Maryland · Criminal Justice and Corrections

Best colleges for Criminal Justice and Corrections in Maryland

Ranked by graduate earnings

University of Baltimore, Bowie State University and Frostburg State University are the top bachelor's Criminal Justice and Corrections programs in Maryland by graduate earnings. University of Baltimore leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $48,991, College Scorecard. Bowie State University, Anne Arundel Community College and University of Baltimore award the most Criminal Justice and Corrections degrees in Maryland: 76, 61 and 52 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 23 Maryland colleges offer Criminal Justice and Corrections and award 1,509 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
23
offering CIP 43.01
States & territories
57
with a program page
Degrees / yr
1,509
IPEDS completions 2024–25
Median starting salary
$41,764
1 yr after graduation, College Scorecard
With earnings data
11
College Scorecard
Median net price
$23,244
IPEDS 2024–25
Avg graduation rate
37%
IPEDS 2024–25
State pay · Correctional Officers and Jailers
$66,140
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
1University of Baltimore
Baltimore Public · Bachelor's degree
$48,9915238%—$25,500
2Bowie State University
Bowie Public · Bachelor's degree
$41,3677638%—$29,750
3Frostburg State University
Frostburg Public · Bachelor's degree
$40,8442150%—$25,000
4Stevenson University
Owings Mills Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$38,7453568%$26,556$27,000
5University of Maryland Eastern Shore
Princess Anne Public · Bachelor's degree
$37,3932435%—$28,027
6University of Maryland Global Campus
Adelphi Public · Bachelor's degree Online
$55,47943233%—$25,062
7Strayer University - Maryland
Baltimore Private for-profit · Bachelor's degree Online Small program
$43,4051838%$18,092$56,937
8Hood College
Frederick Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree Small program
$41,764757%$23,244$25,500
9Coppin State University
Baltimore Public · Bachelor's degree
$31,4193726%—$29,000

Top 2 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.

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
1Community College of Baltimore County
Baltimore Public · Certificate
$70,61043119%—$18,097
2Wor-Wic Community College
Salisbury Public · Certificate
$53,81315527%—$14,000

Colleges awarding the most Criminal Justice and Corrections degrees in Maryland

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)
1Bowie State University
Bowie Public
76$41,367
2Anne Arundel Community College
Arnold Public
61Not reported
3University of Baltimore
Baltimore Public
52$48,991
4Stevenson University
Owings Mills Private not-for-profit
35$38,745
5College of Southern Maryland
La Plata Public
28Not reported
6University of Maryland Eastern Shore
Princess Anne Public
24$37,393
7Frostburg State University
Frostburg Public
21$40,844
8McDaniel College
Westminster Private not-for-profit
21Not reported
9Carroll Community College
Westminster Public
19Not reported
10Frederick Community College
Frederick Public
18Not reported
Show the other 13 Maryland colleges offering Criminal Justice and Corrections
InstitutionCityControlGraduates / yr
University of Maryland Global Campus (Online)AdelphiPublic432
Community College of Baltimore CountyBaltimorePublic431
Wor-Wic Community CollegeSalisburyPublic155
Prince George's Community CollegeLargoPublic42
Coppin State UniversityBaltimorePublic37
Strayer University - Maryland (Online)BaltimorePrivate for-profit18
Cecil CollegeNorth EastPublic11
Montgomery CollegeRockvillePublic9
Hood CollegeFrederickPrivate not-for-profit7
Chesapeake CollegeWye MillsPublic5
Baltimore City Community CollegeBaltimorePublic4
Hagerstown Community CollegeHagerstownPublic2
Allegany College of MarylandCumberlandPublic1

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 Maryland

Jobs in Maryland
6,060
BLS OEWS May 2025
State average pay
$66,140
median $64,250
Best-paying metro
$65,150
Salisbury, MD

Related careers

Security Guards
$44,530 avg · 27,670 jobs
Compliance Officers
$91,660 avg · 10,100 jobs
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers
$82,400 avg · 9,720 jobs
First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives
$119,710 avg · 6,700 jobs
Correctional Officers and Jailers
$66,140 avg · 6,060 jobs

Common questions

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

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

Bowie State University (76 graduates a year), Anne Arundel Community College (61 graduates a year) and University of Baltimore (52 graduates a year) award the most Criminal Justice and Corrections degrees in Maryland, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 23 Maryland colleges offer Criminal Justice and Corrections.

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

By graduate earnings, University of Baltimore leads among bachelor's Criminal Justice and Corrections programs in Maryland, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $48,991, College Scorecard. Bowie State University and Frostburg State University follow. By degrees awarded, Bowie State University is the largest, with 76 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).

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

By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, University of Baltimore tops the list at $48,991. 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 Maryland?+

The average annual wage for Correctional Officers and Jailers in Maryland is $66,140 (median $64,250), across about 6,060 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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