Criminal Justice Schools in Maryland [2022 Guide]
Programs & Criminal Justice Resources for Maryland Students
Criminal justice schools in Maryland can provide a variety of degrees, certificates and professional training to pave the way to careers across law enforcement, corrections, law and legal support and the justice system. With large cities like Baltimore ranked highly on the FBI’s Uniform Crime Report, the need for qualified criminal justice professionals is ever present in Maryland. For prospective students, finding the right criminal justice school means choosing a particular area of study in the industry. Use the following guide to explore criminal justice schools in Maryland, compare the best programs and degree options and learn about the employment outlook for different careers in legal and protective services in the state.
Sponsored Criminal Justice Programs
Explore programs of your interests with the high-quality standards and flexibility you need to take your career to the next level.
The Best Criminal Justice Schools in Maryland
Methodology
To be considered for this ranking, schools were required to meet the following criteria: Accredited at the institutional level Private nonprofit or public school Minimum of 1 bachelor’s or master’s degree in subject area for 4-year schools Minimum of 1 associate degree or certificate program in subject area for 2-year schools Schools were then scored on factors such as: Cost & Financial Aid Number and variety of program offerings Student-teacher ratios Graduation rates (4-year schools only) Placement and support services offered Academic/Career counseling services Employment services Loan default rates These factors were assembled for each school and rated using a peer-based-value (PBV) calculation. PBV compares the cost of a program to the cost of other programs with the same (or similar) qualitative score and cost. PBV denotes the overall value or “bang for your buck” of a college or degree program.Criminal justice is a popular academic field of study that can be found at nearly every institution of higher education. Community colleges, technical training centers and public, four-year universities may all offer forms of criminal justice degree program, but which criminal justice schools in Maryland are the best? This list ranks the top programs using a culmination of many factors and criteria, including tuition and graduations rates, to give students a better picture of Maryland’s best criminal justice schools.
Side by Side: Maryland Compared to Criminal Justice Nationally
As noted above, Maryland has a robust criminal justice system with employment opportunities at the local, municipal, county and state level at government organizations or with non-profits and private businesses. Students interested in attending criminal justice school in Maryland can get a better picture of the overall state of the industry by looking at the graphs below, showing which criminal justice occupations pay more or have higher growth projections than the national average in Maryland. Scroll over each bar to see the numbers, and what type of degree each job requires in the state.
Salary
| Job | National | Maryland |
|---|---|---|
| Administrative Law Judge | 93,140 | 96,770 |
| Paralegal | 52,390 | 52,880 |
| Bailiff | 44,900 | 45,260 |
| Police, Sheriff & Patrol Officer | 61,270 | 61,610 |
| Correctional Officer | 45,320 | 45,520 |
| Judicial Law Clerk | 59,910 | 65,200 |
| Private Detective | 52,540 | 52,840 |
| Compliance Officer | 69,180 | 75,920 |
Job Growth
| Job | National | Maryland |
|---|---|---|
| Compliance Officer | 0.033 | 0.161 |
| Lawyer | 0.056 | 0.144 |
| Paralegal | 0.076 | 0.191 |
| Private Detective | 0.052 | 0.229 |
| Police, Sheriff & Patrol Officers | 0.05 | 0.057 |
| Court Reporters | 0.014 | 0.031 |
| Forensic Science Technician | 0.118 | 0.264 |
| Criminal Justice Professor | 0.213 | 0.314 |
Source: Projections Central, 2015
Where to Get Hired After Criminal Justice School in Maryland
For criminal justice students in Maryland, deciding where to go after graduation can be as challenging as deciding where and what to study. The career options are diverse across Maryland-from large metropolitan areas like Baltimore to smaller communities like Cumberland. The map below helps students at criminal justice schools in Maryland understand more about the demographics of the industry across different areas of the state. Scroll over the markers to learn about the differences in wages and employment numbers for these top.
Largest areas of employment in descending order
Protective service
- Baltimore, Columbia, Towson
- Silver Spring, Frederick, Rockville
- Salisbury
- Hagerstown, Martinsburg
- Cumberland
Legal service
- Baltimore, Columbia, Towson
- Silver Spring, Frederick, Rockville
- Salisbury
- Hagerstown, Martinsburg
- California, Lexington Park
Professional Resources for Criminal Justice in Maryland
Business Compliance Resources
Association of Corporate Counsel, Baltimore
A professional group for in-house business law counsel professionals in the Baltimore area, providing social, networking and educational events.
Maryland Department of Commerce
A state agency that promotes business development in Maryland, including resources into statewide compliance rules, regulations and procedures.
Maryland Office of Small Business Resources
An office of the Maryland Department of Commerce that helps small business owners and entrepreneurs navigate local, state and federal government processes and regulations.
Correctional Resources
Maryland Correctional Administrators Association
An association of correctional professionals that offers membership and advocates for public policy and legislative changes that support the field of corrections, awards scholarships to students and offers professional development opportunities.
Maryland Correctional Enterprises
The prison industrial arm of the Maryland Department of Corrections that trains and employs offenders in state prisons and conducts community outreach programs.
Maryland Department of Public Safety & Correctional Services
The state department that manages 27 correctional institutions in the Maryland and 45 parole and probation offices, has 12,000 employees and operates a variety of programs to protect public safety.
Court & Judicial Resources
Maryland Court Appointed Special Advocates
Founded in 1997, a nonprofit organization that supports Maryland’s Court Appointed Special Advocate programs to find placements for neglected and abused children in Maryland.
Maryland Court Reporters Association
The official association for court reporters in the state that offers networking events, hosts conventions and supports professional development activities in the field.
Maryland Teen Court Association
Founded in 1001, the Maryland Teen Court Association offers programs to reduce juvenile crime and develop new teen court programs in the state.
Legal Resources
Maryland Criminal Defense Attorney’s Association
A membership-based organization for attorneys and associated legal professionals that promotes judicial study and serve as a forum for professional concerns in the field.
Maryland State Bar Association
A membership organization that represents more than 25,000 judges and lawyers in Maryland and offers career support, legal resources and professional networking opportunities.
Women’s Bar Association of Maryland
A specialty association that supports equal rights and professional development for women in the legal profession.
Law Enforcement Resources
Maryland Chiefs of Police Association
Founded in 1961, the association has membership across public and private law enforcement agencies that holds an annual seminar and provides professional development programs.
Maryland Fraternal Order of Police
An organization with more than 20,000 active and retired law enforcement officials that has local lodges and advocates on behalf of its members.
Maryland Law Enforcement Officers, Inc.
A professional, non-profit organization of 600 members across 84 different criminal justice agencies throughout the state of Maryland.
Wildlife & Environmental Resources
Maryland Association for Environmental & Outdoor Education
A non-profit organization founded in 1985 that operates a series of environmental training programs, conferences and networking events.
Maryland Department of the Environment
The state department for managing environmental, conservation, rehabilitation and public health projects throughout Maryland.
Maryland Environmental Laboratory Association
Found in 1990, the association is a non-profit organization that has members among local, state, federal, industry and commercial environmental industries.
Maryland Department of Natural Resources Police
The enforcement arm of the Department of Natural Resources, these officers cover everything from boating laws to homeland security, search and rescue and emergency medical services.