In the District of Columbia, the Metropolitan Police Department requires 45 college credits, two years of active-duty military service, or three years with a full-service police department. The top-ranked place for a bachelor’s degree among criminal justice schools in the District of Columbia is George Washington University, where a resident pays $64,798 a year in tuition and fees and 80% of its transfer students earn a credential within eight years. In total the District of Columbia has 7 ranked programs: 6 bachelor’s and 1 master’s.
Best Criminal Justice Schools in the District of Columbia for a Bachelor’s Degree
The bachelor’s programs in the District of Columbia are measured against every ranked bachelor’s program in the country: cost (22%), graduate earnings (22%), completion (17%), online experience (17%), track record (11%) and program reputation (11%). 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 one more follows in a table.
George Washington University's criminal justice major ends in a required senior capstone: either a research thesis seminar or a field course built on at least 8 hours a week at a criminal justice agency or organization.
120 credits for a Columbian College bachelor's degree
A senior capstone: the Senior Research Seminar or Criminal Justice in the Field
Five elective courses (15 credits), including at least one outside sociology
A minimum grade of C- in any course counted toward the degree
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The Bachelor of Arts with a Major in Criminal Justice is offered by the Department of Sociology in Columbian College of Arts & Sciences, where a bachelor's degree takes 120 credits. After prerequisites of Introduction to Sociology (or The Sociological Imagination) and Introduction to Criminal Justice, majors take Social Research Methods, Techniques of Data Analysis, Youth and Delinquency, Criminology, and Criminal Law, plus five elective courses (15 credits) that must include at least one sociology course and one course outside sociology. Any course that counts toward the degree needs a grade of C- or better.
For the capstone, students either write a senior research thesis in the Senior Research Seminar or take Criminal Justice in the Field, a weekly seminar paired with an applied experience at an off-campus agency or organization that deals with criminal justice; law firm placements are not allowed. The department says many majors add minors or a second major, and some use the degree as a foundation for advanced criminology degrees or law. Applications go through the Office of Undergraduate Admissions and can be submitted via the Common Application.
American University's School of Public Affairs offers its justice and law major with concentrations in criminal justice, criminology, or terrorism and security studies, and lets students count up to 12 internship credits toward the degree.
Concentrations in criminal justice, criminology, or terrorism and security studies
Up to 12 internship credits count toward the degree
An internship for credit requires at least 30 credit hours completed at AU
Majors can count up to 6 credit hours of preapproved study abroad courses
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The Bachelor of Arts in Justice & Law is offered with concentrations in criminal justice, criminology, or terrorism and security studies. Its foundational justice and law courses are Introduction to Systems of Justice, Critical Issues in Justice, Introduction to Criminology, Introduction to Justice Research, and Justice and Public Policy, and the department advises taking Introduction to Justice Research before moving into more advanced upper-level courses. Students learn research design, quantitative analysis and statistical techniques, and they can work with faculty mentors on original research projects.
New first-year and transfer students are admitted through the university's Admissions Office. Majors can count up to 12 internship credits toward the degree, no more than 6 of them toward the major, once they have completed 30 credit hours at AU; sample placements include the National Institute of Justice, the FBI and the D.C. Courts. Students may study abroad from the second semester of sophomore year through senior year, and up to 6 credit hours of preapproved study abroad courses count toward upper-level major requirements.
Strayer University builds its criminal justice bachelor's from 40 courses of 11 weeks each, offers it online and on campus, and requires a concentration, with choices that include probation and parole and criminal justice administration.
180 quarter credit hours
The degree is 40 courses, each 11 weeks long
The program is available online and on campus
Strayer accepts up to 28 transfer classes
$1,555 a course, online rate
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The Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice totals 180 quarter credit hours: 67.5 in major criminal justice courses, 18 in a required concentration, 67.5 in general education and 27 in electives. Major courses include Introduction to Criminal Justice, Criminal Justice Report Writing, Criminal Investigation, Criminal Procedure, Criminal Law, U.S. Courts and an Undergraduate Capstone in Criminal Justice. Concentrations include Crime and Criminal Behavior, Criminal Justice Administration, Probation and Parole, and Artificial Intelligence in Criminal Justice. Strayer says the program is available online and on campus; Maryland students take it online only, and the artificial intelligence concentration is offered only online.
