Best Criminal Justice programs in New Jersey, ranked by enrollment
Teach courses in criminal justice, corrections, and law enforcement administration.
44 schools in New Jersey run programs that feed this job, graduating 2,851 people a year. The job pays a median of $71,610 in New Jersey across about 530 jobs (BLS OEWS May 2025).
Fields of study in New Jersey that lead to this job
Grouped at the 4-digit CIP level. Numbers are graduates per year in this state.
13 programs in New Jersey that lead to this job
Ranked by graduates per year in New Jersey (IPEDS completions). Graduate earnings and debt are national College Scorecard figures reported at the 4-digit CIP level, so specializations within one field share a figure. Each program also links to its own New Jersey page.
| # | Program | Graduates / yr | Share of pipeline | Schools | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CIP 43.0104In New Jersey → | 1,057 | 37.1% | 20 | $37,408 | $24,069 |
| 2 | CIP 43.0107In New Jersey → | 953 | 33.4% | 17 | $37,408 | $24,069 |
| 3 | CIP 43.0103In New Jersey → | 428 | 15.0% | 10 | $37,408 | $24,069 |
| 4 | CIP 43.0102In New Jersey → | 126 | 4.4% | 1 | $37,408 | $24,069 |
| 5 | CIP 43.0199In New Jersey → | 117 | 4.1% | 4 | $37,408 | $24,069 |
| 6 | CIP 43.0399In New Jersey → | 41 | 1.4% | 2 | $46,281 | $23,250 |
| 7 | CIP 43.0403In New Jersey → | 39 | 1.4% | 6 | $40,889 | $25,000 |
| 8 | CIP 45.0401In New Jersey → | 37 | 1.3% | 3 | $37,366 | $25,000 |
| 9 | CIP 43.0406In New Jersey → | 33 | 1.2% | 6 | $40,889 | $25,000 |
| 10 | CIP 43.0304In New Jersey → | 14 | 0.5% | 2 | $46,281 | $23,250 |
| 11 | CIP 43.0405In New Jersey → | 3 | 0.1% | 1 | $40,889 | $25,000 |
| 12 | CIP 43.0113In New Jersey → | 2 | 0.1% | 1 | $37,408 | $24,069 |
| 13 | CIP 43.0109In New Jersey → | 1 | 0.0% | 1 | $37,408 | $24,069 |
Top 25 schools in New Jersey
Ranked by graduates per year into this job. Graduate earnings are reported for 31 of the 44 schools in this state.
| # | School | Graduates / yr | Top feeder program | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Grad rate | Net price | Acceptance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rowan University Glassboro, NJ Public · 6 feeder programs | 232 | Criminal Justice/Police Science | $33,254 | 67% | — | 78% |
| 2 | Camden County College Blackwood, NJ Public · 2 feeder programs | 230 | Corrections | $59,298 | 31% | — | — |
| 3 | Rutgers University - New Brunswick New Brunswick, NJ Public · 1 feeder programs | 176 | Criminal Justice/Safety Studies | $34,611 | 84% | — | 58% |
| 4 | Passaic County Community College Paterson, NJ Public · 3 feeder programs | 171 | Criminal Justice/Police Science | $23,559 | 19% | — | — |
| 5 | Rutgers University - Newark Newark, NJ Public · 1 feeder programs | 168 | Criminal Justice/Safety Studies | $34,611 | 64% | — | 71% |
| 6 | Kean University Union, NJ Public · 1 feeder programs | 153 | Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement Administration | $39,408 | 47% | — | 76% |
| 7 | Stockton University Galloway, NJ Public · 2 feeder programs | 144 | Criminal Justice/Safety Studies | — | 69% | — | 89% |
| 8 | William Paterson University of New Jersey Wayne, NJ Public · 1 feeder programs | 142 | Criminal Justice/Safety Studies | $35,864 | 44% | — | 90% |
| 9 | New Jersey City University Jersey City, NJ Public · 3 feeder programs | 125 | Corrections and Criminal Justice, Other | $34,027 | 34% | — | 98% |
| 10 | Rutgers University - Camden Camden, NJ Public · 2 feeder programs | 72 | Criminal Justice/Safety Studies | $34,611 | 67% | — | 66% |
| 11 | Monmouth University West Long Branch, NJ Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 71 | Criminal Justice/Safety Studies | $37,862 | 72% | $28,514 | 89% |
| 12 | Ocean County College Toms River, NJ Public · 1 feeder programs | 66 | Criminal Justice/Police Science | $27,321 | 42% | — | — |
| 13 | UCNJ Union College of Union County, New Jersey Cranford, NJ Public · 3 feeder programs | 63 | Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement Administration | $30,629 | 35% | — | — |
| 14 | Berkeley College - Woodland Park Woodland Park, NJ Private for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 62 | Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement Administration | $29,460 | 44% | $23,170 | — |
