, AZ · Public

$34,348
2yr Earnings
1yr: $32,280
Grads: 318
Acceptance: 91.0%
#48
O

Ohio University-Main Campus

Athens, OH · Public

$34,206
2yr Earnings
1yr: $37,213
Grads: 76
Acceptance: 84.8%
#49
U

University of New Hampshire-Main Campus

Durham, NH · Public

$34,187
2yr Earnings
1yr: $38,438
Grads: 72
Acceptance: 86.9%
#50
C

CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice

New York, NY · Public

$34,090
2yr Earnings
1yr: $37,123
Grads: 310
Acceptance: 57.2%

Showing top 50 of 108 schools. View all or filter by state above.

Majors with Similar Earnings

Political Science and Government $34,411 Germanic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics $34,305 Design and Applied Arts $34,275 Public Health $34,211 Social Sciences, General $34,170 Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs, Other $34,103

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best school for Criminology?
Lindenwood University ranks #1 for Criminology with median graduate earnings of $59,883 within two years. There are 108 schools nationwide offering this major with tracked earnings data.
How much do Criminology graduates earn?
Criminology graduates earn an average of $34,133 within two years of graduation. This is near the median across all majors. Earnings range from $17,067 to $59,883 depending on the school.
How hard is it to get into a top Criminology program?
The average acceptance rate across Criminology programs is 75.7%. The most selective program is at University of Pennsylvania with a 5.9% acceptance rate. Competitive programs value strong math/analytical skills and relevant coursework.
Is a public or private school better for Criminology?
Private Criminology programs average $34,082 in early earnings vs $34,275 at public schools. Public schools offer competitive earnings at typically lower cost, making them strong value options.

Data updated June 2026. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Earnings are median 2 years after graduation for bachelor's degree holders.

Get Criminology Career Insights

We're building major-specific salary reports with ROI by school. Be the first to get yours.

No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.