Criminal Justice · Illinois

Criminal Justice colleges in Illinois

CampusPin lists 106 U.S. colleges in Illinois that offer Criminal Justice programs. Compare tuition, acceptance rate, and enrollment in the table below, every figure links back to the institution's official IPEDS data.

Criminal Justice studies the institutions and practices of policing, courts, and corrections, preparing graduates for law enforcement, probation, corrections, and law school.

Schools in Illinois that offer Criminal Justice

Criminal Justice programs in Illinois: by the numbers

A quick comparison of the 50 schools (of 106 total) listed above, drawn from each institution's published IPEDS data.

Schools listed

106

Public / private

27 / 23

Universities / 2-year

24 / 26

Cities represented

34

In-state tuition range

$3,180–$51,763

Median in-state tuition

$12,010

Lowest published in-state tuition

Elgin Community College

$3,180

Most selective

Chicago State University

41% acceptance

Largest by enrollment

DeVry University-Illinois

29,175 students

Figures reflect the schools currently listed and each institution's most recent reported data. Verify current tuition and admissions details with the school before applying.

What you'll study in a Criminal Justice program

  • Introduction to the criminal justice system
  • Criminology theory
  • Policing and police administration
  • Criminal law and procedure
  • Corrections and rehabilitation
  • Juvenile justice
  • Forensic methods (depending on track)
  • Research methods and statistics

Where a Criminal Justice degree can lead

  • Police Officer / Detective
  • Federal Agent (FBI, DEA, ATF, USMS, ICE)
  • Probation / Parole Officer
  • Corrections Officer
  • Forensic Analyst
  • Lawyer (with JD)

Typical pay: $45,000–$72,000 early-career (BLS, 2024 police and sheriff's patrol officers median $76,290)

A Criminal Justice major covers the structure of policing, courts, and corrections; criminology theory; criminal law and procedure; victimology; juvenile justice; and corrections. Programs often offer concentrations in Law Enforcement, Forensic Science, Cybercrime, Homeland Security, or Pre-Law. Many include an internship with a local police department, sheriff's office, court, prosecutor, or correctional facility.

Graduates work in federal, state, and local law enforcement, corrections, probation/parole, private security, victim advocacy, and corporate compliance. The major is also a common pre-law track.

Criminal Justice in other states

Other majors in Illinois

Find more Criminal Justice schools

Use CampusPin's filter-first search to narrow 106+ Criminal Justice programs in Illinois by tuition, school size, acceptance rate, and campus setting.

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