Washington in the Pacific Northwest is far from home for most criminal justice majors.
That does not prevent them from moving here by the thousands each fall to attend college.
With a public Ivy League college–the University of Washington–and several top-rated universities including Seattle University and Gonzaga University.
Discover where you could be going to school as a criminal justice major with this list of the best schools in WA.
1 Seattle University
Bachelor of Arts or Science in Criminal Justice
Crime Analysis Certificate – Online
Master of Arts in Criminal Justice – Online
Master of Arts in Criminal Justice – Traditional
The Department of Criminal Justice, Criminology, and Forensics at Seattle University offers several top-rated opportunities for students.
The school provides online courses leading to a master of arts in criminal justice.
In addition, traditional bachelor’s and master’s degree programs are available for criminal justice majors.
Students typically begin with the four-year track to earn a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice.
With a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science, you can pursue a master’s degree at Seattle University.
A master of arts degree requires two years of school and 55 credits.
The MA at Seattle University includes both an online 100 percent remote program and a traditional on-campus degree program.
The last option at Seattle University for criminal justice track students is the Crime Analysis Certificate program.
Earn a certificate in crime analysis that will allow you to specialize in the field and potentially increase your salary potential.
The certificate program is only available to students who are in the master’s degree program or have graduated with an MA in Criminal Justice.
The program has 25 total credits and is completely online.
Students typically complete the course in one year, but you may take up to two years if you are attending school part-time.
The cost of tuition for the criminal justice undergraduate degree programs is $54,285 per academic year.
For a four-year degree, anticipate paying $200,000 without financial aid, work-study, or scholarship assistance.
Most students choose to apply for financial aid or to get a student loan.
Contact Information
- Address: 901 12th Ave., Seattle, WA 98122
- Phone: 206-220-8040
- Website: Visit School Website
2 Washington State University
Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice
Master of Arts in Criminal Justice
Doctor of Philosophy in Criminal Justice and Criminology
At Washington State University outside of Seattle, you can get a series of degrees in criminal justice.
Law enforcement and military-related majors can be studied at WSU in pursuit of a BA, MA, or PhD in Criminal Justice.
This WA university has a program for a four-year bachelor of arts degree and a two-year master of arts degree both in criminal justice.
Students can also pursue a doctoral degree, which takes about ten years, majoring in Criminal Justice and Criminology.
Tuition at Washington State University is $12,417 for residents per academic year and $27,733 for out-of-state tuition.
This amount is for undergraduate tuition, and the graduate degree programs are $6,627 a year for in-state students and $14,210 a year for out-of-state students.
Contact Information
- Address: PO Box 641035, Pullman, WA 99164
- Phone: 509-335-5346
- Website: Visit School Website
3 University of Washington–Tacoma
Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice
The University of Washington has a smaller campus in Tacoma.
This campus is an offshoot of the larger main campus of the University of Washington in Seattle.
If you are living in Tacoma or prefer this city to Seattle for a residence, you may consider going to UW-Tacoma.
This college has only one program for criminal justice majors.
You can get a degree as an undergraduate student in criminal justice with a bachelor of arts.
The program is offered online and on-campus with hybrid coursework.
A BA in Criminal Justice takes four years to complete.
Tuition at the University of Washington in Tacoma is $12,196 per academic year for in-state undergrad students and $40,026 for students who are residents of another state.
Contact Information
- Address: 1900 Commerce St., Tacoma, WA 98402
- Phone: 253-692-4742
- Website: Visit School Website
4 Saint Martin’s University
Bachelor of Arts in Criminology and Criminal Justice
If you want more training in criminal justice as a college student, consider Saint Martin’s University.
At St. Martin’s, you can earn a bachelor’s degree in both criminology and criminal justice.
The program is offered for undergrads as a major and a minor.
The college of Saint Martin’s University is located in Lacey, WA.
Students have access to a bachelor of arts degree in criminology and criminal justice.
This is a four-year degree with a traditional pathway of on-campus courses.
Some online classes may be offered in a hybrid program.
The in-state tuition at St. Martin’s in Lacey is $40,690 a year for undergraduate students.
Contact Information
- Address: 5000 Abbey Way SE, Lacey, WA
- Phone: 360-491-4700
- Website: Visit School Website
5 Heritage University
Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice
In the town of Toppenish of Central Washington is Heritage University.
Here you have an undergraduate opportunity to learn criminal justice.
The school provides a Bachelor of Arts degree for criminal justice majors and minors.
This program takes four years and is offered in the traditional setting at Heritage University’s campus in Toppenish.
The cost of tuition for in-state students is $18,500 an academic year for Heritage University.
Students can pay up to $34,075 for tuition and room and board without financial aid and $5,981 on average after aid.
Contact Information
- Address: 3240 Fort Rd., Toppenish, WA 98948
- Phone: 888-272-6190
- Website: Visit School Website
6 Gonzaga University
Bachelor of Arts in Criminology
For a focus on criminology as a branch of criminal justice, you can attend Gonzaga University in Eastern Washington in Spokane.
The college has a four-year Bachelor of Arts in Criminology degree program.
Attend the program in a traditional setting with online coursework and internships available.
The tuition at Gonzaga University for in-state students is $53,500 per year for undergraduates.
Financial aid is available for students to reduce the cost of tuition and school fees.
