Best colleges for Criminal Justice and Corrections in Louisiana
Ranked by graduate earnings
Louisiana State University at Alexandria, University of Louisiana at Monroe and University of Louisiana at Lafayette are the top bachelor's Criminal Justice and Corrections programs in Louisiana by graduate earnings. Louisiana State University at Alexandria leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $39,917, College Scorecard. Grambling State University, Southeastern Louisiana University and Louisiana State University at Alexandria award the most Criminal Justice and Corrections degrees in Louisiana: 165, 90 and 62 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 26 Louisiana colleges offer Criminal Justice and Corrections and award 1,037 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…
Top 10 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.
| # | Institution | Starting salary (1 yr) | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Louisiana State University at Alexandria Alexandria Public · Bachelor's degree | $39,917 | 62 | 34% | — | $26,954 |
| 2 | University of Louisiana at Monroe Monroe Public · Bachelor's degree | $36,313 | 42 | 54% | — | $23,250 |
| 3 | University of Louisiana at Lafayette Lafayette Public · Bachelor's degree | $35,872 | 52 | 53% | — | $23,557 |
| 4 | Southeastern Louisiana University Hammond Public · Bachelor's degree | $35,024 | 90 | 45% | — | $25,000 |
| 5 | McNeese State University Lake Charles Public · Bachelor's degree | $34,178 | 55 | 47% | — | $27,000 |
| 6 | Northwestern State University of Louisiana Natchitoches Public · Bachelor's degree | $30,559 | 39 | 43% | — | $31,000 |
| 7 | Dillard University New Orleans Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $26,744 | 25 | 43% | $18,826 | $32,187 |
| 8 | Grambling State University Grambling Public · Bachelor's degree | $23,046 | 165 | 36% | — | $39,871 |
| 9 | Herzing University - New Orleans Metairie Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree Small program | $67,229 | 6 | 15% | $22,092 | $28,399 |
| 10 | Southern University at New Orleans New Orleans Public · Bachelor's degree | $33,494 | 56 | 13% | — | $45,149 |
Top 5 certificate and associate programs
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.
| # | Institution | Starting salary (1 yr) | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Baton Rouge Community College Baton Rouge Public · Associate degree | $36,066 | 26 | 31% | — | $25,597 |
| 2 | SOWELA Technical Community College Lake Charles Public · Associate degree | $23,832 | 42 | 43% | — | — |
| 3 | Bossier Parish Community College Bossier City Public · Associate degree | $32,318 | 90 | 15% | — | $21,500 |
| 4 | Delgado Community College New Orleans Public · Associate degree | $29,276 | 37 | 24% | — | $30,687 |
| 5 | Remington College - Shreveport Campus Shreveport Private not-for-profit · Associate degree Small program | $26,952 | 1 | 33% | $31,378 | $22,119 |
Colleges awarding the most Criminal Justice and Corrections degrees in Louisiana
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.
| # | Institution | Graduates / yr | Starting salary (1 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Grambling State University Grambling Public | 165 | $23,046 |
| 2 | Southeastern Louisiana University Hammond Public | 90 | $35,024 |
| 3 | Louisiana State University at Alexandria Alexandria Public | 62 | $39,917 |
| 4 | McNeese State University Lake Charles Public | 55 | $34,178 |
| 5 | University of Louisiana at Lafayette Lafayette Public | 52 | $35,872 |
| 6 | University of Louisiana at Monroe Monroe Public | 42 | $36,313 |
| 7 | Northwestern State University of Louisiana Natchitoches Public | 39 | $30,559 |
| 8 | South Louisiana Community College Lafayette Public | 28 | Not reported |
| 9 | Dillard University New Orleans Private not-for-profit | 25 | $26,744 |
| 10 | Louisiana State University - Shreveport Shreveport Public | 20 | Not reported |
ShowHide the other 16 Louisiana colleges offering Criminal Justice and Corrections
| Institution | City | Control | Graduates / yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southern University and A & M College | Baton Rouge | Public | 112 |
| Bossier Parish Community College | Bossier City | Public | 90 |
| Southern University at New Orleans | New Orleans | Public | 56 |
| SOWELA Technical Community College | Lake Charles | Public | 42 |
| Delgado Community College | New Orleans | Public | 37 |
| Baton Rouge Community College | Baton Rouge | Public | 26 |
| Louisiana Delta Community College | Monroe | Public | 19 |
| Louisiana State University - Eunice | Eunice | Public | 13 |
| Fletcher Technical Community College | Schriever | Public | 13 |
| Nicholls State University | Thibodaux | Public | 11 |
| Louisiana Christian University | Pineville | Private not-for-profit | 10 |
| Southern University at Shreveport | Shreveport | Public | 10 |
| River Parishes Community College | Gonzales | Public | 7 |
| Tulane University of Louisiana | New Orleans | Private not-for-profit | 6 |
| Herzing University - New Orleans | Metairie | Private not-for-profit | 6 |
| Remington College - Shreveport Campus | Shreveport | Private not-for-profit | 1 |
Career outlook
What this program leads to: Correctional Officers and Jailers (SOC 33-3012).
Top skills
What Correctional Officers and Jailers earn in Louisiana
Related careers
Common questions
Answers for students comparing Criminal Justice and Corrections programs in Louisiana.
Which Louisiana colleges award the most Criminal Justice and Corrections degrees?+
Grambling State University (165 graduates a year), Southeastern Louisiana University (90 graduates a year) and Louisiana State University at Alexandria (62 graduates a year) award the most Criminal Justice and Corrections degrees in Louisiana, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 26 Louisiana colleges offer Criminal Justice and Corrections.
What is the best college for Criminal Justice and Corrections in Louisiana?+
By graduate earnings, Louisiana State University at Alexandria leads among bachelor's Criminal Justice and Corrections programs in Louisiana, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $39,917, College Scorecard. University of Louisiana at Monroe and University of Louisiana at Lafayette follow. By degrees awarded, Grambling State University is the largest, with 165 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).
Which Criminal Justice and Corrections program in Louisiana has the highest-earning graduates?+
By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, Louisiana State University at Alexandria tops the list at $39,917. 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 Louisiana?+
The average annual wage for Correctional Officers and Jailers in Louisiana is $42,830 (median $39,850), across about 7,960 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.
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