Admission calls for a completed application and enrollment agreement, a high school diploma or equivalent, official transcripts from any colleges attended and a government-issued photo ID. Transfer students can bring in up to 28 classes, and the catalog describes the curriculum as designed for working adults. The catalog cautions that completing the degree is no assurance a student has met the requirements for employment in the criminal justice field.
Strayer's Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice is offered online and on campus in 11-week courses, and every student completes a concentration, from Probation and Parole to Digital Forensics and Cybersecurity.
180 quarter credit hours over 40 courses
Each course runs 11 weeks
Every student completes an 18-credit-hour concentration
Admission requires a high school diploma or equivalent
Select in-person courses may be available at the Washington, D.C. campus
$1,555 a course for all students
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The degree totals 180 quarter credit hours across 40 courses of 4.5 credits each: 67.5 credit hours of criminal justice major courses, 67.5 of general education, an 18-credit-hour concentration and 27 elective credits. The major includes Introduction to Criminal Justice, Crime and Criminal Behavior, Criminal Justice Report Writing, Juvenile Delinquency and Justice, Criminal Investigation, Criminal Procedure, Criminal Law and U.S. Courts, and includes the Undergraduate Capstone in Criminal Justice. The concentrations are Artificial Intelligence in Criminal Justice (online only), Digital Forensics and Cybersecurity, Crime and Criminal Behavior, Criminal Justice Administration, National Security, Emergency Response and Crisis Leadership, and Probation and Parole. Each course runs 11 weeks.
Admission asks for a completed application and enrollment agreement, a high school diploma or equivalent, official transcripts from all colleges attended and a government-issued photo ID, and Strayer says transfer students can bring in up to 28 classes, which could leave the degree 70% complete. Strayer's Washington, D.C. campus at 901 15th Street NW has local advisors, and students who prefer learning in person may be able to take select courses there. Maryland students take the program online only.
Trinity offers its Criminal Justice, B.A. through both the College of Arts and Sciences and the School of Professional Studies, and the arts and sciences major centers on law enforcement, corrections and juvenile justice with a required internship.
45 credits in the major
Every College of Arts and Sciences major completes a criminal justice internship
School of Professional Studies concentrations include Law Enforcement, Corrections, Juvenile Justice and Forensics
The program is listed at Trinity's main campus in Washington, DC
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The major itself is 45 credits. In the College of Arts and Sciences it emphasizes law enforcement, corrections and juvenile justice, and every major completes an internship with a public or private organization involved in criminal justice. The School of Professional Studies version splits the 45 credits into 36 credits of core coursework and 9 credits of concentration courses, and its catalog says concentrations will be offered in Law Administration, Law Enforcement, Corrections, Criminological Theory, Juvenile Justice, Forensics, Intelligence and Security Studies. Trinity lists the program at its main campus in Washington, DC.
First-time freshman applicants to the College of Arts and Sciences should have completed a secondary school program with 16 academic units, and transfer applicants submit transcripts from every college they attended. School of Professional Studies applicants submit official final transcripts or a GED certificate. In both schools, criminal justice majors must take at least four criminal justice courses at Trinity and earn a grade of C or better in every course counted toward the major.
www2.trinitydc.edu
Bachelor’s Program Ranked 6 in the District of Columbia
Bachelor’s program in criminal justice ranked 6 in the District of Columbia
Rank and school
In-state tuition and fees, a year
Completion
Graduates
Score
6
Howard University Washington, DC
$33,344
49%
64
44.8
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 the District of Columbia
American University has the one ranked master’s program among criminal justice schools in the District of Columbia, at $33,239 a year in graduate tuition and fees for a resident.