Contact Information
- Address: 502 East Boone Ave., Spokane, WA 99258
- Phone: 509-328-4220
- Website: Visit School Website
7 Eastern Washington University
Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice
In Cheney, Washington, Eastern Washington University has an undergraduate program with a major in criminal justice.
This is a Bachelor of Arts degree program.
The four-year BA degree at EWU for criminal justice majors offers courses including:
- Child and Adolescent Development
- Care and Custody of Female Offenders
- Drugs and Behavior
- Psychology and the Legal System
Tuition to EWU is $7,922 for in-state students and $25,748 for students who are not WA residents.
Contact Information
- Address: 526 5th St, Cheney, WA 99004
- Phone: 509-359-6200
- Website: Visit School Website
8 University of Washington
Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice
Choose to attend the prestigious public Ivy League school of the University of Washington on the Seattle campus or go to UW online.
There are criminal justice degree options available for both pathways.
The school is located in downtown Seattle and includes the historic Harry Potter staircase into one of the world’s most illustrious libraries that is also open to the public.
The entire campus is an art display and convenient within walking distance to Pike Place Market, the Space Needle, and Downtown Seattle.
Tuition for the criminal justice four-year degree program at the University of Washington is $12,076 per year for students who live in WA and $39,906 for non-residents.
Contact Information
- Address: Mary Gates Hall Ste. 420, Seattle, WA 98195
- Phone: 206-543-1794
- Website: Visit School Website
9 Bellevue College
Associate of Applied Science-Transfer (AAS-T) in Criminal Justice
Have you already started college elsewhere and want to transfer to a criminal justice degree program in Washington?
Consider Bellevue College in Bellevue, WA.
The school provides a unique learning opportunity for students.
Pursue an Associate of Applied Science-Transfer (AAS-T) in Criminal Justice degree.
The AAS-T degree will take two years of school. In addition, you will also be required to complete an internship for the applied portion of the degree.
The program takes 90 credits and prepares graduates for a job right out of college.
This is key since most pathways to employment involve a bachelor’s degree at a minimum.
The tuition at Bellevue College is the most affordable of the schools on this list.
Expect to pay around $4,057 for in-state tuition and $9,594 for out-of-state tuition.
Contact Information
- Address: 3000 Landerholm Cir. SE, Bellevue, WA 98007
- Phone: 425-564-1000
- Website: Visit School Website
10 Pierce College–Fort Steilacoom
Associate of Science in Criminal Justice
Associate of Science in Crime Analysis and Investigation
Crime Analysis and Investigations (CAI) Certificate
The school of Pierce College – Fort Steilacoom is in Steilacoom, WA.
This town is a suburb of Tacoma, south of Seattle 40 miles away.
The military college has a few ways to train in criminal justice.
Start with an associate’s degree in criminal justice or get a certificate in crime analysis to specialize.
Students can major in Criminal Justice or in Crime Analysis and Investigation for an Associate of Science degree.
The school also has a professional certificate in Crime Analysis and Investigations.
The AS degree in Criminal Justice and in Crime Analysis and Investigation will provide you with a two-year transfer degree.
From here, it is recommended by Pierce College–Fort Steilacoom that you pursue a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from another Washington university that is a four-year school.
The Associate in Science from PC will transfer to schools accredited in WA State.
In addition, once you have a degree, you are ready to specialize with a certificate course in Crime Analysis and Investigations.
The tuition at Pierce College–Fort Steilacoom is $3,825 a year for WA residents and $5,247 for non-residents.
This places the program for criminal justice majors at Pierce College at the more affordable end for Washington.
Contact Information
- Address: 9401 Farwest Dr. SW, Lakewood, WA 98498
- Phone: 253-912-3675
- Website: Visit School Website
Schools Summary Table
Criminal Justice Salary Information
The salary for criminal justice graduates is around $32,920 a year.
Compare this to the entry-level salary for US criminal justice experts, which is $32,000 on average.
Once you have experience and training, you can expect to earn $47,000 to $80,000 a year.
This is where having more than one degree or certificate as a criminal justice professional is going to benefit you financially.
Earn more money and gain greater control over your career by advancing your skills in criminal justice with college and training in Washington.
| Item | Percent |
|---|---|
$61K |
|
$81K |
|
$90K |
Average Salary in Washington
| City Name | Salary |
|---|---|
| Seattle | $84,122 |
| Spokane | $75,049 |
| Tacoma | $81,988 |
| Vancouver | $79,223 |
| Bellevue | $84,122 |
| Everett | $82,612 |
| Federal Way | $81,988 |
| Kent | $81,825 |
| Yakima | $76,925 |
| Bellingham | $78,358 |
Regional Salary
| Region | Employed | Avg. Annual Salary | Avg. Hourly Pay | Top 10% Annual Salary | Bottom 10% Annual Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bellingham, WA | 250 | $121,680 | $58.5 | $164,300 | $106,160 |
| Olympia-Tumwater, WA | 180 | $75,960 | $36.52 | $90,880 | $62,730 |
* 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
Fantastic overview! Central Washington University’s focus on hands-on experience really stands out to me. Thanks for the recommendations!
Thanks for this informative post! I’m considering a career in criminal justice, and these schools in Washington look promising.
This list is super helpful. I’ve been looking into criminal justice schools, and it’s good to know there are so many excellent options in Washington.
I didn’t realize Washington State University had such a strong criminal justice program. Definitely worth considering.
Great list! It’s awesome to see the University of Washington ranked so highly for its comprehensive criminal justice program.