11 Best Criminal Justice Schools in Georgia

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The State of Georgia wants qualified criminal justice professionals who have the education, knowledge, and skills to excel at their jobs.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation, the State of Georgia, local and state law enforcement, and corrections agencies are examples of where criminal justice professionals find their dream criminal justice career.

Some students go on to work for federal agencies such as the FBI, the Department of Homeland Security, or for international agencies.

These best criminal justice programs in Georgia that prepare students to work in criminal justice immediately after they complete the program.

Some students continue their education and earn an advanced criminal justice degree.

1 University of Georgia

About the School

The School of Public and International Affairs at the University of Georgia offers a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice program.

Students complete coursework and an internship.

Some students spend a semester studying abroad at the University of Liverpool in England.

Courses Offered

The Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice program at the University of Georgia prepares students to start their criminal justice career or to complete an advanced criminal justice degree program.

Courses in the 120-credit hour program include Criminal Justice Administration, Criminal Justice Practice, Violence and Society, and Research Methods in Criminal Justice.

Contact Information


2 Georgia Gwinnett College

About the School

Georgia Gwinnett College is an accredited school that invites students to “Serve Your Community.”

The Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice/Criminology program provides students with the knowledge and skills that they need for a career as a criminal justice professional.

Courses Offered

Learn the components of the criminal justice system. Gain knowledge of the influences of deviant behavior.

Focus on law enforcement, corrections, criminal behavior, probation and parole, white collar crime, and cybercrime by completing a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice/Criminology degree.

Courses in the program include Typologies of Crime and Criminal Behavior, U.S. Courts and the Legal System, Gangs, Organized Crime, and Criminal Violence.

Students also complete White Collar Crime, Homeland Security and Terrorism, and Criminal Law.

Contact Information

  • Address: 1000 University Center Lane, Lawrenceville, GA, 30043
  • Phone: 678-407-5000
  • Website: Visit School Website

3 Georgia Southern University

About the School

Georgia Southern University has three campus locations and online criminal justice programs.

Students can earn a certificate in a criminal justice program or earn a degree, such as a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice and Criminology degree in their choice of on-campus or online format.

Courses offered

Enroll in the Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice and Criminology program at Georgia Southern University if you want to have a career in law enforcement, corrections, victim advocacy, or digital forensics.

Some students complete the Cybercrime degree emphasis, while others choose the traditional degree path.

Program courses include Introduction to Policing, Critical Thinking, Corporate Crime, Hackers, Malware, and Online Economic Crime.

Some other courses include Gangs and Society, Juvenile Justice, and Ethics in Criminal Justice.

Contact Information


4 Georgia College & State University

About the School

Georgia College & State University is the University System of Georgia’s public liberal arts university.

The school offers students the education that will help them to reach their own potential, including through the Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice program.

Courses Offered

Earn a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and fulfill your career goals to become a criminal justice professional.

Students complete courses such as Criminal Law and Procedure, Correctional Systems and Practice, Criminology, and Research and Analytic Methods in Criminal Justice.

Students also complete a senior capstone project.

Contact Information

  • Address: 231 W. Hancock St., Milledgeville, GA, 31061
  • Phone: 800-342-0471
  • Website: Visit School Website

5 Georgia State University

About the School

Georgia State University works with undergraduate students throughout their enrollment at the school to make sure that students enroll in the courses that they need to complete the program.

Students gain the knowledge and skills that are important for criminal justice professionals.

Courses Offered

Complete courses that prepare you to have the knowledge and skills that criminal justice leaders need to have, whether they work at community agencies, state law enforcement agencies, or at the federal level.

Courses include Policing in America, Social Science and the American Crime Problem, and Research Methods in Criminal Justice.

Some other courses include Ethical Issues in Criminal Justice and the Practicum in Evidence-based Cybersecurity.

Contact Information


6 University of North Georgia

About the School

The University of North Georgia offers several options for students who want to have a career in criminal justice.

One program is the Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice program.

Students attend the program classes at the Dahlonega Campus.

Students can also study abroad for part of their program.

Courses Offered

Build a foundation for the knowledge and skills that are needed for a successful criminal justice career.

Work at the local level, the state level, or at federal law enforcement agencies.

Courses in the program include Corrections, Criminology, Introduction to Law Enforcement, and Research Methods.

Students also complete an internship.

Contact Information


7 Mercer University

About the School

Mercer University invites students to lead the way to protect their community.

One criminal justice degree that is offered at the school is the Online Master of Science in Criminal Justice and Public Safety Leadership.

