In Alabama, an associate degree or higher takes the place of the Basic Ability Test that diploma and GED applicants must pass. On this ranking of criminal justice schools in Alabama, Columbia Southern University is first for a bachelor’s degree. A resident pays $5,808 a year in tuition and fees, and 308 students earned the degree in 2023-24. Alabama has 30 ranked programs in all: 7 associate’s, 16 bachelor’s and 7 master’s.
Best Criminal Justice Schools in Alabama for a Bachelor’s Degree
The 16 ranked bachelor’s programs in Alabama are scored on cost (22%), graduate earnings (22%), completion (17%), online experience (17%), track record (11%) and program reputation (11%), using the price a resident pays. Each score is the program’s national score on the price a resident pays, so it matches the program’s score on the national list. The methodology page explains each factor. The first 5 have cards below, and 11 more follow in a table.
180.7
Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice Administration
Columbia Southern University's online Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice Administration spans law enforcement, courts and corrections and offers optional concentrations from Arson Investigation to Forensic Psychology.
120 credit hours
Courses are 100% online and available 24/7
Optional concentrations include Forensics, Criminology and Arson Investigation
Troy University's Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice covers criminal justice administration, law enforcement, courts and corrections, with hands-on work such as mock crime scene investigation and forensic image analysis.
120 semester hours
The program is offered online, on campus and in a hybrid format
The degree includes an 18 semester hour minor
An accelerated path pairs the B.S. with a Juris Doctor in six years
$382 a credit, online rate
Read more
The degree requires 120 hours. Majors take courses covering criminology, criminal law, policing, corrections, juvenile justice, forensic science, criminal procedure and homeland security, complete an 18 semester hour minor, and can take internships or fieldwork with law enforcement and homeland security agencies. Troy offers the program online, on campus and in a hybrid format, with the Troy, Alabama campus and TROY Online listed as locations.
Troy admits first-time freshmen who graduated from high school, and applicants without a high school diploma can submit the GED instead. The department points majors to minors in homeland security, digital forensics, intelligence and legal studies or an interdisciplinary forensic science minor, and an accelerated law path lets students finish the B.S. and a Juris Doctor in six years through partner law schools.
Amridge University's Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice is a 128-semester-hour degree taught by distance learning from Montgomery, Alabama, with required courses in criminal law, evidence, procedure, constitutional law, and interview and interrogation.
128 semester hours
All Amridge courses are offered through distance learning
At least 40 semester hours must be taken at Amridge University
Applicants submit proof of a high school diploma
Undergraduate courses are 4 semester hours each
Read more
The degree requires 128 semester hours: 40 hours of general education, 40 hours of program courses and 48 hours of electives from 1000-4000 level courses. The required courses are Management Intervention (taken at the beginning of the program), Introduction to Public Safety and Security, Criminal Investigation, Criminal Justice, Criminal Law, Criminal Evidence, Criminal Procedures, Constitutional Law, Criminal Justice Overview, and Interview and Interrogation, and the recommended electives include Psychological Profiling, White Collar Crime, Organized Crime and a Criminal Justice Internship. Undergraduate courses are 4 semester hours each, and Amridge says all of its courses are offered through distance learning.
Associate and bachelor's applicants submit proof of a high school diploma; first-time freshmen also submit an ACT or SAT score, while transfer students with prior college attendance do not. Students transferring into a bachelor's degree must complete at least 40 semester hours at Amridge, and graduation requires a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher. Amridge says the program is designed to complement a student's existing skills and to prepare them to move up within public safety agencies, community non-profit organizations and church organizations, and that it serves as a foundation for its graduate degrees in Leadership and Management, Ministerial Leadership, Professional Counseling, and Marriage and Family Therapy.
amridgeuniversity.edu
461.6
Bachelor of Science with a Major in Criminal Justice
UAB's criminal justice major can be completed entirely online or on campus in Birmingham, Alabama, and students can mix online and classroom courses within the same semester.
