Best colleges for criminal justice in Massachusetts
Northeastern University ranks first in Massachusetts for criminal justice value (#5 nationally, value score 83.2): graduates earn $77,477 4 years after the bachelor's degree, and the average net price is $17,850 a year.
Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition · Source: College Scorecard field of study, reporting year 2025 · 16 Massachusetts colleges ranked · Updated November 4, 2026
Best criminal justice colleges in Massachusetts
Northeastern University ranks first in Massachusetts for criminal justice value (#5 nationally, value score 83.2): graduates earn $77,477 4 years after the bachelor's degree, and the average net price is $17,850 a year. 16 Massachusetts colleges qualify. At the median one, criminal justice graduates earn $64,997 and the average net price is $22,295 a year.
Source: U.S. College Scorecard field of study, 2025
What the data shows
Key findings
- 16 Massachusetts colleges qualify. At the median one, criminal justice graduates earn $64,997 and the average net price is $22,295 a year.
- The highest criminal justice earnings in the state are at Fisher College ($80,136), ranked #7 in the state once cost, debt and graduation rate count.
- The lowest average net price among them is at Salem State University-Massachusetts: $12,921 a year.
- Median earnings
- $64,997
- National: $55,481
- Median net price
- $22,295
- National: $16,222
- Median federal debt
- $24,609
- criminal justice graduates
- Public colleges
- 7 of 16
- in this list
16 colleges
The Massachusetts 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 Massachusetts 1
Boston, MA · Private nonprofit · #5 nationally
83.2Value- Earnings
- $77,477
- Net price
- $17,850
- Federal debt
- $17,750
- Graduation rate
- 91%
- Earnings
- $65,588
- Net price
- $13,866
- Federal debt
- $22,132
- Graduation rate
- 57%
- Rank in Massachusetts 3
University of Massachusetts-Lowell
Lowell, MA · Public · #24 nationally
75.0Value- Earnings
- $66,258
- Net price
- $17,362
- Federal debt
- $21,500
- Graduation rate
- 69%
- Earnings
- $67,363
- Net price
- $16,484
- Federal debt
- $21,500
- Graduation rate
- 49%
- Earnings
- $62,396
- Net price
- $13,803
- Federal debt
- $22,250
- Graduation rate
- 53%
- Rank in Massachusetts 6
Bridgewater, MA · Public · #99 nationally
63.0Value- Earnings
- $64,178
- Net price
- $18,061
- Federal debt
- $23,738
- Graduation rate
- 52%
- Earnings
- $80,136
- Net price
- $22,042
- Federal debt
- $26,875
- Graduation rate
- 40%
- Rank in Massachusetts 8
North Andover, MA · Private nonprofit · #107 nationally
62.1Value- Earnings
- $69,615
- Net price
- $39,219
- Federal debt
- $26,000
- Graduation rate
- 69%
- Rank in Massachusetts 9
Dudley, MA · Private nonprofit · #110 nationally
61.5Value- Earnings
- $75,321
- Net price
- $31,983
- Federal debt
- $26,500
- Graduation rate
- 54%
- Earnings
- $76,013
- Net price
- $26,309
- Federal debt
- $26,500
- Graduation rate
- 46%
- Rank in Massachusetts 11
Salem State University-Massachusetts
Salem, MA · Public · #125 nationally
59.9Value- Earnings
- $59,774
- Net price
- $12,921
- Federal debt
- $25,480
- Graduation rate
- 49%
- Rank in Massachusetts 12
University of Massachusetts-Boston
Boston, MA · Public · #137 nationally
58.5Value- Earnings
- $62,222
- Net price
- $22,548
- Federal debt
- $21,970
- Graduation rate
- 51%
- Rank in Massachusetts 13
Western New England University
Springfield, MA · Private nonprofit · #153 nationally
55.6Value- Earnings
- $60,486
- Net price
- $27,077
- Federal debt
- $23,250
- Graduation rate
- 64%
- Earnings
- $64,406
- Net price
- $30,155
- Federal debt
- $26,000
- Graduation rate
- 50%
- Earnings
- $58,605
- Net price
- $39,219
- Federal debt
- $27,000
- Graduation rate
- 74%
- Rank in Massachusetts 16
American International College
Springfield, MA · Private nonprofit · #370 nationally
16.8Value- Earnings
- $50,021
- Net price
- $24,178
- Federal debt
- $27,000
- Graduation rate
- 38%
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 Massachusetts
What are the best colleges for criminal justice in Massachusetts?
By CollegesRef value score, the top 3 Massachusetts colleges for criminal justice are Northeastern University (value score 83.2), Worcester State University (value score 76.1) and University of Massachusetts-Lowell (value score 75). The score weighs graduate earnings, debt relative to earnings, average net price and graduation rate.
Which Massachusetts college has the highest earnings for criminal justice graduates?
Fisher College: its criminal justice graduates have median earnings of $80,136 4 years after the bachelor's degree.
What is the most affordable criminal justice college in Massachusetts on this list?
Salem State University-Massachusetts has the lowest average net price of the ranked Massachusetts colleges, $12,921 a year after grants. A family's own price depends on income and aid.
How many Massachusetts colleges are ranked for criminal justice?
16 Massachusetts 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 Massachusetts.