Top 50 Universities for Criminal Justice in the World (2026)
Exploring Criminal Justice programs worldwide? This page highlights 50 universities. Compare rankings, tuition fees, and admission rates to find the right match. These institutions are recognized for strong performance in Criminal Justice education and research.
How to use filters?
Select degree → Department → subject → continent → State → country → city. Each step unlocks the next option. Your selections are remembered for easier browsing.
Degree Level
Bachelor, Master, PhD
Subject Area
Science, Business, Arts
Location
Worldwide destinations
1
Toronto, Canada
North America
Founded:
Subject: Criminal Justice
Rankings
14 World
12 North America
1
Canada
1 Toronto
University Information
Acceptance
54%*
Publications
489594
Citations
19738928
2
Philadelphia, United States
North America
Founded:
Subject: Criminal Justice
Rankings
16 World
13 North America
12
United States
1 Philadelphia
University Information
Acceptance
6%
Publications
362411
Citations
18224304
3
Minneapolis, United States
North America
Founded:
Subject: Criminal Justice
Rankings
18 World
15 North America
14
United States
1 Minneapolis
University Information
Acceptance
77%
Publications
315563
Citations
13918850
4
University Park, United States
North America
Founded:
Subject: Criminal Justice
Rankings
20 World
17 North America
16
United States
2 University Park
University Information
Acceptance
54%
Publications
302810
Citations
11063041
5
Columbus, United States
North America
Founded:
Subject: Criminal Justice
Rankings
23 World
19 North America
18
United States
1 Columbus
University Information
Acceptance
51%
Publications
332689
Citations
10489118
6
Los Angeles, United States
North America
Founded:
Subject: Criminal Justice
Rankings
27 World
23 North America
22
United States
5 Los Angeles
University Information
Acceptance
10%
Publications
250052
Citations
10201550
7
Gainesville, United States
North America
Founded:
Subject: Criminal Justice
Rankings
28 World
24 North America
23
United States
1 Gainesville
University Information
Acceptance
24%
Publications
316038
Citations
9913526
8
New Brunswick, United States
North America
Founded:
Subject: Criminal Justice
Rankings
35 World
31 North America
29
United States
2 New Brunswick
University Information
Acceptance
65%
Publications
228591
Citations
8508220
9
College Park, United States
North America
Founded:
Subject: Criminal Justice
Rankings
37 World
32 North America
30
United States
2 College Park
University Information
Acceptance
45%
Publications
214017
Citations
8987126
10
East Lansing, United States
North America
Founded:
Subject: Criminal Justice
Rankings
38 World
33 North America
31
United States
2 East Lansing
University Information
Acceptance
84%
Publications
212433
Citations
7681949
11
Pittsburgh, United States
North America
Founded:
Subject: Criminal Justice
Rankings
41 World
35 North America
33
United States
3 Pittsburgh
University Information
Acceptance
50%
Publications
270060
Citations
11530096
12
Tucson, United States
North America
Founded:
Subject: Criminal Justice
Rankings
43 World
37 North America
34
United States
1 Tucson
University Information
Acceptance
86%
Publications
231352
Citations
8679223
13
Boston, United States
North America
Founded:
Subject: Criminal Justice
Rankings
47 World
39 North America
36
United States
3 Boston
University Information
Acceptance
11%
Publications
182725
Citations
8540266
14
Charlottesville, United States
North America
Founded:
Subject: Criminal Justice
Rankings
53 World
43 North America
40
United States
1 Charlottesville
University Information
Acceptance
17%
Publications
178234
Citations
6550160
15
Salt Lake, United States
North America
Founded:
Subject: Criminal Justice
Rankings
54 World
44 North America
41
United States
1 Salt Lake
University Information
Acceptance
87%
Publications
195055
Citations
7256213
16
Irvine, United States
North America
Founded:
Subject: Criminal Justice
Rankings
59 World
45 North America
42
United States
8 Irvine
University Information
Acceptance
26%
Publications
167813
Citations
7111638
17
Tempe, United States
North America
Founded:
Subject: Criminal Justice
Rankings
61 World
46 North America
43
United States
2 Tempe
University Information
Acceptance
90%
Publications
165203
Citations
5999495
18
Raleigh, United States
North America
Founded:
Subject: Criminal Justice
Rankings
67 World
50 North America
46
United States
3 Raleigh
University Information
Acceptance
40%
Publications
162533
Citations
4892590
19
Iowa City, United States
North America
Founded:
Subject: Criminal Justice
Rankings
71 World
52 North America
48
United States
1 Iowa City
University Information
Acceptance
85%
Publications
174238
Citations
6672084
20
Athens, United States
North America
Founded:
Subject: Criminal Justice
Rankings
83 World
57 North America
53
United States
3 Athens
University Information
Acceptance
37%
Publications
126214
Citations
4929170
21
Utrecht, Netherlands
Europe
Founded:
Subject: Criminal Justice
Rankings
85 World
16 Europe
2
Netherlands
1 Utrecht
University Information
Acceptance
22%
Publications
173442
Citations
7221968
22
Hong Kong, China
Asia
Founded:
Subject: Criminal Justice
Rankings
86 World
6 Asia
3
China
1 Hong Kong
University Information
Acceptance
17%
Publications
224036
Citations
7771729
23
Ames, United States
North America
Founded:
Subject: Criminal Justice
Rankings
91 World
60 North America
56
United States
2 Ames
University Information
Acceptance
89%
Publications
180621
Citations
4539834
24
