This is a ranking of the 25 best value accelerated online master’s in criminal justice and criminology degrees. Criminal justice is a broad field that includes every law enforcement agency in the United States, corrections, and the judicial system. Many positions within these fields can benefit from a criminal justice degree, from parole officer to federal agent, private detective to court officials. There is also a research and academic side to criminal justice. People in these roles strive to better understand the nature of crime and justice in order to improve our criminal justice system.
Criminal justice is a demanding field, and often doesn’t give professionals the time necessary to earn a degree through traditional means. The accelerated online master’s in criminal justice degrees ranked here provide flexible, convenient, quality solutions for professionals seeking to advance their career through education. All of the programs ranked here are non-profit public and private universities and are regionally accredited. More information on the sources used in this article can be found at the bottom of the page.
Methodology
The ranking methodology used here is simple. All degrees included can be completed at a faster than average pace, and they are ranked according to their affordability.
Fastest Criminal Justice Degree Online Master’s Programs
#25. University of Toledo
Online Master of Arts in Criminal Justice
Online Master of Arts in Criminal JusticeFull-time students can complete this degree in just two years. No GRE exam is required for admittance to the program. 50% of this degree is comprised of electives, with the goal of allowing students to individualize their studies. Some of these elective courses are advanced ethics and criminal justice, advanced victimology, and women, crime and criminal justice.
Tuition: $23,502
#24. DeSales University
Online Master of Arts in Criminal Justice
The DeSales online master of arts in criminal justice program contains 30 credits and can be completed in as little as 12-18 months. The program offers concentrations in investigative forensics and digital forensics. Some of the courses featured in the program are: leadership in criminal justice, homeland security in the age of terrorism, and forensic science and the courtroom.
Tuition: $22,650
#23. University of Colorado–Denver
Online Master of Criminal Justice
Students in the online master of criminal justice program at the University of Colorado Denver can choose to earn graduate certificates as concentrations. These certificates are crime analyst, emergency management and homeland security, environmental policy, management and law, gender-based violence, local government, and nonprofit organizations.
Tuition: $20,358
#22. Albertus Magnus College
Online Master of Science in Criminal Justice
The online master of science in criminal justice at Albertus Magnus offers concentrations in correctional studies and juvenile justice. Students studying full time can complete the program in just one year. The program includes courses like criminology, the history of corrections in America, the future of American corrections, history of juvenile justice in America, and victimology.
Tuition: $19,920
#21. University of Memphis
Online Master of Arts in Criminal Justice
Full-time students can complete this 33-credit online MA in criminal justice program in 12-18 months. Some of the courses in this program are drug misuse and abuse, forensic sciences, corporate and white collar crime, terrorism in social and legal perspective, substantive criminal law, issues in constitutional rights, capital punishment in America, and research methods in criminal justice.
Tuition: $17,405
#20. University of North Georgia
Master of Science in Criminal Justice
This program offers students the ability to focus on international crime and justice. This program can be completed in 18 months of full-time study. Courses available in this program include global crime and justice, research methodology in criminal justice, criminal justice policy, criminal justice theory, and statistics for criminal justice.
Tuition: $16,164
#19. Saint Joseph’s University
Master’s of Criminal Justice Online
This 30-credit online criminal justice program can be completed in just 12-18 months. Students can take concentrations in behavior analysis, behavior management, federal law enforcement, homeland security, and intelligence and crime analysis. Some of the courses available in these concentrations are terrorism: threats and strategies, multiculturalism and diversity in criminal justice, federal criminal law and prosecution, and youth cultures and deviance.
Tuition: $15,840
#18. Indiana State University
Master of Arts in Criminology and Criminal Justice
This 33-credit accelerated online master of arts in criminology and criminal justice can be completed in just one year of full-time study. This program emphasizes research and is designed for students who wish to pursue a doctorate in criminal justice, criminology, or related field. Students will take courses like correctional counseling and organizational behavior in public agencies.
Tuition: $13,716
#17. Bowling Green State University
Master of Science in Criminal Justice
Students can complete this program in less than two years taking one seven-week class at a time (with a week break between each class). All instructors are full-time BGSU faculty. Students will take classes like crime analysis, nature of crime, data and statistical analysis in criminal justice, criminal justice policy analysis, and criminal justice processes and institutions.
Tuition: $13,284
#16. Texas Southern University
Master of Administration of Justice
Full-time students in the Texas Southern University online master of administration of justice program can complete the degree in just one year of full-time study. Students will take courses like research methods, issues in corrections administration, issues in juvenile justice administration, issues in terrorism and administration of justice, and environmental crime and administration of justice.
Tuition: $12,892
#15. Indiana University of Pennsylvania
Online MA in Criminology
Students in the online MA in criminology program at the Indiana University of Pennsylvania can earn their degree in just one year of full-time study. IUP criminology alumni are currently employed by the FBI, U.S. Postal Inspector’s Office, DEA, CIA, U.S. Customs, Federal and County probation, and the Pennsylvania State Police.
