What is Criminal Justice?
When most people think of criminal justice, they think of two things: cops and lawyers. Although these are two common careers in criminal justice, they barely scratch the surface of possible careers in the field. There are many professions that are part of the criminal justice system that many people don’t think about. So, if you are interested in helping people but the idea of putting on a gun and badge doesn’t interest you and you aren’t keen on the idea of becoming an attorney, there are other options. Interesting fact: not everyone working in criminal justice started there. Many people had other professions but, through interesting circumstances, they ended up working in criminal justice. This includes technology professionals, accountants, medical professionals, and a host of other people who had careers that they never thought would result in a career in criminal justice.
In the state of Minnesota, the top three industries are manufacturing, business and professional services, and real estate. But also in the top ten is information. For those interested in pursuing a career in criminal justice, there could easily be some crossover between information technology and criminal justice. Opportunities to work in the other top industries also exist, especially in the area of white-collar crimes. There are 41,000 people employed in the criminal justice field in the state of Minnesota. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, these people make an average of $56,000 per year. Also according to BLS, the need for people in protective services (the section of the labor force where criminal justice is listed), is expected to increase faster than average. This is mainly due to attrition and people who move from one criminal justice profession to another. So, if you want to go work for the good guys and help make a difference in the world, keep reading. Below is some information to help you make a decision about your career choice. There are educational options, hints on how to get your career started, and an example of some of the jobs you could look for once you’re ready to start your career in criminal justice.
Top Ranked Campus & Online Criminal Justice Programs in Minnesota
University of Minnesota-Twin Cities
Score: 88.68
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $16,488
- Out-of-State:$36,402
- Net Price: $16,018
- Acceptance Rate: 75%
- Retention Rate: 90%
- Graduation Rate: 84%
- Total Enrollment: 54,955
- Undergrad Students: 39,248
- Graduate Students: 15,707
- Grads Salary: $80,000
- Student-to-faculty: 16:1
University of Minnesota-Crookston
Score: 78.8
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $13,120
- Out-of-State:$13,120
- Net Price: $12,894
- Acceptance Rate: 57%
- Retention Rate: 71%
- Graduation Rate: 53%
- Total Enrollment: 2,303
- Undergrad Students: 2,303
- Graduate Students: N/A
- Grads Salary: $74,000
- Student-to-faculty: 17:1
University of St. Thomas-St. Paul
Score: 76.82
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $52,284
- Out-of-State:$52,284
- Net Price: $30,137
- Acceptance Rate: 77%
- Retention Rate: 86%
- Graduation Rate: 80%
- Total Enrollment: 9,025
- Undergrad Students: 5,906
- Graduate Students: 3,119
- Grads Salary: $79,000
- Student-to-faculty: 13:1
Hamline University
Score: 75.34
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $48,311
- Out-of-State:$48,311
- Net Price: $23,021
- Acceptance Rate: 81%
- Retention Rate: 75%
- Graduation Rate: 69%
- Total Enrollment: 2,638
- Undergrad Students: 1,765
- Graduate Students: 873
- Grads Salary: $75,000
- Student-to-faculty: 13:1
University of Minnesota-Duluth
Score: 75.31
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $14,318
- Out-of-State:$19,762
- Net Price: $18,031
- Acceptance Rate: 81%
- Retention Rate: 77%
- Graduation Rate: 62%
- Total Enrollment: 9,675
- Undergrad Students: 8,810
- Graduate Students: 865
- Grads Salary: $73,000
- Student-to-faculty: 16:1
Concordia University-Saint Paul
Score: 75.28
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $25,000
- Out-of-State:$25,000
- Net Price: $17,776
- Acceptance Rate: 69%
- Retention Rate: 61%
- Graduation Rate: 51%
- Total Enrollment: 5,544
- Undergrad Students: 3,071
- Graduate Students: 2,473
- Grads Salary: $78,000
- Student-to-faculty: 13:1
Saint Mary's University of Minnesota
Score: 73.45
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $43,160
- Out-of-State:$43,160
- Net Price: $22,843
- Acceptance Rate: 97%
- Retention Rate: 78%
- Graduation Rate: 65%
- Total Enrollment: 4,133
- Undergrad Students: 1,100
- Graduate Students: 3,033
- Grads Salary: $79,000
- Student-to-faculty: 17:1
Winona State University
Score: 73.41
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $10,498
- Out-of-State:$17,230
- Net Price: $18,187
- Acceptance Rate: 74%
- Retention Rate: 76%
- Graduation Rate: 60%
- Total Enrollment: 6,154
- Undergrad Students: 5,403
- Graduate Students: 751
- Grads Salary: $69,000
- Student-to-faculty: 16:1
Minnesota State University-Mankato
Score: 73.13
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $9,490
- Out-of-State:$18,860
- Net Price: $16,809
- Acceptance Rate: 71%
- Retention Rate: 76%
- Graduation Rate: 53%
- Total Enrollment: 14,590
- Undergrad Students: 12,676
- Graduate Students: 1,914
- Grads Salary: $73,000
- Student-to-faculty: 21:1
Minnesota State University Moorhead
Score: 72.43
