Illinois · Criminal Justice and Corrections

Best Criminal Justice and Corrections institutions in Illinois, ranked by earnings

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
70
offering CIP 43.01
States offered
9
with a program page
Degrees / yr
2,378
IPEDS completions 2026
Median grad earnings
$43,091
1 year after graduation
With earnings data
28
College Scorecard
Median net price
$20,472
IPEDS 2026
Avg graduation rate
46%
IPEDS 2026
State pay · Correctional Officers and Jailers
$79,360
BLS OEWS 2024

Top 10 institutions, ranked by graduate earnings

Earnings = median 1 year after graduation (College Scorecard).

#InstitutionGrad earnings (1 yr)CompletionsGrad rateNet priceMedian debt
1Rasmussen University - Illinois
Rockford Private for-profit · Associate degree
$47,447343%$19,427$24,408
2Benedictine University
Lisle Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$46,0201050%$23,570$25,979
3Aurora University
Aurora Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$44,1508360%$18,431$23,635
4University of St Francis
Joliet Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$43,793667%$15,591
5North Park University
Chicago Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$43,519458%$18,494
6DeVry University - Illinois
Lisle Private for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$43,0912437%$32,381$54,985
7Governors State University
University Park Public · Bachelor's degree
$42,4564822%$22,889
8Roosevelt University
Chicago Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$41,2031435%$21,085$24,625
9University of Illinois Springfield
Springfield Public · Bachelor's degree
$41,0642653%$22,418
10Western Illinois University
Macomb Public · Bachelor's degree
$40,89820045%$26,000

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 Illinois

Jobs in Illinois
12,210
BLS OEWS May 2024
State average pay
$79,360
median $78,750
Best-paying metro
$82,140
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN

Related careers

Security Guards
$43,850 avg · 53,560 jobs
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers
$92,020 avg · 29,790 jobs
Child, Family, and School Social Workers
$69,430 avg · 17,790 jobs
Correctional Officers and Jailers
$79,360 avg · 12,210 jobs
Compliance Officers
$85,040 avg · 10,190 jobs
First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives
$123,850 avg · 5,550 jobs

Common questions

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

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

By median earnings one year after graduation (College Scorecard), Rasmussen University - Illinois tops the list at $47,447. Compare it against completions, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.

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

The average annual wage for Correctional Officers and Jailers in Illinois is $79,360 (median $78,750), across about 12,210 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2024.

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).

Explore every U.S. college in one conversation

Clema turns plain-language questions into sourced answers across every U.S. institution — earnings, aid, acceptance, graduation, safety, and athletics from IPEDS, College Scorecard, and 10+ federal datasets, built in.

Free for teams up to 3 · No credit card