Criminalistics and Criminal Science
CIP Code: 43.0402A criminalistics and criminal science degree prepares graduates for careers in Detectives and criminal investigators, Police and sheriff's patrol officers, Criminal justice and law enforcement teachers, postsecondary and more. 28 colleges and universities offer this program.
Criminalistics and Criminal Science Salary by College
Nationally, bachelor’s graduates in this field earn a median $57,805 four years after graduating (middle half: $41,536–$76,538). Where you study it matters: across 45 colleges with reported results, pay ranges from $42,459 to $101,401.
Sort by:
| # | College | 4 yrs after | Wage-adjusted | 1 yr after | Median debt | Outcome Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Champlain College Burlington, VT | $101,401 | $104,147 | $70,586 | $27,000 | B |
| 3 | Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Daytona Beach Daytona Beach, FL | $98,996 | $105,369 | $55,259 | $19,500 | A |
| 2 | Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Prescott Prescott, AZ | $98,996 | $101,720 | $55,259 | $19,500 | A |
| 4 | Florida State University Tallahassee, FL | $93,841 | $99,882 | $58,249 | $18,750 | A |
| 5 | Robert Morris University Moon Township, PA | $90,206 | $91,740 | $69,872 | $26,948 | B |
| 6 | Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania Bloomsburg, PA | $73,289 | $74,536 | $52,887 | $25,000 | C |
| 7 | Towson University Towson, MD | $71,484 | $62,736 | — | — | C+ |
| 8 | Syracuse University Syracuse, NY | $69,491 | $66,141 | $31,750 | $27,000 | A |
| 9 | SUNY College at Plattsburgh Plattsburgh, NY | $69,321 | $65,979 | — | — | C |
| 10 | Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus University Park, PA | $66,084 | $67,208 | $49,782 | $27,000 | A |
| 11 | Loyola University Chicago Chicago, IL | $64,194 | $63,070 | $51,202 | — | A |
| 12 | University of New Haven West Haven, CT | $63,360 | $57,044 | $40,889 | $27,000 | C |
| 13 | George Mason University Fairfax, VA | $63,182 | $57,533 | $42,100 | $23,251 | B+ |
| 14 | University of North Dakota Grand Forks, ND | $62,726 | $64,986 | — | — | B+ |
| 16 | West Virginia University Morgantown, WV | $62,455 | $73,888 | $44,255 | $24,121 | B+ |
| 15 | West Virginia University Institute of Technology Beckley, WV | $62,455 | $73,888 | $44,255 | $24,121 | B |
| 17 | University of Maryland Global Campus Adelphi, MD | $62,022 | $54,432 | $47,496 | $25,391 | C+ |
| 18 | University of Central Florida Orlando, FL | $61,633 | $65,600 | — | — | B+ |
| 19 | Virginia Commonwealth University Richmond, VA | $61,026 | $55,570 | $37,501 | $24,583 | C |
| 20 | Chestnut Hill College Philadelphia, PA | $60,744 | $61,777 | $46,079 | $24,342 | C |
| 21 | Farmingdale State College Farmingdale, NY | $60,464 | $57,549 | $38,789 | $15,000 | B+ |
| 22 | CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice New York, NY | $60,416 | $57,504 | $44,092 | $15,500 | C |
| 23 | University of Nebraska-Lincoln Lincoln, NE | $58,037 | $59,984 | $29,231 | $25,125 | B |
| 24 | Tiffin University Tiffin, OH | $57,509 | $61,371 | $38,994 | $27,000 | F |
| 25 | Grand Canyon University Phoenix, AZ | $57,384 | $58,963 | $37,481 | $27,000 | C |
| 26 | American Public University System Charles Town, WV | $57,237 | $67,715 | $49,622 | $32,062 | C+ |
| 27 | Seattle University Seattle, WA | $56,265 | $51,752 | $37,557 | $22,250 | A |
| 28 | Bay Path University Longmeadow, MA | $56,262 | $49,545 | $32,326 | $27,000 | C+ |
| 29 | Indiana University-Indianapolis Indianapolis, IN | $55,988 | $60,065 | $44,718 | $27,000 | C+ |
