Choosing the right online criminal justice degree program in New York will require a little research. Students will have to decide what type of career they want to pursue. The next step in choosing the right criminal justice programs in New York involves deciding whether you want to attend class on campus or take online courses. Online courses are extremely convenient and will allow you to look for work before you graduate. For working criminal justice professionals, online programs help earn credentials for advancement while still keeping their positions.
No matter what avenue you take when it comes to criminal justice jobs in New York, the opportunity for advancement is there. If you are willing to continue to enhance your skills and move forward with your education, the door to new challenges will always be open. It’s up to you to keep moving forward. Once you have set your goals, it’s imperative that you stay on course. This means completing your degree program and making every possible effort to advance in the workplace.
Featured Schools
How We Ranked the Best Criminal Justice Programs in New York
To rank the best online criminal justice programs in New York (city and state), Criminal Justice Degree Hub editors searched out institutions offering fully online or hybrid degrees. We ranked programs according to their tuition cost, student satisfaction, and breadth of program offerings.
1. CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice
The City University of New York’s John Jay College of Criminal Justice offers a variety of the best online criminal justice programs in New York at the undergraduate and graduate degree levels. In addition to CUNY John Jay’s Bachelor of Science degree (BS) in Security Management, the college also provides a Master of Science degree (MS) in Security Management or a Master of Arts (MA) degree in either criminal justice or international crime & justice.
CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice was established in 1964. The school’s campus in the heart of NYC is home to approximately 15,750 students. John Jay College is a recognized senior campus of the City University of New York. CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice holds the distinction of being the only liberal arts school with a focus on criminal justice and the forensic sciences.
- MS in Security Management
- MA in Criminal Justice
- MA in International Crime and Justice
- BS in Security Management
2. Monroe College
Monroe College’s Criminal Justice School offers several of the best online criminal justice programs in New York – both upstate and downstate. Monroe College’s Associate of Science in Criminal Justice is available online, on-campus or a hybrid delivered program with 60 semester units required to graduate. The College’s Bachelor of Science degree (BS) requires the completion of 120 semester units, with the Master of Science (MS) degree program ranked nationally by US News and offering three academic concentrations – homeland security, urban crime policy or the human services, plus a generalist or professional experience track.
Monroe College was established as a for-profit business school in 1963 but morphed into a full college in the early 1970s. The college maintains campuses in Westchester County (New Rochelle), Manhattan, and the Bronx, plus a satellite center in Saint Lucia. Monroe College’s campuses are home to approximately 6,650 students.
- Criminal Justice (AS)
- Criminal Justice (BS)
- Criminal Justice (MS)
3. SUNY Canton
The Canton branch of the State University of New York (SUNY Canton) offers several of the best online criminal justice programs in New York upstate. The available criminal justice program from SUNY Canton includes an Associate of Applied Science (AAS) or Bachelor of Science (BS) degree program in Crime Justice or Crime Analysis that can both be completed entirely online. Additionally, SUNY Canton offers a Bachelor of Technology (B Tech) degree in Law Enforcement Leadership (122 credit units) or its Bachelor of Science in Forensic Criminology that leads to rewarding careers in victim’s services/advocacy, criminal justice research, offender programming, and government administration, to name a few.
SUNY Canton was established in 1906 as an agricultural school and is one of the northernmost member schools of the state’s university system. The university’s campus near the Canadian border is home to approximately 3,150 students. SUNY Canton offers approximately fifty associate and baccalaureate degree programs.
Programs:
- Crime Analysis BS
- Criminal Justice AAS
- Law Enforcement Leadership
- Forensic Criminology
4. St. Joseph’s College
St. Joseph’s College offers a BS in Criminal Justice Practice and Policy that is among the best online criminal justice programs in New York. This 120-semester credit criminal justice program from St. Joseph’s College is available with rolling admissions available throughout the year. Classes for this online SJC criminal justice program include criminal courts, quantitative applications, law enforcement & policing, and race, class & gender in criminal justice, to name a few.
St. Joseph’s College was established as a women’s school in 1916. The school operates two campuses, one in Brooklyn and another further east on Long Island in Patchogue. The college’s campuses are home to approximately 3,750 students. St. Joseph’s College holds the distinction of being the only all-women’s school established in the borough of Brooklyn.
Programs: BS in Criminal Justice
5. Dominican College
Dominican College offers a BA in Criminal Justice that is among the best online criminal justice programs in New York with an accelerated format. Dominican College offers a general transfer credit policy which allows up to 90 credits from an accredited 5-year higher learning institution. Students graduate from this Military-friendly school’s program in criminal justice to find rewarding careers as police officers, bailiffs, border patrol agents, or customs agents, to name a few. Online students living near the school’s Rockland County campus have access to the school’s fitness center, library, and counseling services.
Dominican College was established in 1952. The college’s suburban campus is located about 15 minutes from New York City, with a student enrollment that nears 2,000 students. Value Colleges and Best Colleges.com recognize Dominican College among the best distance learning schools in the Empire State.
Programs: BA in Criminal Justice
6. SUNY Delhi
The Delhi branch of the State University of New York (SUNY Delhi) offers a Bachelor of Science degree program (BS) in Criminal Justice that is considered among the best online criminal justice programs in New York. SUNY Delhi’s online undergraduate degree in criminal justice is nationally recognized by US News. This program in criminal justice is designed for those who hold an associate degree, with classes that include criminal courts & justice, forensics, public policy, comparative criminal justice, and applications of technology in criminal justice, to name a few. Total credit units required to graduate equals 122 units.
SUNY Delhi is a member school of the Empire State’s university system. Established in 1913 to the west of the state’s capital, SUNY Delhi’s student enrollment, of 3,150 students, is served on its rural campus and online. SUNY Delhi was established by two women as a small school that taught agricultural studies.
