University Headquarters (HQ) is an industry-leading, independent educational organization that provides independent college rankings using a proprietary formula to create first class, unbiased rankings. The team at University HQ strives to provide accurate and trustworthy rankings that highlight the best programs for criminal justice in Washington.
What is Criminal Justice?
A career in criminal justice is ideal for those who enjoy working with the public and helping people in their hours of need. Although most people think of criminal justice professionals as police officers, prison guards, and probation officers, those are just three on the many careers a person can have with a criminal justice education.
Although the terms do sound as if you’ll be working with all criminals, all the time, many other first responder and emergency management careers fall under this umbrella, as well. For example, social workers and private investigators both fall into this category, and neither necessarily work with people who have committed crimes. There is a lot you can do with a criminal justice education in the state of Washington.
A criminal justice professional works within the criminal justice system. They could work in tandem with various parts of the system, such as law enforcement that deals with those who have committed crimes or by trying to keep people from even committing crimes in the first place. They may help those who have committed crimes not to reoffend. They may work in the courts. No matter where you end up. criminal justice professionals work with a variety of people of all ages and walks of life. They investigate crimes, speak with victims and witnesses of crimes, and work with students to help them learn ways to stay away from crime. They also work with communities and train residents to spot dangers and crimes in the area.
Featured Criminal Justice Programs
Top Ranked Campus & Online Criminal Justice Programs in Washington
Washington State University
Score: 85.2
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $12,997
- Out-of-State:$29,073
- Net Price: $17,911
- Acceptance Rate: 83%
- Retention Rate: 81%
- Graduation Rate: 62%
- Total Enrollment: 27,539
- Undergrad Students: 22,612
- Graduate Students: 4,927
- Grads Salary: $81,000
- Student-to-faculty: 15:1
Pacific Lutheran University
Score: 84.25
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $50,964
- Out-of-State:$50,964
- Net Price: $24,825
- Acceptance Rate: 89%
- Retention Rate: 78%
- Graduation Rate: 72%
- Total Enrollment: 2,633
- Undergrad Students: 2,301
- Graduate Students: 332
- Grads Salary: $81,000
- Student-to-faculty: 11:1
Seattle University
Score: 82.4
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $54,285
- Out-of-State:$54,285
- Net Price: $35,412
- Acceptance Rate: 85%
- Retention Rate: 82%
- Graduation Rate: 74%
- Total Enrollment: 7,121
- Undergrad Students: 4,046
- Graduate Students: 3,075
- Grads Salary: $83,000
- Student-to-faculty: 10:1
University of Washington-Tacoma
Score: 81.66
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $12,817
- Out-of-State:$42,171
- Net Price: $10,680
- Acceptance Rate: 88%
- Retention Rate: 75%
- Graduation Rate: 54%
- Total Enrollment: 4,794
- Undergrad Students: 4,083
- Graduate Students: 711
- Grads Salary: $76,000
- Student-to-faculty: 15:1
Northwest University
Score: 78.18
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $36,035
- Out-of-State:$36,035
- Net Price: $23,722
- Acceptance Rate: 94%
- Retention Rate: 81%
- Graduation Rate: 68%
- Total Enrollment: 1,014
- Undergrad Students: 720
- Graduate Students: 294
- Grads Salary: $71,000
- Student-to-faculty: 9:1
Saint Martin's University
Score: 77.63
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $44,210
- Out-of-State:$44,210
- Net Price: $21,811
- Acceptance Rate: 95%
- Retention Rate: 70%
- Graduation Rate: 60%
- Total Enrollment: 1,609
- Undergrad Students: 1,365
- Graduate Students: 244
- Grads Salary: $78,000
- Student-to-faculty: 11:1
Seattle Pacific University
Score: 77.29
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $38,814
- Out-of-State:$38,814
- Net Price: $26,549
- Acceptance Rate: 91%
- Retention Rate: 79%
- Graduation Rate: 65%
- Total Enrollment: 3,118
- Undergrad Students: 2,432
- Graduate Students: 686
- Grads Salary: $75,000
- Student-to-faculty: 12:1
Heritage University
Score: 73.47
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $19,920
- Out-of-State:$19,920
- Net Price: $7,841
- Acceptance Rate: 100%
- Retention Rate: 74%
- Graduation Rate: 45%
- Total Enrollment: 853
- Undergrad Students: 796
- Graduate Students: 57
- Grads Salary: $65,000
- Student-to-faculty: 8:1
Eastern Washington University
Score: 72.2
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $8,353
- Out-of-State:$25,892
- Net Price: $12,827
- Acceptance Rate: 96%
- Retention Rate: 67%
- Graduation Rate: 50%
- Total Enrollment: 10,910
- Undergrad Students: 7,604
- Graduate Students: 3,306
- Grads Salary: $71,000
- Student-to-faculty: 19:1
Green River College
Score: 60.89
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $4,580
- Out-of-State:$5,105
- Net Price: $9,797
- Acceptance Rate: 100%
- Retention Rate: N/A
