Best colleges for criminal justice in Ohio
Colleges that offer a bachelor’s in criminal justice or criminology, ranked by Compass Score.
Best colleges for criminal justice in Ohio57 schools
57 schools qualify, ranked by the Compass Score. The top 25 are shown.
How this list is made
- Schools in Ohio.
- Accredited four-year undergraduate colleges.
- Offers a bachelor’s program in criminal justice or criminology, from the College Scorecard field-of-study data (credential level 3).
- Each school needs a complete Compass Score, so every row shows a rating.
- Ordered by Compass Score, highest first. Schools with the same score share a rank.
Updated Oct. 20, 2026. Methodology. Spot an error? Send a correction.
- 1
Ohio State University
Columbus, OH · PublicHonor Roll#5 in Ohio
- Bachelor’s program in criminal justice or criminology
- Value grade B+ · Top 21%
- 2
University of Dayton
Dayton, OH · Private nonprofit#6 in Ohio
- Bachelor’s program in criminal justice or criminology
- Value grade B · Top 49%
- 3
Miami University-Oxford
Oxford, OH · Public#8 in Ohio
- Bachelor’s program in criminal justice or criminology
- Value grade B-
- 4
Cedarville University
Cedarville, OH · Private nonprofit#11 in Ohio
- Bachelor’s program in criminal justice or criminology
- Value grade B
- 5
Franciscan University of Steubenville
Steubenville, OH · Private nonprofit#13 in Ohio
- Bachelor’s program in criminal justice or criminology
- Value grade B-
- 6
Ohio Northern University
Ada, OH · Private nonprofitTop 8% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in criminal justice or criminology
- Value grade B · Top 42%
- 7
University of Cincinnati
Cincinnati, OH · PublicTop 15% for graduation
- Bachelor’s program in criminal justice or criminology
- Value grade B-
- 8Tie
Otterbein University
Westerville, OH · Private nonprofit#18 in Ohio
- Bachelor’s program in criminal justice or criminology
- Value grade B
- 8Tie
Xavier University
Cincinnati, OH · Private nonprofit#18 in Ohio
- Bachelor’s program in criminal justice or criminology
- Value grade C+
- 10
Ohio University
Athens, OH · Public#20 in Ohio
- Bachelor’s program in criminal justice or criminology
- Value grade B
- 11
Baldwin Wallace University
Berea, OH · Private nonprofit#22 in Ohio
- Bachelor’s program in criminal justice or criminology
- Value grade C+
- 12
Mount Vernon Nazarene University
Mount Vernon, OH · Private nonprofitTop 24% for graduation
- Bachelor’s program in criminal justice or criminology
- Value grade B-
- 13
University of Toledo
Toledo, OH · Public#29 in Ohio
- Bachelor’s program in criminal justice or criminology
- Value grade B · Top 43%
- 14
Mount St. Joseph University
Cincinnati, OH · Private nonprofit#33 in Ohio
- Bachelor’s program in criminal justice or criminology
- Value grade B
- 15
Walsh University
North Canton, OH · Private nonprofit#34 in Ohio
- Bachelor’s program in criminal justice or criminology
- Value grade B · Top 50%
- 16
Bowling Green State University
Bowling Green, OH · Public#35 in Ohio
- Bachelor’s program in criminal justice or criminology
- Value grade C+
- 17
Ashland University
Ashland, OH · Private nonprofit#38 in Ohio
- Bachelor’s program in criminal justice or criminology
- Value grade B-
- 18
Kent State University at Kent
Kent, OH · Public#39 in Ohio
- Bachelor’s program in criminal justice or criminology
- Value grade B-
- 19
Capital University
Columbus, OH · Private nonprofit#41 in Ohio
- Bachelor’s program in criminal justice or criminology
- Value grade B-
- 20