Programs: BS in Criminal Justice
7. SUNY Oswego
The Oswego campus at the State University of New York (SUNY Oswego) offers a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree program in Criminal Justice that is available to part-time and full-time students, offering flexibility and convenience to those students with other time commitments. SUNY Oswego’s best online criminal justice programs in New York offers students a rolling admission option and all classes delivered through the university’s distance learning platform. This completion criminal justice degree program can be completed in only 24 months.
SUNY Oswego is a public institution of higher education that was founded in 1861 as a training school for primary teachers. SUNY Oswego’s campus covers more than 650 rural acres and is home to approximately 5,850 students. SUNY Oswego is recognized for being one of the founding campuses of the SUNY system.
Programs: BA in Criminal Justice
8. Molloy College
Molloy College offers one of the best online criminal justice programs in New York with its Bachelor in Criminal Justice (CJ) degree program that requires 21 credits of total credits to be pulled from the criminal justice curriculum. Molloy College’s undergraduate degree in criminal justice is a degree completion program that is available entirely online, or on-campus, or hybrid-delivered if students prefer.
Molloy College was established as a Dominican Catholic Church in 1955. The college’s suburban campus on Long island (about 30 minutes from New York City) is home to approximately 4,950 students. Molloy College has been recognized among the top ten best-value higher learning institution among all Catholic institutions of higher education. Molloy College’s six-year graduation rate is an impressive 74% and an even more impressive student to faculty ratio that is 10 to one – among the lowest in the nation.
Programs: Bachelor in Criminal Justice
9. Utica College
Utica College offers a BS in Criminal Justice that is ranked among the best online criminal justice programs in New York. This undergraduate criminal justice degree program from Utica College is recognized by IALEIA as a program of excellence. Students enrolled in Utica College’s criminal justice bachelor’s degree are offered a variety of specializations – legal issues, homeland security, cyber criminology & policy, public policy and leadership, and white-collar crime. Students can complete this program at their own pace – full-time or part-time, with most students taking a class every eight weeks in 16 week semesters.
Utica College was established as a satellite facility for Syracuse University but was officially established in 1946. This private higher learning institution is home to approximately 4,350 students vying for one of the nearly 75 programs offered by the college.
Programs: BS in Criminal Justice
10. Genesee Community College
Genesee Community College offers two of the best online criminal justice programs in New York with its Associate of Science degree program (AS) or its Associate of Applied Science degree program (AAS) in Criminal Justice. Students graduating from Genesee Community College’s associate degree in criminal justice is offered a variety of pathways to transfer to one of the many SUNY four-year schools. Each of these associate degrees in criminal justice requires degree candidates to complete 62-semester credits to graduate.
Genesee Community College was established in 1966 and is one of the most western of the SUNY schools. The college’s rural campus covers more than 200 acres and serves more than 5,450 students. Genesee Community College offers some residential housing but is mostly considered a commuter school.
Programs: AS or AAS in Criminal Justice
How Do I Choose a Criminal Justice Degree Program in New York?
If you are looking for criminal justice programs in New York, it’s a good idea to look at what concentrations are available. The right concentration will help you get the exact courses you need once you decide what path you want to take. There are several different avenues to choose from including law enforcement, private investigations, forensics, and judicial/legal administration just to name a few.
If you are lucky, you may be able to earn an internship. Internships are very valuable for many reasons. First, you are paid for the work you do. Second, the time you spend working is counted as credit toward your education. In many cases, students who apply for and earn an internship are often hired by the company after they graduate.
Another thing to consider when choosing the right criminal justice program in New York is the reputation of the school. A well-known college or university that has a solid reputation for providing quality degree programs will often be rather expensive. Look into scholarships and grants that will help you cover some of the costs. It may also be beneficial to take some of your more generalized credits at a local community college and then transfer them to a more reputable university when you are ready to go for your actual degree.
How Is the Job Market for Criminal Justice in New York?
If you are interested in looking for criminal justice jobs in New York City, the job outlook is fairly optimistic. There are many entry-level criminal justice jobs that can be found simply by applying at a lawyer’s office or with local law enforcement agencies. You may also be able to find jobs with local security companies or at businesses that have their own security detail. Judicial offices are also a good place to apply. Even if you have little experience, many places will hire you if they know you are enrolled in a criminal justice degree program. The key is finding a position that will allow you to grow and move up in the ranks.
Because criminal justice is such a diverse field, you can enter into one position and gradually find yourself changing career goals. This is part of the learning process and will actually be beneficial over time. You will gain a wider range of skills and be more versatile in the workplace. This will make you a valuable asset and the added experience will allow you to be considered for more opportunities for advancement.
How Much Can I Make With a Criminal Justice Degree in New York?
Depending on what type of criminal justice position you get in New York, your pay may range from around $30,000 to over $100,000. With a Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice, an entry-level salary will often start between $30.000 and $40.000 per year. A criminal investigator in New York City may be able to make as much as $44,000 just starting out. In many cases, your education will be a determining factor when deciding your starting wage.
The more experience you have in the field, the higher your earning potential will be. An investigator who has years of experience may be able to pull a starting wage of well over $75,000, especially if the education that backs up the experience. Any time an opportunity for advancement comes along, take it! New challenges will lead to more experience. Always look for new opportunities that will allow you to expand your horizons.
For individuals who have been working in the field for many years and are wanting to change careers, going back to school to earn a criminal justice degree may be the key to pushing your yearly wages over the $100,000 mark. The more experience and education you have, the more desirable you will be, especially for management positions.
Related Rankings:
Best Online Associate’s in Criminal Justice
