Private colleges run 11 of the 15 ranked programs in Connecticut. For a bachelor’s degree, start with Charter Oak State College, first of the criminal justice schools in Connecticut, which conferred 29 degrees in 2023-24; its criminal justice graduates earn a median $68,956 one year after finishing.
Best Criminal Justice Schools in Connecticut for a Bachelor’s Degree
The 10 ranked bachelor’s programs in Connecticut 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. How the scores work. The first 5 have cards below, and 5 more follow in a table.
Charter Oak State College's Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice is taught through 100% online coursework, with a concentration in General Criminal Justice or Victim Advocacy and credit for qualified police or fire academy, military, EMS and Judicial Marshal training.
120 credits, including a major of at least 42 credits
100% online coursework, part time or full time
Concentrations in General Criminal Justice or Victim Advocacy
Western Connecticut State University's Division of Justice and Law Administration builds its criminal justice bachelor's on a core that includes law, criminology and police administration courses, and offers the degree in five options, from law enforcement to legal studies.
120 semester hours
54 semester hours of required courses in the major
The degree is offered in five options
The catalog lists a minimum GPA of 2.0 for the degree
Read more
The Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice requires 120 semester hours, including 54 semester hours of required courses in the major. The criminal justice core includes Introduction to American Law, Writing for Justice Professions, Criminology, Criminal Law, Ethics in Criminal Justice, Police Administration and Organization, Constitutional Law, Research Methodology in JLA and a Research Seminar in Justice and Law Administration. The degree is offered in five options: Corrections, Probation, Parole & Offender Rehabilitation; Criminology; Law Enforcement; Legal Studies; and Homeland Security.
The catalog leaves room within the 120 hours for minors, internships and study abroad, and it lists a minimum GPA of 2.0 for the degree. The division says its faculty includes full-time and part-time industry professionals teaching small classes, and that the program also lays a foundation for law school and other graduate study. The major sits in the university's School of Professional Studies.
Quinnipiac's BA in Criminal Justice requires Internship in the Community, 120 hours of supervised fieldwork in a community agency, and offers the Inside-Out Prison Exchange Seminar, which brings Quinnipiac students together with male students at a Connecticut state prison.
120 credits, including 34 credits of free electives
Internship in the Community requires 120 hours of supervised fieldwork
The program is offered on campus
Admission requires a high school transcript, a personal essay and a recommendation letter
Quinnipiac also offers an 18-credit Minor in Criminal Justice
$56,430 a year
Read more
The BA requires at least 120 credits: the University Curriculum (46 credits), a modern language, the criminal justice core and 34 credits of free electives. The core runs from Crime and Society, Introduction to Sociology (or Introduction to Justice Studies), From College to Career, Sociology of Race and Ethnicity, Police and Policing, Prisons and Jails and Criminal Justice Research Methods to Internship in the Community and the Senior Seminar in Criminal Justice Policy. Students add a crime typologies course such as Addiction and Crime or Youth Crime, a criminal justice in practice course such as Investigative Techniques or Prosecution and Sentencing, and two advanced electives from options that include Victimology, Corrections Counseling, Constitution, Ethics and Policing, and the Inside-Out Prison Exchange Seminar. Quinnipiac lists the program as on campus.
Quinnipiac admits first-year students for the fall semester and asks for a high school transcript, a personal essay and at least one letter of recommendation, along with four years of English and three or more years each of mathematics and science; transfer, international and military applicants may have additional requirements. The community internship is for majors in their junior or senior year, and a second, advanced internship is available; a full-time internship coordinator works with students, and majors have interned with federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, the Connecticut Juvenile Justice Alliance and the federal witness protection program. Quinnipiac also offers an 18-credit Minor in Criminal Justice.
Post's Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice runs online or on campus and offers seven concentration options, among them Crime Scene Investigation, Correctional Counseling and Emergency Management & Homeland Security.
120 credit hours
Online or on campus
The degree has seven concentration options
Typical program length of 4 years
Admission requires high school completion or an equivalent credential
$629 a credit, online rate
Read more
The 120-credit degree includes 21 credits of Essential Skills Core, 21 of general education, 60 in the major and concentrations and 18 of open electives. Core coursework covers criminal justice, juvenile justice, law and criminology, with sample courses such as Introduction to Criminal Justice, Crime, Justice, and American Society, Comparative Criminal Justice and Theoretical Criminology. The concentrations are Correctional Counseling, Corrections, Crime Scene Investigation, Emergency Management & Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Legal Studies and Interdisciplinary Studies, where students choose their own criminal justice electives.
Applicants must show high school completion or an equivalent credential; an associate degree transcript or prior college credit is also accepted, and Post evaluates credit from eligible institutions, approved examinations and prior learning for transfer. Post says the degree is not designed to meet the educational requirements for any professional credential, such as police officer certification.
Bridgeport offers its bachelor's in criminal justice in one of two ways: a fully online Bachelor of Science with concentrations in Human Security, Comparative Justice or Criminology, and a Criminal Justice and Human Security BA focused on the international dimensions of public safety.
