Best Criminal Justice Schools In North Dakota

Several schools in North Dakota offer criminal justice programs that can help you launch or advance your career with an associate's, bachelor's, or master's degree. Criminal justice specialties that you can study in North Dakota include law enforcement, cybersecurity, and criminal investigations. Several schools, including Bismarck State College and Lake Region State College, offer criminal justice degree programs online. Continue reading to learn more about the criminal justice programs available in North Dakota.

Quick Facts

There are 9 schools offering criminal justice degrees in North Dakota (see below).¹
4 colleges and universities offer associate's degrees in criminal justice.*¹
6 colleges and universities offer bachelor's degrees in criminal justice.*¹
3 colleges and universities offer master's or doctoral degrees in criminal justice.*¹
3 colleges and universities offer criminal justice degree programs online.*¹
No schools ranked in Kiplinger's Best Values in Public Colleges in 2018.²
1 school ranked in College Factual's Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Colleges in 2018.³
1 school ranked in Criminal Justice Degree Schools Best Online Bachelor's Programs in 2018.
No schools ranked in US News Best Online Graduate Criminal Justice Programs in 2018.⁴

*For not-for-profit colleges and universities with criminal justice degree programs.

Criminal Justice Degree Programs in North Dakota

North Dakota's criminal justice degree options include traditional college, university, or technical schools in cities like Bismarck, Fargo, and Grand Forks as well as the convenience of online programs from various colleges and universities. Tuition in North Dakota is comparatively affordable, and options like paralegal certification programs offer a cost-effective fast-track to a promising legal career without attending law school. No matter which criminal justice career you are pursuing, a degree can be valuable by making you more competitive for open positions – even those in which a degree is not a strict requirement. A criminal justice degree can also help you qualify for higher starting salaries and offer increased opportunities for promotion.

Featured Online Programs

Explore program formats, transfer requirements, financial aid packages, and more by contacting the schools below.

Top-Ranked Schools with Criminal Justice Programs in North Dakota

College Factual's Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Colleges

University of North Dakota (#137)

Criminal Justice Degree Schools Best Online Bachelor's Programs

University of Mary

Profiles of Well-Known Schools in North Dakota

University of North Dakota: The Department of Criminal Justice at the University of North Dakota offers both a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice and a partnership graduate program with Minot State University that leads to a PhD in Criminal Justice. The undergraduate program draws faculty from the departments of Philosophy, Psychology, Political Science, and Sociology. The College of Arts and Sciences, under which the criminal justice program falls, also has a specialized Forensic Science Program with two different tracks, Evidence Technician or Evidence Analysis. Common graduate level courses include Human Nature and Crime, Theories of Punishment, and Seminar in Juvenile Justice.

North Dakota State University: North Dakota State University has the Department of Criminal Justice and Political Science where students can pursue a Bachelors in Criminal Justice, a Master of Science in Criminal Justice Administration, and a PhD in Criminal Justice. The faculty are world-renowned experts and researchers in the areas of corrections, community policing, criminology theory, and juvenile delinquency. For students who wish to network and research alongside peers, there is the Criminal Justice Club that meets every other week. Criminal Justice doctoral students can customize their degree plans to specialize in Criminology, Corrections, or Policing.

Notable Alumni from North Dakota Universities

Cass County North Dakota Sheriff Paul D. Laney – University of Mary
West Fargo, ND Police Chief Arland H. Rasmussen – North Dakota State University
Dickinson, ND Police Chief Dustin Dassingerr – Lake Region State College

Police Quote:
Sheriff Gary Raney
Source

North Dakota Criminal Justice Careers

Numerous criminal justice jobs in North Dakota offer an exciting work environment and competitive pay and benefits. The average annual salary for police officers in North Dakota is $51,610 while police first-line supervisors earn an average of $69,710.^6,8 If you become a correctional officer the average salary in North Dakota is $39,530.⁵ Detectives and criminal investigators in the state earn an average of $77,870.⁷ Paralegals working at law firms and other settings earn an average wage of $43,740 while court reporters make an average wage of $49,510 in the state.^9,10

Job positions frequently become available for those with the right training within the North Dakota Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Applicants for positions ranging from correctional case manager to correctional officer up to grades of Lieutenant or Captain may substitute years of college for the experience requirement. A bachelor's degree in criminal or juvenile justice or a related field is required of candidates for the position of juvenile corrections technician. Benefits include paid family health coverage in addition to competitive wages for these careers.