Master’s programs in criminal justice ranked in the District of Columbia
Rank and school
In-state tuition and fees, a year
Completion
Graduates
Score
1
American University Washington, DC
$33,239
67%
29
50.8
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 the District of Columbia
2 programs at criminal justice schools in the District of Columbia rank on the national online lists. 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. Strayer University-Global Region ranks 75th of the 187 ranked online bachelor’s programs, the best placed of the 2 online bachelor’s programs at schools in the District of Columbia.
Online criminal justice programs from schools in the District of Columbia, 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 the District of Columbia
The ranked bachelor’s programs charge residents anywhere from $13,920 a year (Strayer University-Global Region) to $64,798 (George Washington University) in tuition and fees. The median is $29,727, $15,543 above the national median of $14,184 for ranked bachelor’s programs.
Ranked criminal justice programs in the District of Columbia: tuition and graduation rate by level
Level
Ranked programs
Median tuition and fees, a year
Lowest to highest
Median graduation rate
Bachelor’s programs
6
$29,727
$13,920 to $64,798
57%
Master’s programs
1
$33,239
$33,239
Median bachelor’s tuition runs $44,944 at private nonprofit colleges and $13,920 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 the District of Columbia Requires to Become a Police Officer
The Metropolitan Police Department requires 45 college credits, two years of active-duty military service, or three years with a full-service police department. This is the hiring rule of the Metropolitan Police Department, the District’s police department, not a state certification board rule.
“Successfully completed at least 45 semester hours of college credit from an accredited college or university”
Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), Metropolitan Police Department police officer requirements, read October 7, 2026: joinmpd.dc.gov
College is one way in. College credit is one of three routes into the department, and 15 academy credits through the University of the District of Columbia reach the 60-credit requirement. joinmpd.dc.gov, read October 7, 2026.
BLS notes that 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 the District of Columbia
BLS puts the District of Columbia’s patrol officer (SOC 33-3051) median at $88,650, $12,440 above the $76,210 national figure. Among the 51 states and districts BLS reports, it ranks ninth from the top, with 4,720 people in the job. The lowest-paid tenth earn $66,420 or less, and the highest-paid tenth earn $119,660 or more.
Median annual pay for two criminal justice jobs in the District of Columbia 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 the District of Columbia
What Are the Best Criminal Justice Schools in the District of Columbia?
The bachelor’s list of 6 ranked bachelor’s programs in the District of Columbia is led by George Washington University, then American University and Strayer University-Global Region. For a master’s degree, American University leads 1 ranked master’s program in the District of Columbia. 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 the District of Columbia?
The price you’d pay as a resident of the District of Columbia for a full-time year at its criminal justice schools in the District of Columbia: $29,727 at the bachelor’s programs ($13,920 to $64,798) and $33,239 at its ranked master’s program, as median tuition and required fees for 2023-24. The national median for a ranked bachelor’s program is $14,184.
What Does the District of Columbia Require of New Police Officers?
College credit is one way to meet the minimum. The Metropolitan Police Department requires 45 college credits, two years of active-duty military service, or three years with a full-service police department. This is the hiring rule of the Metropolitan Police Department, the District’s police department, not a state certification board rule. A degree is not a peace officer license, and departments can ask for more than the minimum. The guide to degrees and police work compares this rule with the other 46 state and district rules.
What Do Police Officers Earn in the District of Columbia?
May 2025 BLS data give an $88,650 median for patrol officers (SOC 33-3051) in the District of Columbia, $12,440 above the national median of $76,210. Related jobs there pay a median as follows: detectives and criminal investigators (SOC 33-3021) earn $160,760.
Can You Earn a Criminal Justice Degree Online From a School in the District of Columbia?
Yes. 2 programs at 2 schools in the District of Columbia 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 the District of Columbia
One more school in the District of Columbia, University of the District of Columbia, 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 the District of Columbia with criminal justice degrees, by degrees conferred
School
Type
Degrees conferred, 2023-24
In-state tuition and fees, a year
Graduation rate
University of the District of Columbia Washington, DC
Public
Associate’s 1
$6,152
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 the District of Columbia
Nearby pages, starting with two from the South, the District of Columbia’s Census region, each with a figure from its own state.
Sources for the District of Columbia 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.