| 30 | Mercyhurst University Erie, PA | $55,665 | $56,612 | — | — | D |
| 31 | University of Central Oklahoma Edmond, OK | $54,876 | $61,613 | $38,710 | $21,000 | C |
| 32 | Hilbert College Hamburg, NY | $54,589 | $51,957 | $32,374 | $27,000 | F |
| 33 | Western Carolina University Cullowhee, NC | $54,246 | $58,214 | — | $21,500 | C |
| 34 | Texas A & M University-College Station College Station, TX | $53,792 | $54,691 | $38,792 | — | A |
| 35 | Florida Gulf Coast University Fort Myers, FL | $52,096 | $55,450 | $28,173 | $19,099 | C+ |
| 36 | Saint Edward's University Austin, TX | $51,977 | $52,845 | — | — | B |
| 37 | University of Southern Mississippi Hattiesburg, MS | $51,956 | $63,039 | — | — | C |
| 38 | Husson University Bangor, ME | $51,772 | $55,020 | — | — | D |
| 39 | University of Wisconsin-Platteville Platteville, WI | $50,368 | $52,410 | $38,013 | $21,005 | B |
| 40 | Jacksonville State University Jacksonville, AL | $50,281 | $57,073 | $27,926 | $23,250 | D |
| 41 | Bellevue University Bellevue, NE | $49,052 | $50,697 | $42,104 | — | B |
| 42 | Glenville State University Glenville, WV | $48,388 | $57,246 | $38,237 | $29,750 | F |
| 43 | Keiser University-Ft Lauderdale Fort Lauderdale, FL | $47,847 | $50,927 | $37,231 | $34,630 | C+ |
| 44 | Washburn University Topeka, KS | $44,534 | $46,234 | $39,252 | $21,250 | C |
| 45 | The University of Texas at El Paso El Paso, TX | $42,459 | $43,168 | $23,495 | $24,060 | C |
Bachelor’s degrees. Wage-adjusted = pay ÷ √(state wage index). Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard field-of-study data.
What Can You Do With a Criminalistics and Criminal Science Degree?
Graduates with this degree pursue careers in the following fields:
Best Colleges for Criminalistics and Criminal Science
Ranked by Repit grade, then by degrees awarded. These are the top-rated colleges that produce the most graduates in criminalistics and criminal science.
| # | College | Location | Degrees Awarded | Repit Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Florida International University | Miami, FL | 74 | B+ |
| 2 | Washburn University | Topeka, KS | 30 | B |
| 3 | Jacksonville State University | Jacksonville, AL | 73 | C+ |
| 4 | Florida Gulf Coast University | Fort Myers, FL | 73 | C+ |
| 5 | Seattle University | Seattle, WA | 31 | C+ |
| 6 | Stevenson University | Owings Mills, MD | 32 | C |
Largest Criminalistics and Criminal Science Programs
Schools ranked by number of graduates. These institutions produce the most criminalistics and criminal science graduates annually, including online and distance learning programs.
| # | College | Location | Degrees Awarded | Repit Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Florida International University | Miami, FL | 74 | B+ |
| 2 | Florida Gulf Coast University | Fort Myers, FL | 73 | C+ |
| 3 | Jacksonville State University | Jacksonville, AL | 73 | C+ |
| 4 | Stevenson University | Owings Mills, MD | 32 | C |
| 5 | Seattle University | Seattle, WA | 31 | C+ |
| 6 | Washburn University | Topeka, KS | 30 | B |
About Criminalistics and Criminal Science
Criminalistics and Criminal Science is a degree program offered at 28 colleges and universities across the United States. Each year, approximately 584 students graduate with this degree.
Graduates with this degree can pursue careers such as detectives and criminal investigators, police and sheriff's patrol officers, criminal justice and law enforcement teachers, postsecondary, forensic science technicians, life, physical, and social science technicians, all other.