Make a difference in your community and society by earning one of our 10 best online bachelor’s in criminology degrees.
It takes a special person to dive deeply into societal structures and ask probing questions relating to how and why crime occurs. An online bachelor’s in criminology will provide you with the knowledge and tools necessary to understand why people break laws and create policies to minimize law-breaking in the future.
There are many subfields of study in criminology, including juvenile justice and homeland security, which means you’ll have the ability to focus your degree on the topics that interest you the most.
What Is an Online Bachelor’s in Criminology?
Online bachelor’s in criminology focus on the social factors that drive crime. Therefore, many criminology jobs are investigative and research-oriented in nature. This is why many of your classes will involve subjects in the criminal justice field, criminal law, and criminological theory.
Many people confuse a bachelor’s in criminology with a criminal justice program, but these are distinct degrees with distinct focuses. While a bachelor’s in criminology focuses on the underlying social factors that drive crime, a bachelor’s in criminal justice will focus on the justice system and the procedures in place for detecting, retaining, and reforming criminal activity.
How Much Can You Earn With an Online Bachelor’s in Criminology?
Individuals that earn a bachelor’s degree in criminology have many choices in careers, as the degree is versatile and can open doors to a wide array of jobs. One of the most popular jobs for people who have earned a criminology degree is a social and community service manager, who can expect to bring home around over $65,000 per year.
Other graduates become probation officers and correctional treatment specialists, or arbitrators. Probation officers will take home just over $53,000 annually, while an arbitrator will earn around $62,000 yearly.
What Is Required to Attend an Online Bachelor’s in Criminology Degree Program?
Recent graduates from high school who have not attended a college in the past will likely be required to submit proof of high school completion as well as SAT or ACT scores. Some schools provide a waiver SAT or ACT for its online students, but you should double-check with an admission advisor of the school.
While every school may require different admission materials to be submitted for acceptance into its program, many schools request that prospective students submit a completed application package. The package may require the submission of your educational goals, essays on specific topics, and a small application processing fee.
What Are the Most Affordable Online Colleges?
OSR uses six data points: three school-wide and three program-specific. For school-wide, OSR uses student satisfaction, admission rates, and the number of programs the school offers online. For program-specific, OSR checks the median debt of graduates from that program, how many degrees are offered within that program’s umbrella department, and what percentage of students at that school graduated from that department.
The six statistics are displayed by each school. The sliding bar under each statistic represents how that school compares to other US institutions. “Not reported” means a school did not release that information to the US Department of Education. A more detailed description of the OSR process can be found on the methodology page.
Now let’s check out the 10 Best Online Bachelor’s in Criminology!