Courses Offered

Students who want to enter the field of criminal justice or who want to advance their career opportunities gain the skills needed in the Master of Science in Criminal Justice and Public Safety Leadership.

Courses in the online program prepare students to assume leadership roles in criminal justice upon graduation.

Some courses in the program include Organizational Communication, Conflict Resolution, Negotiations, Forensic Psychology, Deviant Behavior: Crime, Conflict, and Interest Groups, and Leadership and Ethics in Public Safety.

Contact Information

  • Address: 3001 Mercer University Dr, Atlanta, GA, 30341
  • Phone: 678-547-6417
  • Website: Visit School Website

8 Georgia State University Online

About the School

Georgia State University Online recognizes that current criminal justice professionals are busy people who work hard in their careers.

They often do not have the time to continue their education in the traditional on-campus setting.

The school offers the Online Criminal Justice Administration, Master of Interdisciplinary Studies degree for students who want to advance their criminal justice career.

Courses Offered

Georgia State University explains that the Online Criminal Justice Administration, Master of Interdisciplinary Studies program blends courses in criminal justice with courses in criminology.

These courses blend with managerial principles and practices in public management.

Students gain the knowledge and skills that are related to current and emerging criminal justice issues and learn how to address them.

They learn how to lead and manage criminal justice institutions and agencies.

Some courses offered in the 30-credit program include Cybercrime and Cybersecurity, Public Management and Democracy, Data Analysis and Visualization, and Ethics in Criminal Justice.

Students also complete a Capstone Project course.

Contact Information

  • Address: 55 Park Place NE, Suite 506, Atlanta, GA, 30302
  • Phone: 404-413-4393
  • Website: Visit School Website

9 Dalton State University

About the School

Dalton State University realizes that students often need flexibility in their studies.

One way that the school meets those needs is by offering the Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice program in both a traditional on-campus format and an online format.

Courses Offered

Students who enroll in the Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice program at Dalton State University gain a strong foundation in communication skills the analytical, and research skills that they need to work in criminal justice.

The program courses prepare students to work in private security, law enforcement, corrections, probation, or parole.

Some students work in the juvenile justice system or for state or federal agencies.

Courses offered include Introduction to Criminal Justice, Introduction to Law Enforcement, Logical and Critical Thinking, and Criminal Procedure.

Some other courses include Criminology, Crime and the Media, Comparative Criminology, and Profiling the Serial Offender.

Contact Information


10 Clark Atlanta University

About the School

Clark Atlanta University was founded when Atlanta University and Clark College consolidated.

Atlanta University, founded in 1865, was the first university in the U.S. to award graduate degrees to African American students.

Clark College, which was founded a few years later, was the first four-year college with a liberal arts focus that served primarily African American students.

Today, the school serves more than 4,000 students.

It is the largest of the four schools that comprise the Atlanta University Center Consortium.

The other schools are Morehouse College, Morehouse School of Medicine, and Spelman College.

The school focuses on academic excellence, social responsibility, and encouraging leadership development.

It also focuses on embracing diversity and empowering its students to make positive contributions to society in general.

Two of the programs that are offered at the school are the Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice and the Master of Arts in Criminal Justice.

Courses Offered

The Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice program uses an interdisciplinary approach to the study of criminal justice.

Students who are seeking to start their criminal justice career and those who already work in the field can benefit from the program.

The curriculum focuses on the different forms of crime, the interrelationship of crime with other social institutions, policing, and crime control.

Students also learn about the court systems, offender classification, probation, parole, and rehabilitation.

Some of the courses in the program include:

  • Introduction to Criminal Justice
  • Corrections Process
  • Criminal Investigation
  • Criminal Justice Management
  • Courts and the American Judicial Process

Some of the courses in the Master of Arts in Criminal Justice program include:

  • Law Enforcement Administration
  • Correctional System
  • Comparative Criminal Justice Systems
  • Deviant Behavior
  • Research Methods

Contact Information

  • Address: 223 James P. Brawley Dr., S.W., Atlanta, GA, 30314
  • Phone: 404-880-8000
  • Website: Visit School Website

11 Atlanta Technical College

About the School

Atlanta Technical College started with a different name when it opened its doors in 1945.

It moved to its current location in 1967 and started enrolling students at the new location in 1968.

Today, the school serves more than 4,000 students.

It offers various diploma programs, vocational programs, and degree programs.

One of the programs offered at Atlanta Technical College is the Associate of Applied Science in Criminal Justice Technology program.

The tuition at the school is $107 per credit hour, up to 15 credits per term.