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $10,336
- Out-of-State:$10,336
- Net Price: $17,939
- Acceptance Rate: 57%
- Retention Rate: 72%
- Graduation Rate: 55%
- Total Enrollment: 4,682
- Undergrad Students: 3,729
- Graduate Students: 953
- Grads Salary: $67,000
- Student-to-faculty: 17:1
Bemidji State University
Score: 72.36
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $10,164
- Out-of-State:$10,164
- Net Price: $15,561
- Acceptance Rate: 78%
- Retention Rate: 71%
- Graduation Rate: 50%
- Total Enrollment: 4,023
- Undergrad Students: 3,677
- Graduate Students: 346
- Grads Salary: $71,000
- Student-to-faculty: 16:1
St. Cloud State University
Score: 71.41
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $10,117
- Out-of-State:$10,117
- Net Price: $14,065
- Acceptance Rate: 95%
- Retention Rate: 69%
- Graduation Rate: 44%
- Total Enrollment: 10,420
- Undergrad Students: 8,569
- Graduate Students: 1,851
- Grads Salary: $75,000
- Student-to-faculty: 16:1
Rasmussen University-Minnesota
Score: 70.81
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $10,899
- Out-of-State:$10,899
- Net Price: $17,858
- Acceptance Rate: 100%
- Retention Rate: 100%
- Graduation Rate: 48%
- Total Enrollment: 3,058
- Undergrad Students: 2,649
- Graduate Students: 409
- Grads Salary: $70,000
- Student-to-faculty: 13:1
Metropolitan State University
Score: 67.26
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $9,780
- Out-of-State:$9,780
- Net Price: $19,347
- Acceptance Rate: 82%
- Retention Rate: 64%
- Graduation Rate: 33%
- Total Enrollment: 6,294
- Undergrad Students: 5,488
- Graduate Students: 806
- Grads Salary: $78,000
- Student-to-faculty: 14:1
University of Northwestern-St. Paul
Score: 67.03
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $36,830
- Out-of-State:$36,830
- Net Price: $25,704
- Acceptance Rate: 93%
- Retention Rate: 81%
- Graduation Rate: 70%
- Total Enrollment: 3,253
- Undergrad Students: 3,161
- Graduate Students: 92
- Grads Salary: $64,000
- Student-to-faculty: 15:1
Walden University
Score: 61.51
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $12,498
- Out-of-State:$12,498
- Net Price: $20,510
- Acceptance Rate: 100%
- Retention Rate: 31%
- Graduation Rate: 32%
- Total Enrollment: 42,312
- Undergrad Students: 6,298
- Graduate Students: 36,014
- Grads Salary: $84,000
- Student-to-faculty: 21:1
Crown College
Score: 60.57
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $30,200
- Out-of-State:$30,200
- Net Price: $25,504
- Acceptance Rate: 67%
- Retention Rate: 68%
- Graduation Rate: 52%
- Total Enrollment: 1,583
- Undergrad Students: 1,251
- Graduate Students: 332
- Grads Salary: $59,000
- Student-to-faculty: 17:1
Riverland Community College
Score: 58.1
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $6,250
- Out-of-State:$6,250
- Net Price: $9,847
- Acceptance Rate: 100%
- Retention Rate: 66%
- Graduation Rate: 48%
- Total Enrollment: 3,175
- Undergrad Students: 3,175
- Graduate Students: N/A
- Grads Salary: $41,100
- Student-to-faculty: 18:1
Minnesota State Community and Technical College
Score: 54.99
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $5,900
- Out-of-State:$5,900
- Net Price: $10,596
- Acceptance Rate: 100%
- Retention Rate: 63%
- Graduation Rate: 42%
- Total Enrollment: 5,282
- Undergrad Students: 5,282
- Graduate Students: N/A
- Grads Salary: $40,100
- Student-to-faculty: 18:1
Central Lakes College-Brainerd
Score: 53.82
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $6,209
- Out-of-State:$6,209
- Net Price: $12,326
- Acceptance Rate: 100%
- Retention Rate: 64%
- Graduation Rate: 47%
- Total Enrollment: 4,633
- Undergrad Students: 4,633
- Graduate Students: N/A
- Grads Salary: $37,000
- Student-to-faculty: 18:1
Ridgewater College
Score: 53.71
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $6,109
- Out-of-State:$6,109
- Net Price: $10,225
- Acceptance Rate: 100%
- Retention Rate: 62%
- Graduation Rate: 45%
- Total Enrollment: 2,904
- Undergrad Students: 2,904
- Graduate Students: N/A
- Grads Salary: $35,800
- Student-to-faculty: 19:1
Inver Hills Community College
Score: 51.05
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $6,007
- Out-of-State:$6,007
- Net Price: $10,496
- Acceptance Rate: 100%
- Retention Rate: 53%
- Graduation Rate: 18%
- Total Enrollment: 3,459
- Undergrad Students: 3,459
- Graduate Students: N/A
- Grads Salary: $49,400
- Student-to-faculty: 19:1
Oak Hills Christian College
Score: 50.37
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $18,910
- Out-of-State:$18,910
- Net Price: $20,744
- Acceptance Rate: 100%
- Retention Rate: 36%
- Graduation Rate: 53%
- Total Enrollment: 102
- Undergrad Students: 102
- Graduate Students: N/A
- Grads Salary: $40,000
- Student-to-faculty: 10:1
North Hennepin Community College
Score: 49.75
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $5,050
- Out-of-State:$5,050
- Net Price: $10,016
- Acceptance Rate: 100%
- Retention Rate: 61%
- Graduation Rate: 13%
- Total Enrollment: 4,896
- Undergrad Students: 4,896
- Graduate Students: N/A
- Grads Salary: $48,600
- Student-to-faculty: 21:1
Rochester Community and Technical College
Score: 48.44
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $6,359
- Out-of-State:$6,359
- Net Price: $12,971
- Acceptance Rate: 100%
- Retention Rate: 55%
- Graduation Rate: 24%
- Total Enrollment: 4,482
- Undergrad Students: 4,482
- Graduate Students: N/A
- Grads Salary: $44,200
- Student-to-faculty: 20:1