120 credit hours
Fully online or on campus in Birmingham, Alabama
A grade of C or better is required in every criminal justice course
The degree requires no minor
Read more
The Bachelor of Science with a Major in Criminal Justice requires 120 credit hours, including the Blazer Core Curriculum and the courses Introduction to the Criminal Justice System, Crime and Criminality, Police in America, The Judicial Process in America, Corrections in America, Research Methods in Criminal Justice, Criminology and Criminal Justice Ethics, plus a statistics course and an internship and capstone. Online course content is delivered through Canvas, the university learning management system.
Freshman applicants send an official high school transcript to UAB undergraduate admissions. A minor is not required, a grade of C or better is required in every criminal justice course, and students need a 2.3 cumulative GPA before applying for the internship. The department also offers accelerated learning opportunities that lead into its master’s program.
Auburn University at Montgomery teaches its Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice in class in Montgomery, Alabama, with a criminal justice focus for law enforcement, courts and corrections or a Legal Studies concentration aimed at paralegal and judicial administration work.
The degree requires students to meet on campus
Two concentrations: Criminal Justice and Legal Studies
Shadowing and internship opportunities are part of the program
Freshmen need a minimum 2.3 unweighted high school GPA
Read more
Students complete the university core, criminal justice courses and electives. Courses include Introduction to the American Criminal Justice System, Organization and Administration, Investigative Methods, Criminal Law, Evidence/Criminalistics, Criminal Procedure, Research Methods and Survey of Crime Theories, and the program offers shadowing and internship opportunities. AUM says the degree requires students to meet on campus.
AUM admits traditional high school students, adults returning to college and transfer students; freshmen need at least a 2.3 unweighted high school GPA, and transfer students with fewer than 24 hours of coursework must meet freshman requirements. The Criminal Justice focus prepares students for law enforcement, the courts and corrections, while the Legal Studies concentration suits paralegal, legal assistant or judicial administration work. AUM also gives students headed to law school class schedule advising focused on career choice and help with graduate school applications.
aum.edu
Bachelor’s Programs Ranked 6-16 in Alabama
Bachelor’s programs in criminal justice ranked 6 to 16 in Alabama
Rank and school
In-state tuition and fees, a year
Completion
Graduates
Score
6
Jacksonville State University Jacksonville, AL
$12,426
66%
34
56.1
7
University of North Alabama Florence, AL
$11,990
51%
28
51.2
8
Athens State University Athens, AL
$9,840
58%
10
50.8
9
Faulkner University Montgomery, AL
$23,920
36%
72
50.1
10
University of South Alabama Mobile, AL
$9,676
47%
29
48.9
11
Stillman College Tuscaloosa, AL
$11,392
46%
9
43.4
12
Miles College Fairfield, AL
$12,714
32%
15
43.3
13
Alabama A & M University Normal, AL
$10,024
42%
38
38.9
14
Alabama State University Montgomery, AL
$11,248
34%
45
37.2
15
Huntingdon College Montgomery, AL
$28,650
70%
11
34.8
16
Talladega College Talladega, AL
$15,650
7%
16
31.8
Tuition and fees are 2023-24 IPEDS figures; school prices were read between October 7, 2026 and October 14, 2026.
Associate Degree Programs in Alabama
For a two-year start, criminal justice schools in Alabama offer 7 ranked associate’s programs. A resident pays a median $5,040 a year in tuition and fees, $187 above the national median of $4,853 for ranked associate’s programs. The top program is Columbia Southern University, with 134 associate degrees conferred in 2023-24. Completion runs lower at two-year schools because many students transfer or study part time, so associate’s programs are scored only against other associate’s programs. The first 3 have cards, and 4 more follow in a table.
Columbia Southern University's Associate of Science in Criminal Justice is taught 100% online and covers the daily work of law enforcement, corrections and court operations, along with constitutional and criminal law.
Amridge University, a distance-learning-only school in Montgomery, Alabama, teaches its 64-semester-hour Associate of Arts in Criminal Justice online, with program courses in corrections, criminal investigation and criminology.
