Best colleges for criminal justice in Connecticut
Western Connecticut State University ranks first in Connecticut for criminal justice value (#38 nationally, value score 72.5): graduates earn $66,510 4 years after the bachelor's degree, and the average net price is $16,754 a year.
Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition · Source: College Scorecard field of study, reporting year 2025 · 5 Connecticut colleges ranked · Updated November 4, 2026
Best criminal justice colleges in Connecticut
Western Connecticut State University ranks first in Connecticut for criminal justice value (#38 nationally, value score 72.5): graduates earn $66,510 4 years after the bachelor's degree, and the average net price is $16,754 a year. 5 Connecticut colleges qualify. At the median one, criminal justice graduates earn $60,656 and the average net price is $32,994 a year.
Source: U.S. College Scorecard field of study, 2025
What the data shows
Key findings
- 5 Connecticut colleges qualify. At the median one, criminal justice graduates earn $60,656 and the average net price is $32,994 a year.
- The highest criminal justice earnings in the state are at Quinnipiac University ($79,098), ranked #2 in the state once cost, debt and graduation rate count.
- Median earnings
- $60,656
- National: $55,481
- Median net price
- $32,994
- National: $16,222
- Median federal debt
- $23,375
- criminal justice graduates
- Public colleges
- 1 of 5
- in this list
5 colleges
The Connecticut ranking
Ordered by the national value score; the national rank is shown with each college. Earnings are medians 4 years after the bachelor's degree.
- Rank in Connecticut 1
Western Connecticut State University
Danbury, CT · Public · #38 nationally
72.5Value- Earnings
- $66,510
- Net price
- $16,754
- Federal debt
- $19,811
- Graduation rate
- 51%
- Earnings
- $79,098
- Net price
- $41,729
- Federal debt
- $23,375
- Graduation rate
- 79%
- Rank in Connecticut 3
West Haven, CT · Private nonprofit · #184 nationally
51.7Value- Earnings
- $60,656
- Net price
- $32,994
- Federal debt
- $25,750
- Graduation rate
- 64%
- Rank in Connecticut 4
Fairfield, CT · Private nonprofit · #250 nationally
42.1Value- Earnings
- $55,710
- Net price
- $45,827
- Federal debt
- $23,000
- Graduation rate
- 77%
- Rank in Connecticut 5
New Haven, CT · Private nonprofit · #344 nationally
25.1Value- Earnings
- $53,615
- Net price
- $31,731
- Federal debt
- $31,000
- Graduation rate
- 48%
Method: the same value score as the national criminal justice ranking (earnings, debt relative to earnings, average net price and graduation rate, each a national percentile). Data: College Scorecard, reporting year 2025; 2026–27 edition, verified Nov 2026.
Questions about criminal justice colleges in Connecticut
What are the best colleges for criminal justice in Connecticut?
By CollegesRef value score, the top 3 Connecticut colleges for criminal justice are Western Connecticut State University (value score 72.5), Quinnipiac University (value score 71) and University of New Haven (value score 51.7). The score weighs graduate earnings, debt relative to earnings, average net price and graduation rate.
Which Connecticut college has the highest earnings for criminal justice graduates?
Quinnipiac University: its criminal justice graduates have median earnings of $79,098 4 years after the bachelor's degree.
What is the most affordable criminal justice college in Connecticut on this list?
Western Connecticut State University has the lowest average net price of the ranked Connecticut colleges, $16,754 a year after grants. A family's own price depends on income and aid.
How many Connecticut colleges are ranked for criminal justice?
5 Connecticut colleges have a criminal justice bachelor's program with enough graduates and reported earnings, plus a published net price and graduation rate. Ranks shown are national; the state rank is their order within Connecticut.