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CIP 45.0401 Social Sciences

Criminology

IPEDS Completions, US Department of Education · 2025

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Total graduates

10,572

2025 · 226 schools

International share

1.8%

188 international students

Bachelor's degrees

9,590

1.2% international

Master's degrees

727

8.7% international

Overview

Criminology is the scientific study of crime, its causes, consequences, and social responses. This interdisciplinary field combines elements from sociology, psychology, law, and forensic science to analyze criminal behavior and the justice system. Students of criminology explore various theories of crime, including biological, psychological, and sociological perspectives, to understand why individuals commit crimes and how societal factors influence criminal activity.

The curriculum often covers topics such as the nature of crime, the role of law enforcement, criminal justice policies, and the rehabilitation of offenders. Additionally, criminology programs delve into specific areas like juvenile delinquency, cybercrime, organized crime, and victimology, providing students with a comprehensive understanding of the complexities surrounding crime and justice.

Careers in criminology are diverse and can include roles in law enforcement, corrections, social work, and legal services. Graduates may find positions as crime analysts, probation officers, forensic psychologists, or policy advisors, among others. Furthermore, criminology plays a critical role in shaping public policy and improving community safety by informing strategies to prevent crime and rehabilitate offenders.

As crime continues to evolve with advancements in technology and changes in societal norms, the field of criminology remains vital for understanding and addressing contemporary issues in crime and criminal justice. Overall, criminology is a dynamic and impactful discipline that contributes significantly to the promotion of social justice and public safety.

Graduates by year

Graduates by degree level (first and second majors)

AssociateBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral

From 2002 to 2025, graduates grew 179% and the international share went from 0.5% to 1.8%.

International share (%)
Graduates by group, 2025
White
52.3%
Asian
3.8%
Hispanic
24.8%
Black
10.3%
Other
7.0%
Intl.
1.8%

Colleges that award this degree

In 2025, 226 schools awarded this degree as a first major. The table lists those in the 2027 U.S. News National or Liberal Arts rankings, plus the unranked schools with the most graduates.