North Dakota Criminal Justice Salary and Jobs

Occupation	Number Employed	Average Annual Salary
Correctional Officers and Jailers	920	$39,530
First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives	190	$69,710
Detectives and Criminal Investigators	290	$77,870
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers	1,280	$51,610

Data from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics as of May 2015.^5,6,7,8

North Dakota's Criminal Justice Employment Outlook

As of May 2016, North Dakota had an unemployment rate of 3.2%, well below the national average of 4.7%.¹¹ Government-related employment is a good proxy for North Dakota's criminal justice jobs. Projections Central includes these criminal justice job projections for North Dakota through 2024:

Police and Sheriff Patrol: 60 annual openings; 46% in these positions report completing at least some college, with 24% holding an associate's degree.^12,13
Correctional Officers: 40 annual openings; 37% in these positions report completing at least some college, with 15% holding a post-secondary certificate.^12,14
Detectives and Criminal Investigators: 10 annual openings; 37% in these positions report completing at least some college, with 21% holding an associate's degree.^12,15
Security Guards: 40 annual openings; 4% in these positions report completing at least some college.^12,16
Paralegals and Legal Assistants: 10 annual openings; 86% in these positions report completing at least some college, with 30% holding an associate's degree and 44% holding a bachelor's degree.^12,17

Open position estimates are based on jobs growth and replacements.

The Mercatus Center is a conservative think tank that analyzed and rated the long-term solvency of each state government. After looking at budgeting, cash/tax collection, and pensions, North Dakota was ranked 4th in the nation.¹⁸ This means that new hires can be relatively confident about the state's ability to fulfill employee pension obligations.

north dakota Criminal Justice Employment Outlook

Directory of Not-for-Profit North Dakota Universities Offering Campus-based and Online Criminal Justice Degrees

If you are interested in earning a North Dakota criminal justice degree, you should look for an accredited campus-based or online criminal justice program for your associate's, bachelor's, and master's degrees in the growing field of criminal justice.

Tip: If you don't live near a campus-based school that offers a program of interest, consider an online degree or a university in an adjacent state (Minnesota, South Dakota, or Montana).

Schools with Online and On-Campus Criminal Justice Programs

Bismarck State College (Bismarck)Associate of Arts | Criminal Justice (online or on-campus)Associate of Applied Science | Criminal Justice (online or on-campus)Associate of Applied Science | Cybersecurity and Computer Networks (online or on-campus)

Lake Region State College (Devils Lake)Associate of Applied Science | Law Enforcement (online or on-campus)Certificate | Peace Officer Training

University of Mary (Bismarck)Bachelor Degree | Criminal Justice (online or on-campus)Minor | Criminal Justice

Schools with On-Campus Criminal Justice Programs Only

Note: Student Reviews are based on the experiences of a few individuals and it is unlikely that you will have similar results. Please review the "Data, Student Reviews and Other Information" section in our Terms of Use and Disclaimers.

Student Review: "The North Dakota State University (NDSU) Criminal Justice Program is a great academic program for students like myself who want to go into law or the research side of criminal justice. The curriculum focuses heavily on theoretical perspectives and case studies. While my coursework included numerous reading and writing assignments, I felt that I have gained more knowledge into the world of Criminal Justice here than I would have anywhere else. All the faculty have PhDs and expertise in the different fields related to criminal justice. This provides a unique opportunity for me and other students to see and hear firsthand on how the criminal justice system works here in the United States and around the world. Thanks to the faculty, who supported me through the program, I now have a new perspective on criminal justice and to why people do what they do. I would recommend this program to anyone."

