Best colleges for criminal justice in Virginia
Colleges that offer a bachelor’s in criminal justice or criminology, ranked by Compass Score.
Best colleges for criminal justice in Virginia25 schools
25 schools qualify, ranked by the Compass Score.
How this list is made
- Schools in Virginia.
- 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
George Mason University
Fairfax, VA · PublicTop 10% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in criminal justice or criminology
- Value grade A · Top 6%
- 2
Roanoke College
Salem, VA · Private nonprofitTop 25% for graduation
- Bachelor’s program in criminal justice or criminology
- Value grade B-
- 3
Regent University
Virginia Beach, VA · Private nonprofitVery good: Compass grade B+
- Bachelor’s program in criminal justice or criminology
- Value grade B-
- 4
Randolph-Macon College
Ashland, VA · Private nonprofitTop 20% for graduation
- Bachelor’s program in criminal justice or criminology
- Value grade C+
- 5
University of Virginia's College at Wise
Wise, VA · PublicTop 13% for low net price
- Bachelor’s program in criminal justice or criminology
- Value grade A- · Top 17%
- 6
Virginia Commonwealth University
Richmond, VA · PublicGood: Compass grade B
- Bachelor’s program in criminal justice or criminology
- Value grade B · Top 49%
- 7Tie
Shenandoah University
Winchester, VA · Private nonprofitGood: Compass grade B
- Bachelor’s program in criminal justice or criminology
- Value grade C+
- 7Tie
University of Lynchburg
Lynchburg, VA · Private nonprofitGood: Compass grade B
- Bachelor’s program in criminal justice or criminology
- Value grade B-
- 9
Longwood University
Farmville, VA · PublicGood: Compass grade B
- Bachelor’s program in criminal justice or criminology
- Value grade B
- 10
Liberty University
Lynchburg, VA · Private nonprofitGood: Compass grade B
- Bachelor’s program in criminal justice or criminology
- Value grade C+
- 11
Hampton University
Hampton, VA · Private nonprofitGood: Compass grade B
- Bachelor’s program in criminal justice or criminology
- Value grade B-
- 12
Old Dominion University
Norfolk, VA · PublicGood: Compass grade B
- Bachelor’s program in criminal justice or criminology
- Value grade B+ · Top 31%
- 13
South University-Virginia Beach
Virginia Beach, VA · Private for-profitGood: Compass grade B-
- Bachelor’s program in criminal justice or criminology
- Value grade C+
- 14
Averett University
Danville, VA · Private nonprofitGood: Compass grade B-
- Bachelor’s program in criminal justice or criminology
- Value grade B-
- 15
Radford University
Radford, VA · PublicGood: Compass grade B-
- Bachelor’s program in criminal justice or criminology
- Value grade B+ · Top 33%
- 16
Marymount University
Arlington, VA · Private nonprofitTop 17% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in criminal justice or criminology
- Value grade B-
- 17
Mary Baldwin University
Staunton, VA · Private nonprofitTop 24% for low net price
- Bachelor’s program in criminal justice or criminology
- Value grade B
- 18
Virginia Wesleyan University
Virginia Beach, VA · Private nonprofit#42 in Virginia
- Bachelor’s program in criminal justice or criminology
- Value grade B-
- 19
South University-Richmond
Glen Allen, VA · Private for-profit#43 in Virginia
- Bachelor’s program in criminal justice or criminology
- Value grade C+
- 20
Bluefield University
Bluefield, VA · Private nonprofit#44 in Virginia
- Bachelor’s program in criminal justice or criminology
- Value grade B-
- 21
ECPI University
Virginia Beach, VA · Private for-profit#46 in Virginia
- Bachelor’s program in criminal justice or criminology
- Value grade B-
- 22
Virginia State University
Petersburg, VA · Public#47 in Virginia
- Bachelor’s program in criminal justice or criminology
- Value grade B-
- 23
Ferrum College
Ferrum, VA · Private nonprofit#48 in Virginia
- Bachelor’s program in criminal justice or criminology
- Value grade C+
- 24
Strayer University-Virginia
Arlington, VA · Private for-profit#49 in Virginia
- Bachelor’s program in criminal justice or criminology
- Value grade C+
- 25
Virginia Union University
Richmond, VA · Private nonprofit#51 in Virginia
- 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| George Mason University | About $18,000 | $19,500 | $76,343 | 68% |
| Roanoke College | About $25,000 | $27,000 | $58,047 | 67% |
| Regent University | About $20,000 | $24,534 | $44,498 | 57% |
| Randolph-Macon College | About $28,000 | $27,000 | $58,448 | 70% |
| University of Virginia's College at Wise | About $9,000 | $16,750 | $45,325 | 47% |
| Virginia Commonwealth University | About $23,000 | $21,500 | $58,128 | 63% |
| Shenandoah University | About $30,000 | $25,000 | $58,433 | 67% |
| University of Lynchburg | About $22,000 | $27,000 | $56,380 | 57% |
| Longwood University | About $19,000 | $25,000 | $52,347 | 61% |
| Liberty University | About $29,000 | $24,500 | $44,813 | 65% |
| Hampton University | About $25,000 | $25,442 | $59,159 | 57% |
| Old Dominion University | About $15,000 | $24,000 | $54,914 | 46% |
| South University-Virginia Beach | About $28,000 | $26,123 | $34,421 | 8% |
| Averett University | About $23,000 | $25,000 | $51,516 | 48% |
| Radford University | About $15,000 | $24,000 | $53,739 | 49% |
| Marymount University | About $29,000 | $25,000 | $67,516 | 54% |
| Mary Baldwin University | About $13,000 | $26,586 | $44,427 | 39% |
| Virginia Wesleyan University | About $20,000 | $27,000 | $50,074 | 42% |
| South University-Richmond | About $30,000 | $26,123 | $34,421 | 42% |
| Bluefield University | About $26,000 | $21,855 | $48,896 | 18% |
| ECPI University | About $23,000 | $20,000 | $42,837 | 42% |
| Virginia State University | About $16,000 | $26,500 | $45,543 | 39% |
| Ferrum College | About $20,000 | $27,000 | $44,296 | 32% |
| Strayer University-Virginia | About $20,000 | $40,621 | $40,092 | 36% |
| Virginia Union University | About $13,000 | $29,000 | $38,275 | 34% |
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
- Ohio 57
- 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
- Washington 14
- West Virginia 14
- Wisconsin 22