64 semester hours
All Amridge courses are offered through distance learning
At least 20 semester hours must be taken with Amridge University
Applicants submit proof of a high school diploma
Undergraduate courses are 4 semester hours each
Read more
The Associate of Arts in Criminal Justice requires 64 semester hours: 20 hours of general education, 16 hours of program courses (Introduction to Public Safety and Security or Domestic Terrorism and Hate Crimes, plus Corrections and Penal Systems in the U.S., Criminal Investigation and Criminology), the 4-hour foundation course Management Intervention taken at the beginning of the program, and 24 hours of electives from 1000-2000 level courses. Undergraduate courses are 4 semester hours each, and Amridge says all of its courses are offered through distance learning.
Associate and bachelor's applicants submit proof of a high school diploma; first-time freshmen also submit an ACT or SAT score, while transfer students with prior college attendance do not. At least 20 of the 64 semester hours must be taken with Amridge, and graduation requires a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher. Amridge says a student who finishes the associate degree may have completed one-half of the requirements for a bachelor's degree, and it designed the program as a foundation for a bachelor's degree in criminal justice.
amridgeuniversity.edu
344.4
Law Enforcement - Associate in Applied Science
George C Wallace State Community College-Hanceville
Wallace State builds its criminal justice program around law enforcement skills, with an emphasis on forensic science and criminalistics, including the laboratory practices used to develop investigative evidence.
62 credits in the Law Enforcement AAS
The AAS is mapped across 5 semesters
A 24-credit Law Enforcement Short-Term Certificate is also offered
The department lists day, evening, online and hybrid availability
Read more
The Law Enforcement Associate in Applied Science takes 62 credits mapped across 5 semesters, with courses such as Police Patrol, Criminal Law and Procedure, Criminal and Deviant Behavior, Constitutional Law, Homicide Investigation, Crime Scene Investigation and Criminalistics, plus an Internship in Criminal Justice. Wallace State also offers an Associate in Science in General Studies with a concentration in criminal justice (63 hours) and a 24-credit Law Enforcement Short-Term Certificate. The department lists day, evening, online and hybrid availability.
Wallace State admits first-time freshmen who have finished high school or a GED. The catalog says the law enforcement program is meant to benefit both officers already in the field and people seeking initial entry into police positions, while the General Studies concentration is a transfer option for students who want to complete the first two years of a four-year criminal justice program.
wallacestate.cleancatalog.net
Associate Programs Ranked 4-7 in Alabama
Associate degree programs in criminal justice ranked 4 to 7 in Alabama
Rank and school
In-state tuition and fees, a year
Completion
Graduates
Score
4
Jefferson State Community College Birmingham, AL
$5,040
24%
10
43.3
5
Northwest Shoals Community College Muscle Shoals, AL
$5,071
33%
9
37.1
6
George C Wallace Community College-Dothan Dothan, AL
$4,920
43%
15
36.6
7
Chattahoochee Valley Community College Phenix City, AL
$5,040
29%
5
31.2
Tuition and fees are 2023-24 IPEDS figures; school prices were read between October 7, 2026 and October 14, 2026.
Criminal Justice Master’s Programs in Alabama
You can compare 7 ranked master’s programs at criminal justice schools in Alabama, led by Columbia Southern University at $3,820 a year in graduate tuition and fees for a resident. The score weighs cost (22%), graduate earnings (22%), completion (17%), online experience (17%), track record (11%) and program reputation (11%). A resident’s graduate tuition and fees span $3,820 to $16,025 a year, with a median of $8,884 that is $2,549 below the $11,433 national median.
Master’s programs in criminal justice ranked in Alabama
Rank and school
In-state tuition and fees, a year
Completion
Graduates
Score
1
Columbia Southern University Orange Beach, AL
$3,820
51%
57
61.5
2
Jacksonville State University Jacksonville, AL
$11,304
66%
11
56.5
3
University of North Alabama Florence, AL
$9,990
51%
30
54.8
4
Troy University Troy, AL
$8,550
46%
28
52.3
5
University of Alabama at Birmingham Birmingham, AL
$8,424
51%
9
48.4
6
Auburn University at Montgomery Montgomery, AL
$8,884
60%
7
43.1
7
Faulkner University Montgomery, AL
$16,025
36%
42
39.3
Tuition and fees are 2023-24 IPEDS figures; school prices were read between October 7, 2026 and October 14, 2026.