120 credit hours for either degree
The BS is fully online
The BS offers concentrations in Human Security, Comparative Justice and Criminology
Admission requires a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5
$593 a credit, online rate
Read more
The online BS requires 39 program core credit hours and 12 credit hours of program electives, with 120 credit hours to graduate, and UB says students can earn the four-year degree entirely online. The Criminal Justice and Human Security BA also requires 120 credit hours to graduate, and its students choose from one of three areas of concentration. UB says classes are taught by police commanders, detectives, state troopers, military veterans, attorneys and other faculty.
Both degrees take first-year and transfer applicants: applicants submit proof of high school completion or its equivalent, transfer applicants also send transcripts from every college attended, and UB lists a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5. Eligible online BS students can begin graduate-level classes in their senior year and return for a fifth year to complete a graduate degree in Criminal Justice and Human Security.
bridgeport.edu
Bachelor’s Programs Ranked 6-10 in Connecticut
Bachelor’s programs in criminal justice ranked 6 to 10 in Connecticut
Rank and school
In-state tuition and fees, a year
Completion
Graduates
Score
6
University of New Haven West Haven, CT
$45,730
51%
198
47.0
7
Albertus Magnus College New Haven, CT
$39,924
59%
26
42.0
8
Sacred Heart University Fairfield, CT
$48,460
60%
54
38.8
9
University of Saint Joseph West Hartford, CT
$45,908
68%
8
32.4
10
Mitchell College New London, CT
$39,050
54%
10
21.7
Tuition and fees are 2023-24 IPEDS figures; school prices were read between October 7, 2026 and October 14, 2026.
Associate Degree Programs in Connecticut
For a two-year start, criminal justice schools in Connecticut offer 2 ranked associate’s programs. Tuition and fees run a median $10,563 a year for a resident, $5,710 above the $4,853 median for ranked associate’s programs nationally. The top program is Post University, with 117 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.
Post's Associate of Science in Criminal Justice runs online or on campus and builds practical skills in report writing, fingerprinting and crime scene documentation alongside study of law enforcement, courts and corrections.
60 credit hours
Online or on campus
Typical program length of 2 years
Admission requires high school completion or an equivalent credential
$629 a credit, online rate
Read more
The 60-credit degree splits into 18 credits of Essential Skills Core, 9 of general education and 33 in the major and concentrations. Sample courses include Introduction to Criminal Justice, Introduction to Law Enforcement, Crime, Justice, and American Society, and Effective Communication for Criminal Justice Professionals, and coursework covers how the U.S. Constitution applies to criminal laws and procedures. Post offers the program online or on campus.
Applicants must show high school completion or an equivalent credential, and Post evaluates credit from eligible institutions, approved examinations and prior learning for transfer. Post says the degree is not designed to meet the educational requirements for any professional credential, such as police officer certification, and points to its Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice as a next step.
CT State's Criminal Justice, AS offers a general track or one of eight areas of concentration, among them Law Enforcement, Corrections, Computer Crime Investigations and Victimology, for students who want to start a career on completion or transfer to a four-year institution.
60-63 credits
A general track or one of eight areas of concentration
Mode of study: on-ground and hybrid, with no fully online option listed
Time to completion: 2+ years
Admission requires proof of high school completion or a high school equivalency
Read more
The degree combines general education (Composition, General Psychology I, Principles of Sociology and College and Career Success among them, plus either a Written Communication II course or Writing and Research in Criminal Justice) with a criminal justice core of Introduction to Criminal Justice, Criminal Law I, Evidence and Criminal Procedure, Criminology, either Practicum in Criminal Justice or Careers in Criminal Justice, and one of Diversity and Multiculturalism in Criminal Justice, Fair and Impartial Policing, Ethical Issue in Criminal Justice or Contemporary Issues in Criminal Justice. Students also take American Government or State and Local Government and four criminal justice electives, which become specific courses when a concentration is chosen. The catalog lists 60-63 total credits. CT State lists the mode of study as on-ground and hybrid: on-ground means every course may be taken in person at a CT State campus or training center, and hybrid means some courses may be taken online while others are only available on-ground.
The catalog says the program is for students interested in law enforcement, corrections, security, or the court and legal system, and that the Associate in Science lets a student start a career on completion or transfer to a four-year institution. New students entering a degree program upload proof of high school completion, which can be a final high school transcript, a high school diploma or a high school equivalency. As a multi-campus college, CT State gives access to course offerings at all campuses with one application; the degree is listed at campuses including Gateway, Housatonic, Naugatuck Valley and Tunxis.
catalog.ctstate.edu
Criminal Justice Master’s Programs in Connecticut
You can compare 3 ranked master’s programs at criminal justice schools in Connecticut, led by Central Connecticut State University at $13,890 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 $13,890 to $23,472 a year, with a median of $19,240 that is $7,807 above the $11,433 national median.