Shawnee State University
Portsmouth, OH · Public#45 in Ohio
- Bachelor’s program in criminal justice or criminology
- Value grade B-
- 21
University of Mount Union
Alliance, OH · Private nonprofit#47 in Ohio
- Bachelor’s program in criminal justice or criminology
- Value grade B-
- 22
University of Akron Main Campus
Akron, OH · Public#49 in Ohio
- Bachelor’s program in criminal justice or criminology
- Value grade B · Top 43%
- 23
Wilberforce University
Wilberforce, OH · Private nonprofitTop 5% for low net price
- Bachelor’s program in criminal justice or criminology
- Value grade B-
- 24
The University of Findlay
Findlay, OH · Private nonprofit#53 in Ohio
- Bachelor’s program in criminal justice or criminology
- Value grade B-
- 25
Youngstown State University
Youngstown, OH · PublicTop 25% for low net price
- Bachelor’s program in criminal justice or criminology
- Value grade B
Compare cost and outcomes
| School | Net price a year | Median debt | Earnings 10 years out | Graduation rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ohio State University | $17,339 | $19,976 | $60,409 | 88% |
| University of Dayton | $29,533 | $23,250 | $75,537 | 80% |
| Miami University-Oxford | $28,384 | $23,000 | $55,076 | 80% |
| Cedarville University | $24,468 | $20,937 | $55,443 | 73% |
| Franciscan University of Steubenville | $23,589 | $23,384 | $50,030 | 75% |
| Ohio Northern University | $24,478 | $27,000 | $80,928 | 75% |
| University of Cincinnati | $25,648 | $21,250 | $54,810 | 75% |
| Otterbein University | $19,237 | $26,000 | $53,313 | 68% |
| Xavier University | $32,997 | $23,250 | $64,873 | 69% |
| Ohio University | $21,637 | $21,056 | $52,581 | 65% |
| Baldwin Wallace University | $27,603 | $27,000 | $54,122 | 67% |
| Mount Vernon Nazarene University | $22,421 | $25,000 | $49,555 | 68% |
| University of Toledo | $17,249 | $22,250 | $50,632 | 57% |
| Mount St. Joseph University | $16,530 | $26,827 | $51,509 | 56% |
| Walsh University | $20,493 | $27,000 | $59,764 | 59% |
| Bowling Green State University | $24,022 | $25,000 | $47,896 | 64% |
| Ashland University | $21,988 | $25,000 | $52,928 | 61% |
| Kent State University at Kent | $20,787 | $24,500 | $45,388 | 64% |
| Capital University | $22,576 | $26,889 | $54,143 | 60% |
| Shawnee State University | $14,381 | $23,000 | $39,596 | 48% |
| University of Mount Union | $23,280 | $27,000 | $53,217 | 59% |
| University of Akron Main Campus | $13,946 | $23,250 | $46,600 | 52% |
| Wilberforce University | $5,567 | $26,468 | $38,298 | 12% |
| The University of Findlay | $27,221 | $25,439 | $56,996 | 58% |
| Youngstown State University | $12,767 | $24,000 | $41,544 | 50% |
Net price is the average yearly cost after grants. Federal data (College Scorecard). “—” means the school reports no figure.
This list in other states
- Alabama 20
- Arizona 9
- Arkansas 17
- California 40
- Colorado 11
- Connecticut 14
- Delaware 4
- District of Columbia 6
- Florida 38
- Georgia 39
- Hawaii 3
- Idaho 5
- Illinois 36
- Indiana 33
- Iowa 19
- Kansas 21
- Kentucky 17
- Louisiana 17
- Maine 7
- Maryland 13
- Massachusetts 31
- Michigan 22
- Minnesota 22
- Mississippi 12
- Missouri 33
- Montana 3
- Nebraska 14
- Nevada 3
- New Hampshire 10
- New Jersey 20
- New Mexico 8
- New York 52
- North Carolina 39
- North Dakota 6
- Oklahoma 17
- Oregon 7
- Pennsylvania 82
- Puerto Rico 22
- Rhode Island 8
- South Carolina 21
- South Dakota 7
- Tennessee 29
- Texas 60
- Utah 8
- Vermont 4
- Virginia 25
- Washington 14
- West Virginia 14
- Wisconsin 22