Have you ever imagined yourself on the front lines of the NYPD or working side by side with America’s top attorneys to ensure equal justice for all?
If you have, starting a career in criminal justice may be the answer for you!
The first step toward becoming an NYPD police officer, corrections officer, or other law enforcement officer is to get the proper education and training for the job.
Best Criminal Justice Schools in New York
The best criminal justice schools in New York offer students one or more direct routes of entry into the world of criminal justice.
Our guide to the best criminal justice schools in New York is designed for people seeking administrative and criminal justice roles like paralegals, criminal justice investigators, lawyers, and judges, as well as those seeking law enforcement and corrections jobs.
Find information on the best associate’s, bachelor’s, master’s, and certificate-level criminal justice programs in the comprehensive guide for New Yorkers below.
Later, we address criminal justice salaries in New York to help aspiring justice seekers make a more informed decision when choosing their school.
1 John Jay College of Criminal Justice
About the Program
John Jay College of Criminal Justice has a criminal justice program designed to teach students about the causes and effects of crime.
Their program also trains students to ethically follow legal regulations and standards for the administration of justice in the American criminal justice system.
This college offers a variety of programs for a bachelor of arts and a degree in criminal justice.
Students can choose from one of a few different major concentrations, including International Criminal Justice, Criminology, Criminal Justice Management, or Crime Control and Prevention.
Each major concentration educates students on the related educational components needed to build a foundation for working entry-level criminal justice jobs or continuing their education through master’s level programs or law school.
Courses Offered
- Intro to Major Problems in Criminal Justice
- Hate Incidents and Crimes
- Death Penalty Law and Policy
- Dimensions of Justice
- Race, Gender, Ethnicity, Crime and Justice
- Crime Prevention and Control
- Research Methods in Criminal Justice
- Criminal Justice
- Law Enforcement Administration
- Police Science
- Criminology
Average Program Costs: $2,254.00
Contact Information
- Address: 524 West 59th Street, New York, New York
- Phone: 212-237-8000
- Website: Visit School Website
2 St. John's University
About the Program
St. John’s University gives students several options for earning a criminal justice degree in its comprehensive program that teaches students the fundamentals required to work in the fields of criminal justice and homeland security.
Their CJ programs are offered at their Queens campus, where criminal justice majors can earn a bachelor’s degree in arts or science.
They have a dual degree program option for students seeking a master’s degree or doctoral degree in Homeland Security or Criminal Justice.
The bachelor’s program typically takes four years to complete, while the doctoral degree in Homeland Security is slated for completion within three years.
Courses Offered
- Criminal Justice
- Legal Studies
- Communication Arts
- Sociology
- CyberSecurity Systems
- Information Technology
- Government and Politics
Average Program Costs: $23,000.00
Contact Information
- Address: 81-98 170th Street, Jamaica, New York
- Phone: 718-990-1852
- Website: Visit School Website
3 Molloy University
About the Program
Molloy University’s criminal justice program is designed to equip students with the fundamental and practical skills required to work as criminal justice professionals like law enforcement officers, corrections officers, and criminal justice administrators like judges.
Their program places heavy emphasis on experiential learning and requires all CJ students to complete an immersive internship with local criminal justice agencies.
Molloy ensures student success by offering small class sizes and one-on-one advising sessions with instructors and key faculty members.
Students can take undergraduate and graduate-level criminal justice studies at Molloy to earn a bachelor’s or master’s degree of science in criminal justice.
Criminal justice students who want a brief introduction to a career for entry-level employment can take their legal studies minor or paralegal certificate program.
Pre-law students can seek academic advising and support from their onsite pre-law advisor.
Courses Offered
- General Education
- Criminal Law
- Legal Studies
- American National Government
- General Psychology
- Ethics, Justice, and Society
- American Constitutional Law
- Foundations of Justice
- Elementary Statistics
- Ethics, Theory, and Practice
- Criminal Justice Internship
Average Program Costs: $26,000.00
Contact Information
- Address: 1000 Hempstead Ave, Rockville Centre, New York
- Phone: 516-323-3000
- Website: Visit School Website
4 St. Joseph's University New York - Brooklyn
About the Program
St. Joseph University teaches students the fundamentals of criminal justice practice and policy in their online bachelor’s degree program.
Their multidisciplinary program comprises 120 credit hours of evidence-based criminal justice training and education.