Tuition: $12,690
#14. Tiffin University
Master of Science in Criminal Justice Online
Tiffin University’s online MS in criminal justice offers concentrations in crime analysis, criminal behavior, homeland security administration, and justice administration. TU criminal justice graduates have found employment with the US Marshals, US Secret Service, CIA, FBI, US Border Patrol, Armed Forces and DEA.
Tuition: $12,600
#13. Trine University
Online Master of Science in Criminal Justice
Graduates from this program will be qualified to work with a wide range of government agencies like the ATF, coast guard, DEA, FBI, secret service, and local and state law enforcement.
The program can be completed in just 12 months and features classes like American system of justice, criminology, criminal justice policy formations and analysis, and forensic psychology.
Tuition: $11,880
#12. Arizona State University
Online Master of Arts in Criminal Justice
Full-time students can complete this online master of criminal justice degree in just 18 months. Students will take courses like research methods in criminal justice, advanced statistical analysis, seminar in criminal justice, seminar in criminology, and criminal justice planning and program evaluation.
Tuition: $11,066
#11. National University
Online Master of Criminal Justice
Students who complete the 12 courses of this program at a full-time pace can finish their degree in 18 months. Courses available in this program include professional ethics in criminal justice, comparative criminal justice systems, advanced research methods, security management and planning, drugs, alcohol and public policy, and major case investigation.
Tuition: $10,962
#10. Western Kentucky University
Master of Arts in Criminology Online
Students in this online master of arts in criminology can complete the program in one year or less. On-demand courses allow students to start any class at any time providing complete flexibility. Students will take courses like criminology and law, deviant behavior, comparative criminology, environmental criminology, and race, class, and crime.
Tuition: $10,860
#9. University of North Alabama
Master of Science in Criminal Justice
Full-time students can complete this accelerated online master of science in criminal justice program in just one year. Students will study courses like forensic investigation, psychological dimensions of criminal justice practice, criminological theory, contemporary issues in juvenile justice, and contemporary issues in law enforcement. The program features 21 credits of electives, allowing students a high degree of customization.
Tuition: $10,764
#8. Angelo State University
Online Master of Science in Criminal Justice
The online MS in criminal justice program at Angelo State University can be completed in just 18 months. Students in this program will take courses like criminal justice theory, legal aspects of the criminal justice system, critical analysis of justice administration, and research methods in security studies. Courses are delivered in both 8-week and 16-week formats.
Tuition: $10,746
#7. Texas A&M University Commerce
Master of Science in Applied Criminology
The online master of science in applied criminology at Texas A&M at Commerce features five week courses taken one at a time that allow the students to complete the program in just 18 months. Some of the courses available in this program are seminar in policing and law enforcement, issues in criminal law and the courts, and criminal justice planning and evaluation.
Tuition: $10,650
#6. Faulkner University
Online Master of Justice Administration
Faulkner’s accelerated online master of justice administration can be completed in just 14 months taking only one course at a time. Enrollment is year-round and rotations start every six weeks. Students will take courses like justice writing, law and justice, administration of justice, policing in America, comparative criminal justice, courts, and ethics.
Tuition: $9,960
#5. Missouri State University
Online Master’s in Criminology and Criminal Justice
The standard online master’s in criminology and criminal justice program at Missouri State takes two years but can be accelerated by ambitious students who want to cut the time down to 12-18 months. Graduates from this program have earned jobs with federal, state, and local law enforcement, county jails, juvenile justice organizations, child victim advocacy groups, and homeland security.
Tuition: $9,198
#4. Colorado State University Global Campus
Online Master’s in Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Administration
Graduates from Colorado State University’s online master’s in criminal justice program have earned jobs as forensic investigator, private detective, loss prevention agent, legal investigator, and detective sergeant. This program offers specializations in accounting, business intelligence, fraud management, finance, human resources, information technology, and international management.
Tuition: $9,000
#3. Concordia University–Saint Paul
Online Master of Arts in Criminal Justice
Some of the careers open to graduates from this accelerated online master’s in criminal justice include forensic psychology, criminal sociology, corrections supervisor, criminal profiler, police and detective supervisor, and forensic examiner. The program can be completed in just 21 months taking one seven week course at a time, or half that speed by doubling up on courses.
Tuition: $8,550
#2. Wilmington University
Online Master of Science in Justice Administration
While this online master of science in the administration of justice is designed to be completed in two years, students meeting certain requirements can qualify for an accelerated program. Students will take courses like violent crime, mental health and the law, addiction studies, therapeutic strategies for criminal justice offenders, and contemporary issues in homeland security.
Tuition: $7,992
#1. University of the Cumberlands
Online Master’s in Criminal Justice Administration
The online accelerated master’s in criminal justice administration at the University of the Cumberlands can be completed in just 18 months. Students will take courses like criminological theories in justice administration, statistical applications in justice administration, human resource management, legal issues in justice administration, family violence, and sex crimes: myths and motives.
Tuition: $5,670
Sources
All information in this article was drawn either directly from each school’s website or from the National Center for Education Statistics’ College Navigator database.
CVO Staff
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