— Student at North Dakota State University

Sitting Bull College (Fort Yates)Associate of Science | Criminal Justice

Turtle Mountain Community College (Belcourt)Associate of Arts | Criminal Justice

University of Jamestown (formerly Jamestown College) (Jamestown)Bachelor of Arts | Criminal JusticeMinor | Criminal Justice

University of North Dakota (Grand Forks)Bachelor of Science | Criminal JusticePhD | Criminal JusticeJuris Doctor/ PhD | Criminal Justice

Student Review: "I really enjoyed my 4.5 years at UND. It is a nice campus, generally nice staff and students (mostly midwestern, although the Aviation program draws from all over the country and world). College hockey is the big sport on campus, and Ralph Engelstad Arena is one of the best venues to watch a hockey game, college or professional. The wellness center at UND was new in 2006, and is a popular place for students, particularly in the cold winter months (which is about 2/3 of the school year in Grand Forks). I spent my first year in the dorms (McVey Hall), and that made adjusting to college life very simple. The dorm food was good, had healthy options, and very convenient hours. As with any state university, there is a variety of ways to get involved at UND with clubs and organizations. They also do "Nightlife" every Friday and Saturday night, which is an event put on that gives students a free, fun way to spend weekend nights without partying and getting drunk. It usually consists of free food, activities, and performances (comedian, hypnotist, etc). Overall, I would recommend UND as a top choice for any potential student, if they have your major of choice, which they probably will in most cases."

— Brent L., student at University of North Dakota

Student Review: "The criminal justice program at UND isn't very good, to be frank. The facilities are located in a part of campus that isn't as nice as the other buildings. There also aren't many resources available to aid in learning advancements. The local law enforcement never came by and didn't interact with the students in any capacity, so we never got an exposure to local law enforcement agencies. Many of my peers didn't like taking these classes and neither did I. However, the criminal justice department at UND did excel in terms of comprehensive coursework; we wrote many essays and did lots of research about criminal justice and crime trends throughout the state of North Dakota. The online courses were also lacking a little bit, but they could certainly be worse."

— Student at University of North Dakota

Valley City State University (Valley City)Bachelor of Arts | Human Services, Criminal Justice ConcentrationBachelor of Science | Human Services, Criminal Justice Concentration

References:1. National Center for Education Statistics: https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/2. Kiplinger's Best Values in Public Colleges: https://www.kiplinger.com/tool/college/T014-S001-kiplinger-s-best-values-in-public-colleges/index.php3. College Factual Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Colleges: https://www.collegefactual.com/majors/protective-security-safety-services/criminal-justice-and-corrections/rankings/top-ranked/4. US News Best Online Graduate Criminal Justice Programs: https://www.usnews.com/education/online-education/criminal-justice/rankings5. US Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2015 Occupational Employment and Wages, Correctional Officers and Jailers https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes333012.htm6. US Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2015 Occupational Employment and Wages, First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives: https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes331012.htm7. US Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2015 Occupational Employment and Wages, Detectives and Criminal Investigators: https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes333021.htm8. US Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2015 Occupational Employment and Wages, Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers: https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes333051.htm9. US Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2015 Occupational Employment and Wages, Paralegals and Legal Assistants: https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes232011.htm10. US Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2015 Occupational Employment and Wages, Court Reporters: https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes232091.htm11. Y Charts 10 Year Unemployment Chart: https://https://ycharts.com/indicators/north_dakota_unemployment_rate12. Projections Central Long Term Occupational Projections: https://www.projectionscentral.com/Projections/LongTerm13. O*Net OnLine, Police Patrol Officers: https://www.onetonline.org/link/details/33-3051.0114. O*Net OnLine, Correctional Officers and Jailers: https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/33-3012.0015 O*Net OnLine, Police Detectives: https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/33-3021.0116. O*Net OnLine, Security Guards: https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/33-9032.0017. O*Net OnLine, Paralegals and Legal Assistants: https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/23-2011.0018. Mercatus Center, George Mason University, Ranking the States by Fiscal Condition 2016 Edition: https://www.mercatus.org/statefiscalrankings

North Dakota Criminal Justice Schools