Students taking coursework at SJU gain a comprehensive criminal justice education that teaches them about the causes of crimes, the effects of crime on the public, and the administration of justice by courts and corrections
Courses Offered
- Criminal Justice Administration
- Law Enforcement and Policing
- Forensic Bioscience
- Introduction to Sociology
- Criminal Justice Ethics
- Quantitative Applications for Criminal Justice
- Race, Class, and Gender in Criminal Justice
- Corrections
- Criminal Analysis and Policy
Average Program Costs:$16,000.00
Contact Information
- Address: 245 Clinton Avenue, Brooklyn, New York
- Phone: 718-940-5300
- Website: Visit School Website
5 Monroe College
About the Program
The Monroe College School of Criminal and Social Justice presents students with several options for entering the field.
They offer certificate-level, associate-level, and bachelor degree level criminal justice programs.
Undergraduate students work toward earning a bachelor of science in criminal justice by taking classes on campus, online, or using a hybrid mix of both options.
Monroe offers internships with local agencies that equip students with real-life skills needed for success on the job.
Courses Offered
- Introduction to Criminal Justice
- Criminal Investigation
- Research Methods in Criminal Justice
- Field Experience in Criminal Justice
- Integrated Business Applications
- Ethical Issues in Criminal Justice
- Criminal Procedure and Process
- Introduction to Human Services
- Quantitative Reasoning
- Criminology
- Introduction to Political Science
- Victimology
Average Program Costs: $13,000.00
Contact Information
- Address: 2501 Jerome Avenue, Bronx, New York
- Phone: 718-933-6700
- Website: Visit School Website
6 Queensborough Community College
About the Program
The Queensborough Community College in Queens, New York, offers its Criminal Justice program in partnership with John Jay College.
They give students the opportunity to work towards a two-year degree that can prepare them for a wide variety of entry-level criminal justice jobs.
Their program features a comprehensive curriculum combined with a hands-on learning component for on-the-job training.
Queensborough students take general education and liberal arts courses with core courses to complete their associate’s degree requirements.
Courses Offered
- General Education
- Introduction to the American Criminal Justice System
- Crime and Justice in the Urban Community
- Criminal Law
- Research Methods and Statistics for Criminal Justice
- Criminal Justice Theory and Practice
- Criminal Justice Electives
- Criminal Justice Capstone
Average Program Costs: $5,509.00
Contact Information
- Address: 222-05 56th Avenue, Queens, New York
- Phone: 718-631-6262
- Website: Visit School Website
7 Iona University
About the Program
New York-based students who want to earn a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice can take classes at Iona University to earn a minor or a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice.
Their program is designed with employment-centered and evidence-based training that prepares students for leadership and administrative roles in criminal justice professions.
They also offer internships with local, state, and federal criminal justice and social service agencies where students can gain experiential learning through hands-on experience in their chosen field of study.
Courses Offered
- Introduction to Criminal Justice
- Introduction to Psychology
- The Juvenile Justice System
- Species Justice
- American Government
- Substantive Criminal Law
- Evidence and Procedure Law
- Criminalistics Laboratory
- Victimology
- Internship in Criminal Justice
Average Program Costs: $29,000.00
Contact Information
- Address: 715 North Avenue, Rochelle, New York
- Phone: 914-633-2000
- Website: Visit School Website
8 SUNY Westchester Community College
About the Program
The Criminal Justice Police program at SUNY Westchester Community College trains aspiring criminal justice professionals to work in the roles of police officers, corrections, probation, and other law enforcement officers.
Their program emphasizes criminal justice training in the areas of law enforcement, corrections, and the courts.
Students will take general education courses to build a foundation of knowledge before being introduced to core coursework that delves deep into the causes of crime, theories for mitigating crime, and the administration of justice through the use of courts and correctional facilities.
Courses Offered
- General Education Courses
- American Government and Issues
- Introduction to the Criminal Justice System in the US
- Introduction to Psychology
- Basic Criminal Law and Procedure
- Principles of Investigation
- First Aid/CPR/AED
- Introduction to Forensic Science
- Diversity and Social Justice
Average Program Costs: $9,622.00
Contact Information
- Address: 75 Grasslands Road, Valhalla, New York
- Phone: 914-606-6600
- Website: Visit School Website
9 LaGuardia Community College
About the Program
The criminal justice program offers New York-based students the opportunity to complete the first two years of their CJ education via their programs and then continue to complete a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice at John Jay College.
