A degree in criminal justice prepares you for a career in government, law, or at a nonprofit. The 25 Cheapest Online Master's in Criminal Justice brings together programs that can open some of these doors to the next step in your career!
Do you enjoy mysteries? Real crime television shows? If you enjoy unraveling a puzzle or wish you could be like someone on Criminal Minds, a career in criminal justice might be right for you. A degree in criminal justice can open doors to many jobs with titles such as a forensic psychologist, criminal profiler, emergency management director, or a detective. In fact, the job market for police and detectives is expected to grow by seven percent by 2026, while the average reported salary in 2018 was $63,380, according to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics.
A Master's Degree in Criminal Justice adds even more expertise while ensuring one has the experience and education necessary to advance into management and administrative roles. However, an online program offers the flexibility to do this while still working full-time. In fact, many of these programs are designed specifically for those who are already in the field but want to grow.
When looking at graduate degree options, it is important to consider the time to completion, as some programs can take as short as one year to as long as two for students going full-time. Another important factor to consider is concentrations available. Concentrations are a way for a student to specialize their degree, and options can include Emergency Management and Homeland Security, Victim and Offender Services, and Criminal Justice Theory.
Selection Criteria
Best Value Schools publishes college degree rankings with the belief of how one's higher education should be, both, affordable and an investment of continued value for the students who pursue them. The staff of BVS collects data from reputable sources in order to calculate Net Price and the short and long-term value of every ranked degree. Collected data is simplified into weighted categories before scoring and then scaled through a BVS Score up to 100. The weighted categories are:
Degree Investment Return (25%
Student & Alumni Evaluation (25%)
Cost Value (25%)
Matriculation (10%)
Academic Success (15%)
No matter what degree you decide on, we hope our research and support has made the selection process easier. There are numerous resources BVS utilizes to collect information on degrees, and we encourage you tocheck them out for yourself!
Here are the 25 Cheapest Online Master's in Criminal Justice!
Featured Online Programs
Figuring out where to apply? These top, accredited schools offer a variety of online degrees. Consider one of these accredited programs, and discover their value today.