Lund, Sweden
Europe
Founded:
Subject: Criminal Justice
Rankings
93 World
19 Europe
1
Sweden
17 Lund
University Information
Acceptance
58%*
Publications
196693
Citations
7440145
25
Bristol, United Kingdom
Europe
Founded:
Subject: Criminal Justice
Rankings
101 World
24 Europe
10
United Kingdom
8 Bristol
University Information
Acceptance
63%
Publications
176546
Citations
6971180
26
Coral Gables, United States
North America
Founded:
Subject: Criminal Justice
Rankings
103 World
63 North America
59
United States
2 Coral Gables
University Information
Acceptance
19%
Publications
153024
Citations
5293162
27
Hamburg City, Germany
Europe
Founded:
Subject: Criminal Justice
Rankings
105 World
26 Europe
4
Germany
1 Hamburg City
University Information
Acceptance
36%*
Publications
178884
Citations
5028940
28
Chicago, United States
North America
Founded:
Subject: Criminal Justice
Rankings
107 World
64 North America
60
United States
4 Chicago
University Information
Acceptance
79%
Publications
168389
Citations
5519325
29
Tel Aviv, Israel
Asia
Founded:
Subject: Criminal Justice
Rankings
108 World
10 Asia
1
Israel
1 Tel Aviv
University Information
Acceptance
44%*
Publications
184686
Citations
6114904
30
Montreal, Canada
North America
Founded:
Subject: Criminal Justice
Rankings
111 World
67 North America
5
Canada
2 Montreal
University Information
Acceptance
41%
Publications
159376
Citations
5350712
31
Barcelona, Spain
Europe
Subject: Criminal Justice
Rankings
116 World
28 Europe
1
Spain
1 Barcelona
University Information
Acceptance
69%
Publications
157917
Citations
5070049
32
Washington, United States
North America
Founded:
Subject: Criminal Justice
Rankings
117 World
71 North America
65
United States
2 Washington
University Information
Acceptance
44%
Publications
103590
Citations
2976877
33
Bonn, Germany
Europe
Founded:
Subject: Criminal Justice
Rankings
135 World
39 Europe
6
Germany
1 Bonn
University Information
Acceptance
36%
Publications
129934
Citations
4156988
34
Tallahassee, United States
North America
Founded:
Subject: Criminal Justice
Rankings
138 World
79 North America
69
United States
3 Tallahassee
University Information
Acceptance
25%
Publications
99221
Citations
3440698
35
Pullman, United States
North America
Founded:
Subject: Criminal Justice
Rankings
141 World
81 North America
71
United States
2 Pullman
University Information
Acceptance
85%
Publications
94134
Citations
3221096
36
Tampa, United States
North America
Founded:
Subject: Criminal Justice
Rankings
143 World
83 North America
73
United States
4 Tampa
University Information
Acceptance
41%
Publications
109825
Citations
3159734
37
Buffalo, United States
North America
Founded:
Subject: Criminal Justice
Rankings
146 World
84 North America
74
United States
5 Buffalo
University Information
Acceptance
69%
Publications
126751
Citations
4018454
38
Leiden, Netherlands
Europe
Founded:
Subject: Criminal Justice
Rankings
154 World
48 Europe
6
Netherlands
1 Leiden
University Information
Acceptance
30%
Publications
112311
Citations
4339466
39
Jerusalem, Israel
Asia
Founded:
Subject: Criminal Justice
Rankings
159 World
15 Asia
2
Israel
1 Jerusalem
University Information
Acceptance
23%
Publications
129885
Citations
4785501
40
Auckland, New Zealand
Oceania
Founded:
Subject: Criminal Justice
Rankings
168 World
7 Oceania
1
New Zealand
1 Auckland
University Information
Acceptance
73%*
Publications
118202
Citations
4032916
41
Cincinnati, United States
North America
Founded:
Subject: Criminal Justice
Rankings
170 World
88 North America
78
United States
3 Cincinnati
University Information
Acceptance
88%
Publications
117295
Citations
3710850
42
Adelaide, Australia
Oceania
Founded:
Subject: Criminal Justice
Rankings
174 World
8 Oceania
7
Australia
1 Adelaide
University Information
Acceptance
73%*
Publications
125204
Citations
4207688
43
Philadelphia, United States
North America
Founded:
Subject: Criminal Justice
Rankings
176 World
91 North America
80
United States
5 Philadelphia
University Information
Acceptance
83%
Publications
90389
Citations
2809174
44
Gothenburg, Sweden
Europe
Founded:
Subject: Criminal Justice
Rankings
179 World
60 Europe
4
Sweden
1 Gothenburg
University Information
Acceptance
55%*
Publications
115521
Citations
4403041
45
Bloomington, United States
North America
Founded:
Subject: Criminal Justice
Rankings
180 World
92 North America
81
United States
3 Bloomington
University Information
Acceptance
80%
Publications
63713
Citations
1618705
46
Albuquerque, United States
North America
Founded:
Subject: Criminal Justice
Rankings
183 World
93 North America
82
United States
1 Albuquerque
University Information
Acceptance
95%
Publications
88773
Citations
3178027
47
Birmingham, United States
North America
Founded:
Subject: Criminal Justice
Rankings
192 World
96 North America
85
United States
1 Birmingham
University Information
Acceptance
88%
Publications
134940
Citations
5211360
48
Quebec City, Canada
North America
Founded:
Subject: Criminal Justice
Rankings
195 World
97 North America
12
Canada
3 Quebec City
University Information
Acceptance
49%*
Publications
118154
Citations
3362309
49
Columbia, United States
North America
Founded:
Subject: Criminal Justice
Rankings
199 World
100 North America
88
United States
1 Columbia
University Information
Acceptance
61%
Publications
90051
Citations
2943816
50
Newark, United States
North America
Founded:
Subject: Criminal Justice
Rankings
202 World
102 North America
90
United States
1 Newark
University Information
Acceptance
65%
Publications
85048
Citations
3002464