RankSchoolStateGraduatesInternational
#7 University of Pennsylvania Pennsylvania 34 2
#34 University of California-Irvine California 380 14
#34 University of Florida Florida 184 3
#42 Villanova University Pennsylvania 25 0
#44 Ohio State University-Main Campus Ohio 142 2
#49 University of Maryland-College Park Maryland 361 39
#55 University of Miami Florida 45 2
#55 The Pennsylvania State University Pennsylvania 5 1
#59 George Washington University D.C. 6 0
#59 University of Minnesota-Twin Cities Minnesota 114 3
#73 North Carolina State University at Raleigh North Carolina 80 0
#80 Drexel University Pennsylvania 25 1
#80 Clemson University South Carolina 126 0
#85 University of Delaware Delaware 139 0
#85 University at Buffalo New York 116 2
#90 Gonzaga University Washington 36 1
#90 Marquette University Wisconsin 58 1
#100 University of South Florida-Main Campus Florida 425 8
#100 University of Iowa Iowa 77 0
#109 University of New Hampshire-Main Campus New Hampshire 10 0
#121 Arizona State University-Tempe Arizona 13 2
#121 University of Denver Colorado 21 0
#121 University of South Carolina-Columbia South Carolina 3 0
#121 The University of Texas at Dallas Texas 92 4
#137 San Diego State University California 15 0
#137 San Jose State University California 7 0
#137 St John's University (NY) New York 7 0
#137 Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia Pennsylvania 42 0
#148 Catholic University of America D.C. 12 0
#148 Mercer University Georgia 11 0
#148 University of Rhode Island Rhode Island 140 0
#156 The University of Alabama Alabama 339 1
#156 Kansas State University Kansas 10 0
#156 University of St Thomas (MN) Minnesota 19 0
#169 DePaul University Illinois 69 0
#169 Butler University Indiana 13 0
#179 University of Utah Utah 162 2
#186 California Lutheran University California 35 0
#186 Texas Tech University Texas 44 0
#191 Hofstra University New York 34 0
#191 Washington State University Washington 143 3
#202 East Carolina University North Carolina 196 0
#202 University of St. Thomas (TX) Texas 12 0
#208 California State University--Fresno California 304 3
#208 University of La Verne California 52 0
#208 University of Idaho Idaho 46 0
#208 Mississippi State University Mississippi 59 0
#219 University of North Carolina--Wilmington North Carolina 118 0
#227 University of Michigan-Dearborn Michigan 50 2
#227 West Virginia University West Virginia 133 0
#236 Pacific University Oregon 9 0
#236 Chatham University Pennsylvania 7 0
#236 Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania Pennsylvania 44 1
#250 University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth Massachusetts 59 0
#250 University of Missouri--Kansas City Missouri 50 1
#250 South Dakota State University South Dakota 15 0
#262 University of New England Maine 1 0
#276 Northern Arizona University Arizona 214 2
#276 Regis University Colorado 24 0
#276 University of Missouri--St. Louis Missouri 65 2
#276 Bowling Green State University-Main Campus Ohio 31 1
#288 University of Hartford Connecticut 17 0
#288 Southern Illinois University-Carbondale Illinois 93 4
#288 Arcadia University Pennsylvania 22 0
#288 Utah State University Utah 64 0
#308 Northern Illinois University Illinois 28 0
#308 Maryville University of Saint Louis Missouri 15 3
#308 Wilkes University Pennsylvania 14 0
#317 Indiana University of Pennsylvania-Main Campus Pennsylvania 131 1
#328 Georgia Southern University Georgia 221 4
#328 Old Dominion University Virginia 152 1
#332 Texas A&M University--Kingsville Texas 24 0
#332 University of Lynchburg Virginia 28 0
#342 Missouri State University Missouri 115 1
#342 Cleveland State University Ohio 52 2
#353 Arkansas State University Arkansas 50 1
#353 University of West Georgia Georgia 94 1
#353 University of Houston--Clear Lake Texas 56 0
#353 Pennsylvania Western University Pennsylvania 9 0
#365 University of Central Arkansas Arkansas 32 0
#365 Indiana State University Indiana 80 1
#365 The University of Montana Montana 18 0
#365 Eastern Washington University Washington 60 0
#376 Barry University Florida 15 0
#382 Concordia University-Chicago Illinois 9 0
#382 National Louis University Illinois 40 0
#382 University of Southern Maine Maine 25 0
#382 Wright State University-Main Campus Ohio 23 0
#382 East Texas A&M University Texas 17 0
#382 Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico--Arecibo Puerto Rico 8 0
#382 Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico-Ponce Puerto Rico 32 0
LAC #72 Saint Anselm College New Hampshire 34 0
LAC #85 Stonehill College Massachusetts 41 0
LAC #85 Randolph-Macon College Virginia 9 0
LAC #100 Lycoming College Pennsylvania 26 1
LAC #106 Pacific Lutheran University Washington 12 0
LAC #111 Saint Vincent College Pennsylvania 21 0
LAC #116 Saint Michael's College Vermont 8 1
LAC #125 Emmanuel College Massachusetts 15 0
LAC #142 Eastern Connecticut State University Connecticut 48 0
LAC #154 SUNY Old Westbury New York 52 1
LAC #160 Albright College Pennsylvania 13 0
LAC #168 Cottey College Missouri 5 0
LAC #170 Western Oregon University Oregon 4 0
LAC #184 Fort Lewis College Colorado 20 0
— CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice New York 224 11
— California State University-San Marcos California 202 0
— The University of Tampa Florida 182 4
— Texas A&M University-San Antonio Texas 121 0
— Central Connecticut State University Connecticut 105 2
— Lasell University Massachusetts 78 0
— California State Polytechnic University-Pomona California 77 0
— Western Kentucky University Kentucky 74 0
— Connecticut State Community College Connecticut 68 0
— Loyola University New Orleans Louisiana 63 0
— Central New Mexico Community College New Mexico 60 0
— Niagara University New York 58 4
— State University of New York at Cortland New York 54 0
— Eastern Michigan University Michigan 52 2
— University of Minnesota-Duluth Minnesota 51 0
— Framingham State University Massachusetts 41 1
— University of Florida-Online Florida 40 0
— Upper Iowa University Iowa 39 0
— University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Wisconsin 35 0
— Flagler College Florida 34 1
— University of Northern Iowa Iowa 33 0
— St. Mary's University Texas 33 1
— California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt California 31 0
— Colorado State University Pueblo Colorado 30 0
— Hamline University Minnesota 30 0
— Lander University South Carolina 30 0
— Virginia Union University Virginia 30 0
— The University of Texas Permian Basin Texas 29 1
— Delaware State University Delaware 28 1
— Ana G. Mendez University Florida 27 0

Purple: international students are 25% or more of the school's graduates.

Related jobs and pay

OccupationUS employmentMean hourly wageMean annual wage
Managers, All Other 622,190 $73.99 $153,890
Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All Other 73,910 $31.86 $66,280
Psychologists, All Other 18,820 $53.47 $111,210
Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Teachers, Postsecondary 13,150 — $87,550
Sociologists 2,260 $55.25 $114,920

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025.

Graduate counts: IPEDS Completions, US Department of Education, 2002–2025. Rankings: 2027 U.S. News.