Best colleges for criminal justice in New Jersey
Rutgers University-Newark ranks first in New Jersey for criminal justice value (#20 nationally, value score 76): graduates earn $61,817 4 years after the bachelor's degree, and the average net price is $16,013 a year.
Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition · Source: College Scorecard field of study, reporting year 2025 · 14 New Jersey colleges ranked · Updated November 4, 2026
Best criminal justice colleges in New Jersey
Rutgers University-Newark ranks first in New Jersey for criminal justice value (#20 nationally, value score 76): graduates earn $61,817 4 years after the bachelor's degree, and the average net price is $16,013 a year. 14 New Jersey colleges qualify. At the median one, criminal justice graduates earn $58,376 and the average net price is $18,228 a year.
Source: U.S. College Scorecard field of study, 2025
What the data shows
Key findings
- 14 New Jersey colleges qualify. At the median one, criminal justice graduates earn $58,376 and the average net price is $18,228 a year.
- The highest criminal justice earnings in the state are at Monmouth University ($67,842), ranked #6 in the state once cost, debt and graduation rate count.
- The lowest average net price among them is at Saint Peter's University: $8,127 a year.
- Median earnings
- $58,376
- National: $55,481
- Median net price
- $18,228
- National: $16,222
- Median federal debt
- $20,124
- criminal justice graduates
- Public colleges
- 8 of 14
- in this list
14 colleges
The New Jersey 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.
- Earnings
- $61,817
- Net price
- $16,013
- Federal debt
- $17,750
- Graduation rate
- 65%
- Earnings
- $61,817
- Net price
- $15,732
- Federal debt
- $17,750
- Graduation rate
- 61%
- Rank in New Jersey 3
Hackettstown, NJ · Private nonprofit · #33 nationally
73.2Value- Earnings
- $67,181
- Net price
- $21,655
- Federal debt
- $19,255
- Graduation rate
- 67%
- Rank in New Jersey 4
Jersey City, NJ · Private nonprofit · #51 nationally
70.4Value- Earnings
- $56,438
- Net price
- $8,127
- Federal debt
- $17,742
- Graduation rate
- 55%
- Rank in New Jersey 5
Rutgers University-New Brunswick
New Brunswick, NJ · Public · #55 nationally
69.5Value- Earnings
- $61,817
- Net price
- $24,897
- Federal debt
- $17,750
- Graduation rate
- 84%
- Rank in New Jersey 6
West Long Branch, NJ · Private nonprofit · #89 nationally
63.8Value- Earnings
- $67,842
- Net price
- $30,978
- Federal debt
- $25,000
- Graduation rate
- 72%
- Earnings
- $61,605
- Net price
- $26,752
- Federal debt
- $21,500
- Graduation rate
- 85%
- Earnings
- $58,644
- Net price
- $14,465
- Federal debt
- $20,049
- Graduation rate
- 48%
- Earnings
- $56,226
- Net price
- $23,938
- Federal debt
- $17,335
- Graduation rate
- 69%
- Earnings
- $55,293
- Net price
- $10,591
- Federal debt
- $21,670
- Graduation rate
- 39%
- Rank in New Jersey 11
William Paterson University of New Jersey
Wayne, NJ · Public · #183 nationally
51.8Value- Earnings
- $58,108
- Net price
- $18,533
- Federal debt
- $20,199
- Graduation rate
- 44%
- Earnings
- $54,225
- Net price
- $15,180
- Federal debt
- $26,000
- Graduation rate
- 57%
- Rank in New Jersey 13
Fairleigh Dickinson University-Metropolitan Campus
Teaneck, NJ · Private nonprofit · #296 nationally
35.8Value- Earnings
- $51,148
- Net price
- $17,923
- Federal debt
- $21,200
- Graduation rate
- 53%
- Rank in New Jersey 14
Lawrenceville, NJ · Private nonprofit · #340 nationally
26.8Value- Earnings
- $50,173
- Net price
- $24,780
- Federal debt
- $26,000
- Graduation rate
- 62%
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 New Jersey
What are the best colleges for criminal justice in New Jersey?
By CollegesRef value score, the top 3 New Jersey colleges for criminal justice are Rutgers University-Newark (value score 76), Rutgers University-Camden (value score 75.3) and Centenary University (value score 73.2). The score weighs graduate earnings, debt relative to earnings, average net price and graduation rate.
Which New Jersey college has the highest earnings for criminal justice graduates?
Monmouth University: its criminal justice graduates have median earnings of $67,842 4 years after the bachelor's degree.
What is the most affordable criminal justice college in New Jersey on this list?
Saint Peter's University has the lowest average net price of the ranked New Jersey colleges, $8,127 a year after grants. A family's own price depends on income and aid.
How many New Jersey colleges are ranked for criminal justice?
14 New Jersey 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 New Jersey.