| 15 | Rowan College at Burlington County Mount Laurel, NJ Public · 1 feeder programs | 62 | Criminal Justice/Police Science | $27,775 | 36% | — | — |
| 16 | County College of Morris Randolph, NJ Public · 2 feeder programs | 61 | Criminal Justice/Police Science | $23,024 | 36% | — | — |
| 17 | The College of New Jersey Ewing, NJ Public · 1 feeder programs | 61 | Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement Administration | $36,070 | 86% | — | 62% |
| 18 | Brookdale Community College Lincroft, NJ Public · 1 feeder programs | 59 | Criminal Justice/Police Science | $30,595 | 30% | — | — |
| 19 | Rider University Lawrenceville, NJ Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 58 | Cyber/Computer Forensics and Counterterrorism | — | 61% | $23,844 | 79% |
| 20 | Seton Hall University South Orange, NJ Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 54 | Criminal Justice/Safety Studies | $27,167 | 69% | $27,376 | 73% |
| 21 | Hudson County Community College Jersey City, NJ Public · 1 feeder programs | 49 | Criminal Justice/Police Science | $20,232 | 26% | — | — |
| 22 | Rowan College of South Jersey - Gloucester Campus Sewell, NJ Public · 1 feeder programs | 47 | Criminal Justice/Police Science | $28,991 | 39% | — | — |
| 23 | Fairleigh Dickinson University - Metropolitan Campus Teaneck, NJ Private not-for-profit · 3 feeder programs | 46 | Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement Administration | $33,874 | 53% | $18,059 | 91% |
| 24 | Middlesex College Edison, NJ Public · 2 feeder programs | 42 | Criminal Justice/Police Science | $32,712 | 33% | — | — |
| 25 | Raritan Valley Community College Branchburg, NJ Public · 1 feeder programs | 41 | Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement Administration | — | 31% | — | — |
All 44 schools in New Jersey
Every school in New Jersey with a program that feeds this job, ordered by graduates per year. Earnings are shown for the ranked schools above; open a school profile for the rest.
| School | City | Control | Graduates / yr | Feeder programs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rowan University | Glassboro | Public | 232 | 6 |
| Camden County College | Blackwood | Public | 230 | 2 |
| Rutgers University - New Brunswick | New Brunswick | Public | 176 | 1 |
| Passaic County Community College | Paterson | Public | 171 | 3 |
| Rutgers University - Newark | Newark | Public | 168 | 1 |
| Kean University | Union | Public | 153 | 1 |
| Stockton University | Galloway | Public | 144 | 2 |
| William Paterson University of New Jersey | Wayne | Public | 142 | 1 |
| New Jersey City University | Jersey City | Public | 125 | 3 |
| Rutgers University - Camden | Camden | Public | 72 | 2 |
| Monmouth University | West Long Branch | Private not-for-profit | 71 | 1 |
| Ocean County College | Toms River | Public | 66 | 1 |
| UCNJ Union College of Union County, New Jersey | Cranford | Public | 63 | 3 |
| Berkeley College - Woodland Park | Woodland Park | Private for-profit | 62 | 2 |
| Rowan College at Burlington County | Mount Laurel | Public | 62 | 1 |
What criminal justice and law enforcement teachers, postsecondary earn in New Jersey
What people already working in this job earn (BLS OEWS May 2025). Not graduate earnings.
U.S. median $76,590. New Jersey pays below the national figure.
Concentrated here: New Jersey employs more of this job per worker than the U.S. average.
Job outlook
Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections, 2024 to 2034.
Growth and openings are national. The Bureau of Labor Statistics does not publish employment projections at state level, so these figures describe the occupation across the whole U.S., not this state alone.
How to get in
The full skills, tools, and day-to-day breakdown lives on the national Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Teachers, Postsecondary page.
How to become a Criminal Justice
Job zone 5 of 5 · SVP 8.0 and above- Typical entry education
- Doctoral or professional degree
Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.
Employees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training.
Top skills
The same job in other states
Where else this occupation employs the most people, and what it pays there.