Their employment-based program teaches students the fundamentals of what it takes to work as a police officer, corrections officer, or fire inspector in New York.
A comprehensive curriculum also readies students for a variety of other entry-level criminal justice jobs as they concurrently work towards completing their bachelor’s degree in their desired field of study.
Courses Offered
- Introduction to Criminal Justice
- Corrections and Sentencing
- Criminology
- Policing
- US Power and Politics
- Themes in American History
- World History
- Afro-American History
- Survey of Latin American and Caribbean History
- Dual Degree Options
Average Program Costs: $7,304.00
Contact Information
- Address: 31-10 Thomson Avenue, Queens, New York
- Phone: 718-482-7200
- Website: Visit School Website
10 Dominican University - New York
About the Program
The Dominican University in New York operates a Criminology program that teaches students the scientific theories behind crime and how punishments are doled out in the American legal and justice systems.
Students who enroll in Dominican’s program learn about the psychological, economic, and sociological drivers of crime in our society.
Their four-year program gives students the opportunity to earn entry into the National Criminal Justice Honor Society.
Courses Offered
- Introduction to Criminal Justice
- Law and Society
- Police, Citizen, and Community
- Juvenile Justice
- Research Methods in Criminal Justice
- Capstone Seminar
- Criminal Justice Internship
Average Program Costs: $650.00- 980.00 per credit plus supplies and fees.
Contact Information
- Address: 470 Western Highway South, Orangeburg, New York
- Phone: 845-359-7800
- Website: Visit School Website
Schools Summary Table
Criminal Justice Salary Information
The annual salary of New York criminal justice workers varies by job title, location, and years of study.
Following are a few salary examples for the average annual salaries of local criminal justice professionals in NY.
- Judges/Magistrates: $91,568.00 per year
- Lawyers: $123,351.00 per year
- Paralegals: $68,174.00 per year
- Police Officers: $59,743.00 per year
- Bailiffs: $49,100.00 per year
- Criminal Investigators: $66,784.00 per year
- Corrections Officers: $54,367.00 per year
*Certifications, licensing, and years of education are other factors that can affect how much criminal justice professionals are paid in NY.
| Item | Percent |
|---|---|
$61K |
|
$81K |
|
$89K |
Average Salary in New York
| City Name | Salary |
|---|---|
| New York | $89,580 |
| Buffalo | $74,433 |
| Rochester | $75,155 |
| Yonkers | $87,877 |
| Syracuse | $75,822 |
| Albany | $77,367 |
| New Rochelle | $86,926 |
| Mount Vernon | $87,839 |
| Schenectady | $77,179 |
| Utica | $74,226 |
Regional Salary
| Region | Employed | Avg. Annual Salary | Avg. Hourly Pay | Top 10% Annual Salary | Bottom 10% Annual Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | 870 | $95,130 | $45.74 | $124,860 | $63,140 |
| Binghamton, NY | 90 | $88,270 | $42.44 | $124,860 | $57,970 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY | 700 | $100,440 | $48.29 | $153,880 | $59,380 |
| Glens Falls, NY | 30 | $73,840 | $35.5 | $111,630 | $50,990 |
| Kingston, NY | 60 | $91,120 | $43.81 | $117,790 | $66,680 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA | 7,950 | $125,890 | $60.53 | $178,570 | $69,870 |
| Rochester, NY | 380 | $97,490 | $46.87 | $124,860 | $63,120 |
| Syracuse, NY | 280 | $90,960 | $43.73 | $135,430 | $55,580 |
| Utica-Rome, NY | 140 | $97,460 | $46.86 | $123,120 | $68,810 |
| Watertown-Fort Drum, NY | 70 | $99,080 | $47.64 | $114,380 | $75,900 |
* Employment conditions in your area may vary.
Criminal Justice Schools by State
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Criminal justice is such an important field, and it’s great to see these schools recognized. Do any of them offer online or hybrid learning options for working professionals who want to further their education?
It’s awesome to see a variety of criminal justice programs highlighted here. For prospective students, does anyone know if these schools offer specializations like cybersecurity, forensic science, or juvenile justice?
This is such a helpful resource for anyone interested in a career in criminal justice. New York has so many opportunities in this field! I’d love to hear from alumni—how well did these programs prepare you for real-world roles like law enforcement or corrections?