Courses Offered

The Associate of Applied Science in Criminal Justice Technology program prepares students to work in entry-level roles in criminal justice or to continue their education to earn a bachelor’s degree.

The program combines criminal justice theory and practical applications, giving students the knowledge and skills to work in law enforcement, corrections, police administration, security, or investigations.

Some of the program courses include:

  • Principles of Law Enforcement
  • Constitutional Law for Criminal Justice
  • Criminal Law for Criminal Justice
  • Corrections
  • Ethics and Cultural Perspectives for Criminal Justice

Some elective courses that students choose from include Methods of Criminal Investigation, Community Policing, Probation and Parole, Bloodstain Pattern Analysis, and Criminal Justice Administration.

Contact Information

  • Address: 1560 Metropolitan Parkway, SW, Atlanta, GA, 30310
  • Phone: 404-225-4400
  • Website: Visit School Website

Schools Summary Table

Rank School
#1University of Georgia
#2Georgia Gwinnett College
#3Georgia Southern University
#4Georgia College & State University
#5Georgia State University
#6University of North Georgia
#7Mercer University
#8Georgia State University Online
#9Dalton State University
#10Clark Atlanta University
#11Atlanta Technical College

Criminal Justice Professionals Salary in Georgia

Criminal justice professionals in the U.S. and Georgia can expect to earn a good starting salary.

The salary that they earn depends on several factors. A student who completes an associate degree program at a Georgia school will likely not earn the same salary as a person who completed a master’s degree in a criminal justice program in the State of Georgia.

The length of time that a criminal justice professional has been at their current job or in the field of criminal justice affects their salary.

Someone with no previous experience will not earn as much as someone who has 10 years of experience.

The type of setting in which a person works will also affect the salary of a criminal justice professional.

A person who works at a small private security firm or who works at a small retail store will likely not earn as much money as someone who works for a large corporation or for a federal law enforcement agency.

The median salary for a criminal justice professional in Georgia is $48,842.

The location where someone works affects their earnings. A criminal justice specialist who works in Albany, Georgia, earns a median salary of $46,269.

Salary.com indicates that a criminal justice professional who works in Decatur, Georgia, has a median salary of $49,439.

Annual Salary Range:
Item Percent
$55.5K
$74K
$81.7K

Average Salary in Georgia

City Name Salary
Atlanta $74,881
Augusta $71,344
Columbus $69,337
Savannah $71,638
Athens $74,347
Macon $70,816
Roswell $74,596
Albany $70,080
Marietta $74,667
Warner Robins $70,603

Regional Salary

Region Employed Avg. Annual Salary Avg. Hourly Pay Top 10% Annual Salary Bottom 10% Annual Salary
Albany, GA70$72,400$34.81$130,980$43,630
Athens-Clarke County, GA70$57,150$27.48$82,300$43,040
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA2,950$76,580$36.82$138,400$42,370
Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC180$74,990$36.06$133,560$48,000
Brunswick-St. Simons, GA220$146,000$70.19$173,100$69,770
Columbus, GA-AL150$72,220$34.72$154,790$35,160
Gainesville, GA80$68,480$32.92$74,500$55,740
Hinesville, GA40$69,120$33.23$108,700$46,000
Macon-Bibb County, GA220$71,440$34.35$85,290$53,330
Savannah, GA170$84,310$40.53$150,800$39,710
Valdosta, GA50$52,270$25.13$56,590$46,370
Warner Robins, GA60$70,790$34.03$95,640$52,830
* Salary information based on the May 2024 Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) Survey for Detectives and Criminal Investigators, OCC Code 33-3021, BLS.
* Employment conditions in your area may vary.

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Chelsea Wilson
Chelsea Wilson is the Community Relations Manager for Washington University School of Law’s distance learning LLM degree program, which provides foreign trained attorneys with the opportunity to earn a Master of Laws degree from a top-tier American university from anywhere in the world.

3 Responses to 11 Best Criminal Justice Schools in Georgia

  1. Kristof Jones #

    I am passionate about taking criminal justice, and having a comprehensive guide to the best schools in Georgia is incredibly helpful. Thank you for this!

  2. William Brown #

    The rankings and descriptions of each school’s programs offer valuable guidance for finding the right fit. Thank you for making the search process so much easier!

  3. Jack Pearson #

    As a current criminal justice student, I wish I had come across this list sooner! The information provided here is incredibly insightful and would have been immensely helpful in my school selection process. I highly recommend this resource to anyone considering a career in criminal justice. Thank you for putting this together!

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