Best colleges for Criminal Justice and Corrections in Massachusetts
Ranked by graduate earnings
Northeastern University, Nichols College and Curry College are the top bachelor's Criminal Justice and Corrections programs in Massachusetts by graduate earnings. Northeastern University leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $51,363, College Scorecard. University of Massachusetts-Lowell, Northeastern University and Westfield State University award the most Criminal Justice and Corrections degrees in Massachusetts: 313, 161 and 135 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 45 Massachusetts colleges offer Criminal Justice and Corrections and award 2,138 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 | Northeastern University Boston Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $51,363 | 161 | 91% | $18,925 | $22,809 |
| 2 | Nichols College Dudley Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $45,774 | 25 | 63% | $29,718 | $27,000 |
| 3 | Curry College Milton Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $45,103 | 55 | 51% | $28,321 | $25,000 |
| 4 | Salem State University Salem Public · Bachelor's degree | $44,812 | 75 | 50% | — | $26,220 |
| 5 | Bridgewater State University Bridgewater Public · Bachelor's degree | $43,735 | 129 | 53% | — | $26,696 |
| 6 | Fitchburg State University Fitchburg Public · Bachelor's degree | $43,418 | 71 | 55% | — | $26,000 |
| 7 | Merrimack College North Andover Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $43,323 | 74 | 70% | $33,877 | $27,000 |
| 8 | University of Massachusetts-Boston Boston Public · Bachelor's degree | $42,325 | 110 | 49% | — | $27,000 |
| 9 | Westfield State University Westfield Public · Bachelor's degree | $42,228 | 135 | 54% | — | $24,422 |
| 10 | University of Massachusetts-Lowell Lowell Public · Bachelor's degree | $41,938 | 313 | 65% | — | $26,000 |
Top 10 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 | Springfield Technical Community College Springfield Public · Associate degree | $37,044 | 38 | 32% | — | $7,500 |
| 2 | Bunker Hill Community College Boston Public · Associate degree | $47,573 | 41 | 13% | — | $5,500 |
| 3 | Massachusetts Bay Community College Wellesley Hills Public · Associate degree | $45,144 | 28 | 17% | — | $6,333 |
| 4 | Middlesex Community College Bedford Public · Associate degree | $41,796 | 35 | 23% | — | $10,950 |
| 5 | Quinsigamond Community College Worcester Public · Associate degree | $40,039 | 42 | 22% | — | $16,250 |
| 6 | Northern Essex Community College Haverhill Public · Associate degree | $39,426 | 29 | 21% | — | $7,432 |
| 7 | Holyoke Community College Holyoke Public · Associate degree | $37,533 | 31 | 29% | — | $5,658 |
| 8 | Massasoit Community College Brockton Public · Associate degree | $36,927 | 27 | 19% | — | $10,875 |
| 9 | Bristol Community College Fall River Public · Associate degree | $36,706 | 33 | 22% | — | $6,700 |
| 10 | North Shore Community College Danvers Public · Associate degree | $32,379 | 30 | 18% | — | $9,656 |
Colleges awarding the most Criminal Justice and Corrections degrees in Massachusetts
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 | University of Massachusetts-Lowell Lowell Public | 313 | $41,938 |
| 2 | Northeastern University Boston Private not-for-profit | 161 | $51,363 |
| 3 | Westfield State University Westfield Public | 135 | $42,228 |
| 4 | Bridgewater State University Bridgewater Public | 129 | $43,735 |
| 5 | Boston University Boston Private not-for-profit | 110 | Not reported |
| 6 | University of Massachusetts-Boston Boston Public | 110 | $42,325 |
| 7 | Salem State University Salem Public | 75 | $44,812 |
| 8 | Merrimack College North Andover Private not-for-profit | 74 | $43,323 |
| 9 | Fitchburg State University Fitchburg Public | 71 | $43,418 |
| 10 | Worcester State University Worcester Public | 67 | $41,132 |
ShowHide the other 35 Massachusetts colleges offering Criminal Justice and Corrections
| Institution | City | Control | Graduates / yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| American International College | Springfield | Private not-for-profit | 61 |
| Western New England University | Springfield | Private not-for-profit | 57 |
| Curry College | Milton | Private not-for-profit | 55 |
| Suffolk University | Boston | Private not-for-profit | 55 |
| Anna Maria College | Paxton | Private not-for-profit | 53 |
| Quinsigamond Community College | Worcester | Public | 42 |
| Bunker Hill Community College | Boston | Public | 41 |
| Springfield Technical Community College | Springfield | Public | 38 |
| University of Massachusetts-Amherst | Amherst | Public | 37 |
| Middlesex Community College | Bedford | Public | 35 |
| Bristol Community College | Fall River | Public | 33 |
| Holyoke Community College | Holyoke | Public | 31 |
| North Shore Community College | Danvers | Public | 30 |
| Northern Essex Community College | Haverhill | Public | 29 |
| Endicott College | Beverly | Private not-for-profit | 28 |
| Massachusetts Bay Community College | Wellesley Hills | Public | 28 |
| Massasoit Community College | Brockton | Public | 27 |
| Fisher College | Boston | Private not-for-profit | 26 |
| Nichols College | Dudley | Private not-for-profit | 25 |
| Dean College | Franklin | Private not-for-profit | 22 |
| Cape Cod Community College | West Barnstable | Public | 20 |
| Springfield College | Springfield | Private not-for-profit | 17 |
| William James College | Newton | Private not-for-profit | 16 |
| Quincy College | Quincy | Public | 15 |
| Berkshire Community College | Pittsfield | Public | 12 |
| Bay Path University | Longmeadow | Private not-for-profit | 10 |
| Springfield College - Regional, Online, and Continuing Education (Online) | Springfield | Private not-for-profit | 10 |
| Mount Wachusett Community College | Gardner | Public | 8 |
| College of Our Lady of the Elms | Chicopee | Private not-for-profit | 8 |
| Roxbury Community College | Roxbury Crossing | Public | 8 |
| Boston College | Chestnut Hill | Private not-for-profit | 7 |
| Regis College | Weston | Private not-for-profit | 4 |
| Greenfield Community College | Greenfield | Public | 3 |
| Cambridge College | Boston | Private not-for-profit | 1 |
| Wheaton College (Massachusetts) | Norton | 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 Massachusetts
Related careers
Common questions
Answers for students comparing Criminal Justice and Corrections programs in Massachusetts.
Which Massachusetts colleges award the most Criminal Justice and Corrections degrees?+
University of Massachusetts-Lowell (313 graduates a year), Northeastern University (161 graduates a year) and Westfield State University (135 graduates a year) award the most Criminal Justice and Corrections degrees in Massachusetts, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 45 Massachusetts colleges offer Criminal Justice and Corrections.
What is the best college for Criminal Justice and Corrections in Massachusetts?+
By graduate earnings, Northeastern University leads among bachelor's Criminal Justice and Corrections programs in Massachusetts, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $51,363, College Scorecard. Nichols College and Curry College follow. By degrees awarded, University of Massachusetts-Lowell is the largest, with 313 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).
Which Criminal Justice and Corrections program in Massachusetts has the highest-earning graduates?+
By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, Northeastern University tops the list at $51,363. 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 Massachusetts?+
The average annual wage for Correctional Officers and Jailers in Massachusetts is $82,890 (median $86,310), across about 6,360 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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