Best colleges for Criminal Justice and Corrections in Ohio
Ranked by graduate earnings
Tiffin University, Baldwin Wallace University and Ashland University are the top bachelor's Criminal Justice and Corrections programs in Ohio by graduate earnings. Tiffin University leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $44,823, College Scorecard. University of Cincinnati, Kent State University at Kent and Youngstown State University award the most Criminal Justice and Corrections degrees in Ohio: 338, 156 and 119 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 84 Ohio colleges offer Criminal Justice and Corrections and award 2,523 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 | Tiffin University Tiffin Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $44,823 | 38 | 40% | $24,126 | $30,758 |
| 2 | Baldwin Wallace University Berea Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $42,407 | 21 | 67% | $25,104 | $27,000 |
| 3 | Ashland University Ashland Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $42,172 | 25 | 61% | $21,785 | $29,406 |
| 4 | Xavier University Cincinnati Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $41,013 | 26 | 69% | $31,119 | $26,396 |
| 5 | University of Cincinnati Cincinnati Public · Bachelor's degree | $40,557 | 338 | 75% | — | $25,707 |
| 6 | University of Akron Main Campus Akron Public · Bachelor's degree | $38,547 | 52 | 52% | — | $27,000 |
| 7 | University of Toledo Toledo Public · Bachelor's degree | $37,548 | 51 | 57% | — | $26,000 |
| 8 | Youngstown State University Youngstown Public · Bachelor's degree | $37,325 | 119 | 50% | — | $24,465 |
| 9 | Bowling Green State University Bowling Green Public · Bachelor's degree | $36,468 | 110 | 64% | — | $26,000 |
| 10 | Kent State University at Kent Kent Public · Bachelor's degree | $33,980 | 156 | 64% | — | $25,937 |
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 | Owens Community College Perrysburg Public · Certificate | $63,966 | 72 | 35% | — | $13,549 |
| 2 | Butler Technology and Career Development Schools Monroe Public · Certificate | $53,759 | 64 | 76% | — | $8,022 |
| 3 | North Central State College Mansfield Public · Associate degree | $47,397 | 34 | 36% | — | $10,782 |
| 4 | Ohio University Athens Public · Associate degree | $44,159 | 22 | 65% | — | $13,500 |
| 5 | Central Ohio Technical College Newark Public · Associate degree | $40,065 | 55 | 30% | — | — |
| 6 | Cuyahoga Community College District Cleveland Public · Associate degree | $38,595 | 31 | 31% | — | $7,149 |
| 7 | Hocking College Nelsonville Public · Associate degree | $33,845 | 32 | 37% | — | $14,750 |
| 8 | Sinclair Community College Dayton Public · Certificate | $29,888 | 258 | 41% | — | $8,190 |
| 9 | Great Oaks Career Campuses Cincinnati Public · Certificate Small program | $60,896 | 17 | 90% | — | $16,673 |
| 10 | Eastland-Fairfield Career and Technical Schools Groveport Public · Certificate Small program | $53,090 | 10 | 81% | — | $7,874 |
Colleges awarding the most Criminal Justice and Corrections degrees in Ohio
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 Cincinnati Cincinnati Public | 338 | $40,557 |
| 2 | Kent State University at Kent Kent Public | 156 | $33,980* |
| 3 | Youngstown State University Youngstown Public | 119 | $37,325 |
| 4 | Bowling Green State University Bowling Green Public | 110 | $36,468 |
| 5 | University of Akron Main Campus Akron Public | 52 | $38,547 |
| 6 | University of Toledo Toledo Public | 51 | $37,548 |
| 7 | Kent State University at Trumbull Warren Public | 49 | $33,980* |
| 8 | Lorain County Community College Elyria Public | 46 | Not reported |
| 9 | University of Dayton Dayton Private not-for-profit | 45 | $25,150 |
| 10 | Tiffin University Tiffin Private not-for-profit | 38 | $44,823 |
ShowHide the other 74 Ohio colleges offering Criminal Justice and Corrections
Career outlook
What this program leads to: Correctional Officers and Jailers (SOC 33-3012).
Top skills
What Correctional Officers and Jailers earn in Ohio
Related careers
Common questions
Answers for students comparing Criminal Justice and Corrections programs in Ohio.
Which Ohio colleges award the most Criminal Justice and Corrections degrees?+
University of Cincinnati (338 graduates a year), Kent State University at Kent (156 graduates a year) and Youngstown State University (119 graduates a year) award the most Criminal Justice and Corrections degrees in Ohio, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 84 Ohio colleges offer Criminal Justice and Corrections.
What is the best college for Criminal Justice and Corrections in Ohio?+
By graduate earnings, Tiffin University leads among bachelor's Criminal Justice and Corrections programs in Ohio, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $44,823, College Scorecard. Baldwin Wallace University and Ashland University follow. By degrees awarded, University of Cincinnati is the largest, with 338 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).
Which Criminal Justice and Corrections program in Ohio has the highest-earning graduates?+
By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, Tiffin University tops the list at $44,823. 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 Ohio?+
The average annual wage for Correctional Officers and Jailers in Ohio is $58,660 (median $59,370), across about 12,610 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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