Connecticut · Criminal Justice and Corrections

Best colleges for Criminal Justice and Corrections in Connecticut

Ranked by graduate earnings

Quinnipiac University, Albertus Magnus College and Sacred Heart University are the top bachelor's Criminal Justice and Corrections programs in Connecticut by graduate earnings. Quinnipiac University leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $41,989, College Scorecard. University of New Haven, Western Connecticut State University and Albertus Magnus College award the most Criminal Justice and Corrections degrees in Connecticut: 404, 70 and 44 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 13 Connecticut colleges offer Criminal Justice and Corrections and award 1,084 degrees and certificates a year in all.

The Criminal Justice and Corrections program focuses on the various functions carried out by government agencies related to the punishment, treatment, and supervision of individuals convicted of crimes. This program is ideal for students…

Institutions
13
offering CIP 43.01
States & territories
57
with a program page
Degrees / yr
1,084
IPEDS completions 2024–25
Median starting salary
$38,235
1 yr after graduation, College Scorecard
With earnings data
10
College Scorecard
Median net price
$30,734
IPEDS 2024–25
Avg graduation rate
53%
IPEDS 2024–25
State pay · Correctional Officers and Jailers
$64,570
BLS OEWS May 2025

Top 9 bachelor's programs, ranked by graduate earnings

Ranked by median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard. Programs with fewer than 20 graduates a year, a graduation rate under 30%, or online, degree-completion or graduate-only status rank after the rest.

Starting salary (1 yr): median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
#InstitutionStarting salary (1 yr)Graduates / yrGrad rateNet priceMedian debt
1Quinnipiac University
Hamden Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$41,9894376%$36,137$27,000
2Albertus Magnus College
New Haven Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$41,5204451%$32,574$40,000
3Sacred Heart University
Fairfield Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$41,1133873%$42,705$27,000
4Western Connecticut State University
Danbury Public · Bachelor's degree
$38,2357052%—$24,875
5University of New Haven
West Haven Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$36,45540463%$32,614$27,000
6University of Bridgeport
Bridgeport Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$29,2842841%$25,149$26,250
7Charter Oak State College
New Britain Public · Bachelor's degree Online
$68,9564467%—$23,000
8Post University
Waterbury Private for-profit · Bachelor's degree Online
$49,44919925%$14,659$33,250
9Mitchell College
New London Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree Small program
$32,782742%$30,734$27,000

Top certificate or associate program

Shorter credentials, ranked separately so they are not compared with four-year degrees. Ranked by median earnings one year after completion (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.

Starting salary (1 yr): median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
#InstitutionStarting salary (1 yr)Graduates / yrGrad rateNet priceMedian debt
1Connecticut State Community College
New Britain Public · Associate degree
$31,34516824%——

Colleges awarding the most Criminal Justice and Corrections degrees in Connecticut

Top 10 by graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25 completions). Certificate and associate programs, online, degree-completion and graduate-only schools, and schools with a graduation rate under 30% are listed in full below.

Graduates / yr: degrees and certificates awarded in a year, IPEDS completions. Starting salary (1 yr): median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
#InstitutionGraduates / yrStarting salary (1 yr)
1University of New Haven
West Haven Private not-for-profit
404$36,455
2Western Connecticut State University
Danbury Public
70$38,235
3Albertus Magnus College
New Haven Private not-for-profit
44$41,520
4Quinnipiac University
Hamden Private not-for-profit
43$41,989
5Sacred Heart University
Fairfield Private not-for-profit
38$41,113
6University of Bridgeport
Bridgeport Private not-for-profit
28$29,284
7Central Connecticut State University
New Britain Public
25Not reported
8Goodwin University
East Hartford Private not-for-profit
9Not reported
9Mitchell College
New London Private not-for-profit
7$32,782
10University of Saint Joseph
West Hartford Private not-for-profit
5Not reported
Show the other 3 Connecticut colleges offering Criminal Justice and Corrections
InstitutionCityControlGraduates / yr
Post University (Online)WaterburyPrivate for-profit199
Connecticut State Community CollegeNew BritainPublic168
Charter Oak State College (Online)New BritainPublic44

Career outlook

What this program leads to: Correctional Officers and Jailers (SOC 33-3012).

Projected growth (2024–2034)
-7.8%
Decline
Openings / yr (US)
~30,100
BLS Employment Projections
US median wage
$57,970
typically High school diploma or equivalent

Top skills

Active ListeningMonitoringSpeakingCritical ThinkingReading ComprehensionActive Learning

What Correctional Officers and Jailers earn in Connecticut

Jobs in Connecticut
3,780
BLS OEWS May 2025
State average pay
$64,570
median $64,750
Best-paying metro
$65,560
Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT

Related careers

Security Guards
$45,180 avg · 12,100 jobs
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers
$83,920 avg · 6,500 jobs
Child, Family, and School Social Workers
$80,180 avg · 5,230 jobs
Correctional Officers and Jailers
$64,570 avg · 3,780 jobs
Compliance Officers
$96,120 avg · 3,610 jobs

Common questions

Answers for students comparing Criminal Justice and Corrections programs in Connecticut.

Which Connecticut colleges award the most Criminal Justice and Corrections degrees?+

University of New Haven (404 graduates a year), Western Connecticut State University (70 graduates a year) and Albertus Magnus College (44 graduates a year) award the most Criminal Justice and Corrections degrees in Connecticut, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 13 Connecticut colleges offer Criminal Justice and Corrections.

What is the best college for Criminal Justice and Corrections in Connecticut?+

By graduate earnings, Quinnipiac University leads among bachelor's Criminal Justice and Corrections programs in Connecticut, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $41,989, College Scorecard. Albertus Magnus College and Sacred Heart University follow. By degrees awarded, University of New Haven is the largest, with 404 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).

Which Criminal Justice and Corrections program in Connecticut has the highest-earning graduates?+

By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, Quinnipiac University tops the list at $41,989. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.

How much do Correctional Officers and Jailers earn in Connecticut?+

The average annual wage for Correctional Officers and Jailers in Connecticut is $64,570 (median $64,750), across about 3,780 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.

What is the focus of the Criminal Justice and Corrections program?+

The Criminal Justice and Corrections program focuses on the various functions carried out by government agencies related to the punishment, treatment, and supervision of individuals convicted of crimes. This program is ideal for students…

What skills will I develop in this program?+

You will develop active listening, monitoring, speaking, critical thinking, and related professional skills.

What is the job outlook for Correctional Officers and Jailers?+

The national job outlook is about -7.8% growth with around 30,100 annual openings (BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034).

What is the typical education requirement?+

A High school diploma or equivalent is the typical entry-level education for this field (BLS).

About the data on this page

Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.

IPEDSFall 2025–26 release, published July 28, 2026
Enrollment, completions, graduation rates, tuition, financial aid, staffing, and finance for every U.S. institution in federal student aid programs.
College ScorecardJune 10, 2026 release (merged 2025–26 files)
Institution and field-of-study costs, graduate earnings, debt, completion, and admissions outcomes compiled from federal aid records, tax data, and IPEDS.
PSEO graduate earnings2019–21 graduation cohorts (release V4.13.0)
Earnings and employment outcomes of graduates by institution, degree level, and field of study, measured from state wage records.
BLS wages & outlookOEWS May 2025 release
Occupational employment and wage estimates plus 10-year job outlook, used to connect programs to real-world earnings.
FVT/GE program performanceProvisional preview, May 18, 2026 release
Program-level debt-to-earnings and earnings-premium measures behind the FVT/GE and STATS accountability frameworks.

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