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CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice

#495 in US ranking New York City, NY
Type:
Public
Programs:
4 years or more

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CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice award
CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice award

Cost

Cost / year
$12,497
Tuition & fees
$7,470
Avg. aid
$9,082
Receiving aid
90%

Admissions

Acceptance rate
57%
SAT range
930–1220

Outcomes

Graduation rate
56%
Median salary
$44,813
1 yr after graduation

What is the accreditation of CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice?

John Jay College of Criminal Justice is institutionally accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. Middle States accreditation evaluates the college as an institution; it is distinct from any specialized recognition that an individual program may hold.

Institutional accreditation matters because it is part of eligibility for federal student aid and provides an external review framework for the college. It does not automatically make every credit transferable or satisfy every professional licensing requirement. A receiving college decides which transfer credits it will accept, while licensing authorities may impose their own degree, coursework or examination rules. Applicants pursuing a regulated occupation should check the requirements for that occupation and state rather than relying on institutional accreditation alone.

What are the admission requirements at CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice?

First-year applicants generally apply to John Jay through the CUNY undergraduate application. They need a high school diploma or recognized equivalent and must arrange for the academic records CUNY requires. John Jay does not have an open-admission policy.

Secondary-school coursework and grades are relevant to review. SAT and ACT scores are not a universal application requirement; CUNY's testing policy can vary by admission cycle and applicant category, so applicants should follow the instructions for the term in which they plan to enroll. In the reported entering group, a small minority of students submitted SAT scores. That figure does not establish a score threshold for admission.

Applicants educated outside the United States may have additional credential-evaluation or English-language proficiency requirements. A published general application checklist should not be treated as the complete checklist for every student: international, graduate and certain specialized-program applicants can face different requirements. CUNY publishes separate fall and spring application timelines, and applying by the relevant priority deadline can matter for both admission processing and aid consideration.

In the reported first-year admissions cycle, John Jay admitted about 57% of applicants. The rate describes that applicant group, not an individual applicant's probability of admission.

What are the application fees and waivers at CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice?

The standard CUNY undergraduate application fee is $65 for a first-year applicant and $70 for a transfer applicant. These are application charges, not tuition or enrollment deposits.

CUNY offers application-fee waivers to eligible applicants, including some students with demonstrated financial need and students covered by designated CUNY waiver initiatives. Eligibility and the way a waiver is claimed depend on the applicant category and application route. A student seeking a waiver should review the current CUNY application instructions before paying or submitting, because a later refund should not be assumed. Graduate applicants should check their particular program's application and fee instructions rather than using the undergraduate amount.

What types of ROTC programs are available at CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice?

John Jay does not need to operate its own ROTC detachment for a student to explore ROTC. CUNY students may be able to pursue Army ROTC through a host-campus arrangement, but a John Jay applicant should confirm current cross-enrollment eligibility, travel requirements and course scheduling with the host program before making academic plans.

Air Force and Navy ROTC participation should likewise be verified with the relevant host unit; an ROTC program elsewhere in New York City is not, by itself, proof that John Jay students can enroll in it. ROTC scholarships have separate selection rules, and participation or a scholarship can carry a military service obligation. Those conditions differ from ordinary campus club membership or financial aid.

What are the requirements for transfer students at CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice?

John Jay accepts transfer applications for fall and spring. Applicants use the CUNY transfer application and generally submit official transcripts from every college attended; CUNY may also require high school records in certain circumstances.

Transfer admission and transfer-credit acceptance are separate decisions. John Jay generally considers coursework from accredited colleges, but an official evaluation determines how accepted credits apply to its general education, major and elective requirements. CUNY's transfer-credit and course-equivalency tools can help students plan, especially those moving from another CUNY college, but a displayed equivalency is not a substitute for the official evaluation.

Applicants with examinations or prior learning should ask how their particular credit would be assessed. John Jay reports accepting some examination-based and other recommended credits, including AP and CLEP, but credit policies, score thresholds and degree applicability can differ. Students close to completing an associate degree should also check CUNY transfer pathways and the minimum number of credits they must complete at John Jay for their intended bachelor's degree.

What types of study abroad programs are available at CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice?

John Jay students can explore study abroad through college advising and CUNY international-education opportunities. Options may include short-term programs and longer study at an approved institution; available destinations and formats change from term to term.

The central academic question is whether courses taken abroad will count toward a student's degree. Students should obtain approval for proposed courses before committing to a program, especially if they need a particular major requirement rather than general elective credit. Program fees, travel, housing and insurance can differ substantially from ordinary New York expenses. Financial aid may be usable for an eligible approved program, but students should confirm how their own grants, loans or scholarships would apply before paying a deposit.

CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice Admissions Factors

SAT range
930–1220
4001600
Acceptance rate
57%

Acceptance rate vs. median

This school
57%
New York
72%
US
78%

19% of admitted students enrolled (2,128 of 10,987)

CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice Admissions

Applicants
Total: 19,238
Admission
Total: 10,987
Enrolled
Total: 2,128
Women
Men

How to Apply to CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice

Regular application deadline

February 1

Application fee

$65

Early Decision

No

Early Action

No

CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice First-Year Students

Where first-year students come from

In-state: 1,904
Out-of-state: 2
International: 82

Freshmen vs. transfer students

Freshmen: 2,128
Transfer: 1,363

CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice Admission Requirements

Percent of students submitting SAT scores

8%

High school completions

General Educational Development (GED) required

Computer required

No

Computer purchase/lease plan is available in the institution

No

Secondary school GPA

Required

Secondary school rank

Neither required nor recommended

Secondary school record

Required

Completion of college-preparatory program

Required

Recommendations

Neither required nor recommended

Formal demonstration of competencies

Required

Admission test scores

Considered but not required

TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language

Required

Other Test (Wonderlic, WISC-III, etc.)

Neither required nor recommended

Open admission policy

No

Dual credit

No

Credit for life experiences

Yes

Advanced placement (AP) credits

Yes

Special learning opportunities

Orientation program

Yes

Disabilities services

Yes

Off-campus study

Yes

Study abroad

Yes

Weekend/evening college

Yes

Student can complete their preparation in certain areas of specialization

No

Preparation at another institution required

No

Approved by the state for initial certification or licensure of teacher

No

CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice Transfer Acceptance Rate

Generally accepts credits

Yes

Accept ACE recommendation for credit

Yes

Possible transfer

Fall, Spring

Data last updated on November 5, 2026

Data sources: IPEDS 2024-25, Peterson 2026, College Scorecard 10/2026, Clery 2024 (2023-24), OpenAlex 2026

Figures on this profile come from federal and third-party datasets in the editions listed above and are refreshed periodically, so they may differ from what the institution currently reports. Confirm costs, deadlines and requirements with the school before making decisions.

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