Online Criminal Justice Programs in Alabama
Online study is an option at criminal justice schools in Alabama: 9 programs rank on the national online lists (2 at the associate’s level, 5 at the bachelor’s level and 2 at the master’s level). Those lists score what an online student from another state pays for a credit, so the prices below are not the in-state prices above. On the national online bachelor’s list of 187 programs, Columbia Southern University places first, the best placed of the 5 online bachelor’s programs at schools in Alabama.
Online criminal justice programs from schools in Alabama, by place on the national online lists
Cost per credit is the rate the school’s page publishes, read between October 7, 2026 and October 14, 2026, or else its 2023-24 IPEDS per-credit charge.
What Criminal Justice Degrees Cost in Alabama
Columbia Southern University is the least expensive way to earn a bachelor’s degree here at $5,808 a year for a resident, and Huntingdon College the most, at $28,650. The state median is $10,859; the national median for ranked bachelor’s programs is $14,184, so Alabama sits $3,325 below it.
Ranked criminal justice programs in Alabama: tuition and graduation rate by level
Level
Ranked programs
Median tuition and fees, a year
Lowest to highest
Median graduation rate
Bachelor’s programs
16
$10,859
$5,808 to $28,650
41%
Associate’s programs
7
$5,040
$4,920 to $10,470
36%
Master’s programs
7
$8,884
$3,820 to $16,025
Who runs the program matters: the median is $9,840 at public colleges, $14,182 at private nonprofit colleges and $5,808 at for-profit colleges.
Prices are 2023-24 tuition and required fees for a full-time year, as each school reported them to IPEDS, before books, housing or financial aid.
What Alabama Requires to Become a Police Officer
Alabama certifies officers who hold a high school diploma or GED and pass the Basic Ability Test, or who hold an associate degree or higher. That minimum comes from the Alabama Peace Officers' Standards and Training Commission (APOSTC).
“Possess a valid high school diploma, OR, possess a valid General Educational Development (GED) certificate”
Alabama Peace Officers' Standards and Training Commission (APOSTC), Ala. Admin. Code r. 650-X-2-.03, read October 7, 2026: apostc.alabama.gov
College counts for something in this rule. An associate degree or higher takes the place of the Basic Ability Test that diploma and GED applicants must pass. apostc.alabama.gov, read October 7, 2026.
A high school diploma or its equivalent meets the state minimum, so a degree isn’t required. Hiring departments can set a higher bar, and BLS notes the education police departments require ranges from a high school diploma to a college degree. A degree is not a peace officer license: certification comes from completing a police academy and meeting the standards that apply to the agency.
Criminal Justice Jobs and Pay in Alabama
Patrol officers (SOC 33-3051) in Alabama earn a median $51,270 a year, $24,940 below the national median of $76,210. Among the 51 states and districts BLS reports, it ranks 48th from the top, with 11,710 people in the job. The lowest-paid tenth earn $37,480 or less, and the highest-paid tenth earn $77,220 or more.
Of the four jobs, detectives and criminal investigators (SOC 33-3021) earn the most in Alabama, at a median $66,290, and correctional officers and jailers (SOC 33-3012) the least, at $46,660. Alabama pays below the national median for all of them; the widest gap is for detectives and criminal investigators (SOC 33-3021), $27,500 below the national median of $93,790.
Median annual pay for four criminal justice jobs in Alabama and nationally, May 2025
Pay figures are BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics medians for May 2025, each for the SOC occupation named beside it.
Questions About Criminal Justice Degrees in Alabama
What Are the Best Criminal Justice Schools in Alabama?