- Graduation Rate: 41%
- Total Enrollment: 6,252
- Undergrad Students: 6,252
- Graduate Students: N/A
- Grads Salary: $64,000
- Student-to-faculty: 12:1
Bellevue College
Score: 58.72
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $4,305
- Out-of-State:$10,183
- Net Price: $11,404
- Acceptance Rate: 100%
- Retention Rate: N/A
- Graduation Rate: 30%
- Total Enrollment: 10,617
- Undergrad Students: 10,617
- Graduate Students: N/A
- Grads Salary: $71,000
- Student-to-faculty: 15:1
Peninsula College
Score: 57.63
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $4,586
- Out-of-State:$5,111
- Net Price: $7,491
- Acceptance Rate: 100%
- Retention Rate: 88%
- Graduation Rate: 42%
- Total Enrollment: 1,583
- Undergrad Students: 1,583
- Graduate Students: N/A
- Grads Salary: $34,700
- Student-to-faculty: 14:1
Walla Walla Community College
Score: 56.37
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $6,513
- Out-of-State:$7,967
- Net Price: $8,971
- Acceptance Rate: 100%
- Retention Rate: 69%
- Graduation Rate: 43%
- Total Enrollment: 2,662
- Undergrad Students: 2,662
- Graduate Students: N/A
- Grads Salary: $40,900
- Student-to-faculty: 19:1
Shoreline Community College
Score: 55.45
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $4,388
- Out-of-State:$7,430
- Net Price: $9,442
- Acceptance Rate: 100%
- Retention Rate: 54%
- Graduation Rate: 29%
- Total Enrollment: 4,418
- Undergrad Students: 4,418
- Graduate Students: N/A
- Grads Salary: $49,400
- Student-to-faculty: 14:1
Big Bend Community College
Score: 54.98
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $4,909
- Out-of-State:$5,443
- Net Price: $10,184
- Acceptance Rate: 100%
- Retention Rate: 62%
- Graduation Rate: 40%
- Total Enrollment: 1,736
- Undergrad Students: 1,736
- Graduate Students: N/A
- Grads Salary: $40,300
- Student-to-faculty: 15:1
Columbia Basin College
Score: 53.33
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $6,194
- Out-of-State:$8,239
- Net Price: $11,421
- Acceptance Rate: 100%
- Retention Rate: N/A
- Graduation Rate: 28%
- Total Enrollment: 6,192
- Undergrad Students: 6,192
- Graduate Students: N/A
- Grads Salary: $64,000
- Student-to-faculty: 19:1
Everett Community College
Score: 53.03
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $4,301
- Out-of-State:$10,180
- Net Price: $11,271
- Acceptance Rate: 100%
- Retention Rate: 60%
- Graduation Rate: 35%
- Total Enrollment: 6,054
- Undergrad Students: 6,054
- Graduate Students: N/A
- Grads Salary: $41,400
- Student-to-faculty: 15:1
Highline College
Score: 49.01
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $4,623
- Out-of-State:$5,156
- Net Price: $11,072
- Acceptance Rate: 100%
- Retention Rate: N/A
- Graduation Rate: 40%
- Total Enrollment: 4,684
- Undergrad Students: 4,684
- Graduate Students: N/A
- Grads Salary: $42,800
- Student-to-faculty: 14:1
Centralia College
Score: 47.77
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $5,109
- Out-of-State:$5,643
- Net Price: $11,889
- Acceptance Rate: 100%
- Retention Rate: N/A
- Graduation Rate: 44%
- Total Enrollment: 2,277
- Undergrad Students: 2,277
- Graduate Students: N/A
- Grads Salary: $38,300
- Student-to-faculty: 14:1
Whatcom Community College
Score: 47.68
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $5,146
- Out-of-State:$11,096
- Net Price: $9,156
- Acceptance Rate: 100%
- Retention Rate: N/A
- Graduation Rate: 42%
- Total Enrollment: 3,340
- Undergrad Students: 3,340
- Graduate Students: N/A
- Grads Salary: $35,900
- Student-to-faculty: 13:1
Wenatchee Valley College
Score: 47.45
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $5,118
- Out-of-State:$5,652
- Net Price: $9,971
- Acceptance Rate: 100%
- Retention Rate: N/A
- Graduation Rate: 38%
- Total Enrollment: 2,529
- Undergrad Students: 2,529
- Graduate Students: N/A
- Grads Salary: $39,100
- Student-to-faculty: 13:1
Spokane Community College
Score: 46.52
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $4,057
- Out-of-State:$5,494
- Net Price: $6,295
- Acceptance Rate: 100%
- Retention Rate: N/A
- Graduation Rate: 35%
- Total Enrollment: 6,502
- Undergrad Students: 6,502
- Graduate Students: N/A
- Grads Salary: $38,100
- Student-to-faculty: 17:1
City University of Seattle
Score: 45.83
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $20,232,024
- Out-of-State:$20,232,024
- Net Price: N/A
- Acceptance Rate: 100%
- Retention Rate: 20%
- Graduation Rate: N/A
- Total Enrollment: 2,095
- Undergrad Students: 1,274
- Graduate Students: 821
- Grads Salary: $80,000
- Student-to-faculty: 6:1
Grays Harbor College
Score: 43.99
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $4,751
- Out-of-State:$10,629
- Net Price: $10,432
- Acceptance Rate: 100%
- Retention Rate: N/A
- Graduation Rate: 39%
- Total Enrollment: 1,475
- Undergrad Students: 1,475
- Graduate Students: N/A
- Grads Salary: $32,400
- Student-to-faculty: 14:1
Lower Columbia College
Score: 43.69
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $4,346
- Out-of-State:$5,633
- Net Price: $8,570
- Acceptance Rate: 100%
- Retention Rate: N/A
- Graduation Rate: 26%
- Total Enrollment: 2,435
- Undergrad Students: 2,435
- Graduate Students: N/A
- Grads Salary: $38,200
- Student-to-faculty: 13:1