Related careers in New Jersey
Every major mapped to this job
The official federal mapping behind the rankings above.
All 25 majors mapped to Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Teachers, Postsecondary21 of them graduated someone in the latest IPEDS year. NCES CIP 2020 → SOC 2018 crosswalk.+
- 03.0208Environmental/Natural Resources Law Enforcement and Protective Services
- 43.0100Criminal Justice and Corrections, General
- 43.0102Corrections
- 43.0103Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement Administration
- 43.0104Criminal Justice/Safety Studies
- 43.0107Criminal Justice/Police Science
- 43.0109Security and Loss Prevention Services
- 43.0110Juvenile Corrections
- 43.0112Securities Services Administration/Management
- 43.0113Corrections Administration
- 43.0114Law Enforcement Investigation and Interviewing
- 43.0115Law Enforcement Record-Keeping and Evidence Management(no graduates reported)
- 43.0119Critical Incident Response/Special Police Operations
- 43.0120Protective Services Operations
- 43.0121Suspension and Debarment Investigation(no graduates reported)
- 43.0122Maritime Law Enforcement(no graduates reported)
- 43.0123Cultural/Archaelogical Resources Protection(no graduates reported)
- 43.0199Corrections and Criminal Justice, Other
- 43.0304Terrorism and Counterterrorism Operations
- 43.0399Homeland Security, Other
- 43.0401Security Science and Technology, General
- 43.0402Criminalistics and Criminal Science
- 43.0403Cyber/Computer Forensics and Counterterrorism
- 43.0404Cybersecurity Defense Strategy/Policy
- 43.0405Financial Forensics and Fraud Investigation
Common questions
Answers for people weighing criminal justice and law enforcement teachers, postsecondary programs in New Jersey.
What degree do you need to become a Criminal Justice?+
Doctoral or professional degree is the typical entry-level education BLS reports for this occupation. The most common program people actually graduate from is Criminal Justice/Safety Studies, which awarded 1,057 degrees in New Jersey in 2024-25, 37.1% of everyone graduating from a program that feeds this career.
Which college majors lead to becoming a Criminal Justice?+
The NCES CIP-to-SOC crosswalk maps 13 programs to this occupation. The largest are Criminal Justice and Corrections, Security Science and Technology, Homeland Security, Criminology. Together they graduate about 2,851 people a year in New Jersey.
How much do criminal justice and law enforcement teachers, postsecondary earn in New Jersey?+
The median is $71,610 a year (BLS OEWS May 2025). That is 6.5% below the U.S. median of $76,590. This is pay for people already working in the occupation, not the same thing as graduate earnings one year after finishing a degree.
Is demand for criminal justice and law enforcement teachers, postsecondary growing?+
BLS projects a +2.0% change in employment between 2024 and 2034, about as fast as average, with roughly 1,200 openings a year nationally once retirements and job changes are counted.
How many schools offer programs for this career in New Jersey?+
44 institutions in New Jersey reported graduates from at least one of the 13 programs that feed this occupation in IPEDS 2024-25. Rankings on this page use graduates per year, because the federal data publishes no enrollment count by program.
What other job titles do criminal justice and law enforcement teachers, postsecondary work under?+
Employers advertise this work under many names. O*NET records Professor, Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, Criminal Justice Professor among the most commonly reported, all mapping to SOC 25-1111.
About the data on this page
Rankings use IPEDS completions 2024–25, degrees awarded per year. That is the closest federal measure of how many people a program puts into a career, because no federal dataset publishes enrollment by program. Wages and employment come from BLS OEWS May 2025, growth and openings from BLS Employment Projections 2024-34, and which majors lead to which jobs from the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk. Occupation descriptions, tasks, skills and tools are O*NET 30.3 (CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor/ETA).
BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics
May 2025Wages, employment counts, location quotients and metro breakdowns.
BLS Employment Projections
2024–34Projected growth, annual openings and typical entry-level education.
IPEDS Completions
2024-25 (provisional)Graduates per year by program and institution — the ranking metric.
College Scorecard, Field of Study
2020-21 cohortsMedian graduate earnings one year after completion, and median debt.
Census Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes
latest availableGraduate earnings 1/5/10 years out, where the state participates.
NCES CIP 2020 and the CIP-to-SOC 2018 crosswalk
CIP 2020 / SOC 2018Which college programs officially lead to this occupation.
O*NET Database 30.3
30.3Tasks, skills, knowledge, tools, job zone and alternate job titles.
Official source →CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor / ETA
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