The Cost of An Associates Degree In Criminal Justice

Finding out the cost of an associates degre in criminal justice is a bit like finding a needle in a haystack if you're searching online. Alot of marketing experts, it seems, have told colleges and univerisities that it's not a good idea to show prices for fear of scaring away prospective students. Many of the best known schools that promote themselves online require you to submit a request form or call them to get real information on tuition for either online or classroom based degree programs.

Criminal justice is an area where there's a particularly wide range of costs for a degree. That's because the associate's degree in this specialty is offered everywhere from tiny community colleges in rural areas to major state and private schools.

Respected Name Online
Indiana Wesleyan University, for example, is an old and respected school that has made a major move into online teaching. It offers a distance learning associates degree in criminal justice at a total cost of about $16,000 (more if you live outside the U.S.). Liberty University, a much newer school with a baptist affiliate, offers the same type degree for $15,700.

But you can spend much more on tuition or much less. Central Pennsylvania College, a regionally known school with just over 1,100 students, offers a campus-based AA in criminal justice on an accelerated 18-month schedule for a total of $19,940. That cost includes all room, board and additional expenses. Keep in mind that many small regional colleges have alot of expertise at helping you get Pell grants and other government help with financing. Many report that over 80% of their students are currently getting financial aid to help pay for their degree programs.

Private Option
The cost goes up if you with to live at a school, particularly if it's private. Well-known (for-profit) American Intercontinental Unversity's Associate of Science in criminal justice costs $30,000. Attending AIU online, however, can save you a bundle. It's business administration in criminal justice associate's degree costs about $22,000 via distance learning.

Deciding what specialty you want to work in, whether you intend to use your associates degree credits toward a bachelor's degree later on and what kind of enforcement agency you want to work for will all determine how much you'll want to invest. The least expensive option in most cases is to go to a community college in your locality. Associates degrees for local students at such schools often cost well under $10,000. If you want to work in a large police department or even federal agency where there's lots of competition for every job, a higher-priced, better known school may be more in your interest.

California Coast University With a rock-bottom cost of $150. per credit, a 126 total credit bachelor degree can be completed for less than just about any other school we can find. This 18-year old school offers 100% online courses to about 8,000 students from its headquarters in Santa Ana, CA. A number of cost reductions can be obtained through credit transfer, discounts or fee waivers. School offers:
- Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice
- Master's Degree in Criminal Justice
- Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Psychology
Get information on California Coast University Criminal Justice Degrees Online

Liberty University The world's largest evangelical university has programs the cost $295 per credit if you go to school "full time" by taking at least 11 credits per term. Law enforcement personnel can get credit for their time on the job, and military experience can also count toward credit.
- Associate of Arts, Criminal Justice
- Bachelor of Science, Criminal Justice
Get information on Liberty University