The bachelor’s list of 16 ranked bachelor’s programs in Alabama is led by Columbia Southern University, then Troy University and Amridge University. For an associate degree, Columbia Southern University leads 7 ranked associate’s programs in Alabama. For a master’s degree, Columbia Southern University leads 7 ranked master’s programs in Alabama. Each list is the national ranking at its level kept to the state’s programs, scored on cost, graduate earnings, completion, online experience, track record and program reputation, with the cost at the in-state rate.
How Much Does a Criminal Justice Degree Cost in Alabama?
Costs depend on the level. In 2023-24 tuition and required fees for a full-time resident came to a median $5,040 at the associate’s programs ($4,920 to $10,470), $10,859 at the bachelor’s programs ($5,808 to $28,650) and $8,884 at the master’s programs ($3,820 to $16,025). The national median for a ranked bachelor’s program is $14,184.
What Does Alabama Require of New Police Officers?
A degree is not part of the minimum the rule sets. Alabama certifies officers who hold a high school diploma or GED and pass the Basic Ability Test, or who hold an associate degree or higher. A degree is not a peace officer license, and departments can ask for more than the minimum. 44 of 47 state and district rules set a diploma or GED minimum, and the full state-by-state comparison shows which ask for more.
What Do Police Officers Earn in Alabama?
May 2025 BLS data give a $51,270 median for patrol officers (SOC 33-3051) in Alabama, $24,940 below the national median of $76,210. Related jobs there pay a median as follows: detectives and criminal investigators (SOC 33-3021) earn $66,290 and correctional officers and jailers (SOC 33-3012) $46,660.
Can You Earn a Criminal Justice Degree Online From a School in Alabama?
Yes. 9 programs at 6 schools in Alabama rank on the national online lists, and the online table above shows the highest-placed programs at each level with the price an online student from another state pays.
Other Criminal Justice Schools in Alabama
Every other one of the criminal justice schools in Alabama that conferred a criminal justice degree in 2023-24 is below, 6 in all, ordered by degrees conferred. The most common level here is the associate’s, conferred by 3. A program needs at least five graduates at its level in 2023-24 to be ranked, so a small program appears with its figures and no score. A blank graduation rate means IPEDS lists none for that school.
Other schools in Alabama with criminal justice degrees, by degrees conferred
School
Type
Degrees conferred, 2023-24
In-state tuition and fees, a year
Graduation rate
Strayer University-Alabama Birmingham, AL
Private for-profit
Bachelor’s 9
$13,920
John C Calhoun State Community College Tanner, AL
Public
Associate’s 4
$5,060
41%
Northeast Alabama Community College Rainsville, AL
Public
Associate’s 2
$4,980
32%
South University-Montgomery Montgomery, AL
Private for-profit
Bachelor’s 1 · Master’s 1
$16,452
15%
Herzing University-Birmingham Birmingham, AL
Private nonprofit
Bachelor’s 1
$13,420
25%
Lawson State Community College Birmingham, AL
Public
Associate’s 1
$4,980
26%
Tuition and fees are 2023-24 IPEDS figures; school prices were read between October 7, 2026 and October 14, 2026.
More State Pages to Compare With Alabama
These state pages come next: the first two share the South with Alabama, and each tile carries one figure from its state.
Sources for the Alabama Figures
Awards, charges, completion and online enrollment: the Department of Education's IPEDS data:
IPEDS completions and distance education, 2023-24; IPEDS tuition and fees and per-credit charges, 2023-24; IPEDS
graduation rates; and IPEDS Outcome Measures and fall 2024 enrollment, from the 2024 provisional release.
Programs are counted under the criminal justice codes in the federal CIP 43.01 series.
Graduate earnings: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard,
field-of-study data for Criminal Justice and Corrections (CIP 43.01). Earnings are College Scorecard's median for the school's criminal justice and corrections graduates (federal field 43.01) at the level who received federal aid, four years after finishing, or one year after where that is the only figure Scorecard publishes. Scorecard reports a median only where enough graduates can be counted, and it covers every program the school reports in that field.
Program names, credit counts, formats, entry requirements and published prices: each school's own program pages, read between October 7, 2026 and October 14, 2026.