Master’s programs in criminal justice ranked in Connecticut
Rank and school
In-state tuition and fees, a year
Completion
Graduates
Score
1
Central Connecticut State University New Britain, CT
$13,890
63%
15
46.8
2
University of New Haven West Haven, CT
$19,240
51%
45
43.5
3
Albertus Magnus College New Haven, CT
$23,472
59%
14
29.3
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 Connecticut
If you’d rather study online, 5 programs at criminal justice schools in Connecticut rank on the national online lists (1 at the associate’s level and 4 at the bachelor’s level), from 4 schools. 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. Charter Oak State College ranks fifth of the 187 ranked online bachelor’s programs, the best placed of the 4 online bachelor’s programs at schools in Connecticut.
Online criminal justice programs from schools in Connecticut, 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 Connecticut
For a bachelor’s degree, a resident pays $8,506 a year at Charter Oak State College or $53,090 at Quinnipiac University, in tuition and required fees. The median is $39,487, $25,303 above the national median of $14,184 for ranked bachelor’s programs.
Ranked criminal justice programs in Connecticut: tuition and graduation rate by level
Level
Ranked programs
Median tuition and fees, a year
Lowest to highest
Median graduation rate
Bachelor’s programs
10
$39,487
$8,506 to $53,090
50%
Associate’s programs
2
$10,563
$5,092 to $16,034
27%
Master’s programs
3
$19,240
$13,890 to $23,472
Who runs the program matters: the median is $10,635 at public colleges, $45,730 at private nonprofit colleges and $16,034 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 Connecticut Requires to Become a Police Officer
Connecticut requires graduation from an accredited high school or a state-approved certificate of equivalency. That minimum comes from the Police Officer Standards and Training Council (POST).
“(1) Graduated from an accredited high school, or (2) Obtained a proper document evidencing that they have obtained, from a state-approved program, a formal certificate of equivalency to high school graduation.”
Police Officer Standards and Training Council (POST), Regs. Conn. State Agencies Sec. 7-294e-16(a), read October 7, 2026: portal.ct.gov
You don’t need a degree to meet that minimum. Departments can ask for more than the state does, and BLS says 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 Connecticut
The median patrol officer (SOC 33-3051) in Connecticut makes $82,170 a year; nationally the median is $76,210, so the state sits $5,960 above it. Among the 51 states and districts BLS reports, it ranks 14th from the top, with 6,500 people in the job. The lowest-paid tenth earn $63,310 or less, and the highest-paid tenth earn $102,660 or more.
Within Connecticut, the median runs from $64,750 for correctional officers and jailers (SOC 33-3012) up to $97,350 for probation officers and correctional treatment specialists (SOC 21-1092). Connecticut pays above the national median for all of them; the widest gap is for probation officers and correctional treatment specialists (SOC 21-1092), $31,080 above the national median of $66,270.
Median annual pay for four criminal justice jobs in Connecticut 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 Connecticut
What Are the Best Criminal Justice Schools in Connecticut?
Charter Oak State College ranks first for a bachelor’s degree, ahead of Western Connecticut State University and Quinnipiac University; Connecticut has 10 ranked bachelor’s programs in all. For an associate degree, Post University leads 2 ranked associate’s programs in Connecticut. For a master’s degree, Central Connecticut State University leads 3 ranked master’s programs in Connecticut. 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 Connecticut?
At criminal justice schools in Connecticut, a resident pays a median $10,563 at the associate’s programs ($5,092 to $16,034), $39,487 at the bachelor’s programs ($8,506 to $53,090) and $19,240 at the master’s programs ($13,890 to $23,472) for a full-time year of tuition and required fees in 2023-24. The national median for a ranked bachelor’s program is $14,184.
What Does Connecticut Require of New Police Officers?
A degree is not part of the minimum the rule sets. Connecticut requires graduation from an accredited high school or a state-approved certificate of equivalency. A degree is not a peace officer license, and departments can ask for more than the minimum. Read how every state and district handles police education to see where this rule sits.
What Do Police Officers Earn in Connecticut?
A patrol officer (SOC 33-3051) in Connecticut earns a median $82,170 a year, $5,960 above the national median of $76,210. In the same place, detectives and criminal investigators (SOC 33-3021) earn $95,240 and correctional officers and jailers (SOC 33-3012) $64,750. Figures are May 2025 BLS medians.
Can You Earn a Criminal Justice Degree Online From a School in Connecticut?
Yes. 5 programs at 4 schools in Connecticut 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 Connecticut
One more school in Connecticut, Goodwin University, conferred criminal justice degrees in 2023-24. It’s listed with the levels it confers and its federal figures. 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.
Other schools in Connecticut with criminal justice degrees, by degrees conferred
School
Type
Degrees conferred, 2023-24
In-state tuition and fees, a year
Graduation rate
Goodwin University East Hartford, CT
Private nonprofit
Associate’s 3
$21,188
58%
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 Connecticut
These state pages come next: the first two share the Northeast with Connecticut, and each tile carries one figure from its state.
Sources for the Connecticut 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.
