Admit rate has ranged 37%–57% over the last 5 years — notably volatile. Source: IPEDS via Urban Institute.
Acceptance & SAT from Common Data Set / IPEDS; net price, earnings & graduation from the U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard. Figures lag ~1–2 years — verify with the school.
CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice is a public institution in Manhattan that punches above its weight, offering hyper-focused criminal justice programs alongside surprising breadth in the liberal arts. With a 57% acceptance rate and a scrappy, diverse student body, it delivers strong outcomes at a fraction of the cost of private alternatives—85% of graduates leave debt-free.
Admission requirements
Test-blind — scores not considered
Required
High school transcript
Grade point average
College-prep program
Demonstrated competencies
TOEFL (non-native English)
Source: IPEDS Admissions survey (2022) via Urban Institute. Covers formal factors only — it does not reflect essays, extracurriculars, or other holistic criteria.
More details
Undergrad enrollment
11,590
In-state tuition
$7,470
Out-of-state tuition
$15,420
Top Program
Top 15 PhD in Criminal Justice
Acceptance Rate
57%
Graduation Rate
54-56%
Avg. Need-Based Aid
$9,966
Debt-Free Graduates
85%
Median Earnings (1yr)
$36,427
Student Organizations
50+
Outcomes & value
Outcomes & value
Median earnings (10 yr)
$56,195
Value (earnings ÷ net price)
17.5×
Median debt at graduation
$11,000
Graduation rate
56%
First-year retention
82%
Reducing loan balance (3 yr)
53%
Pell (lower-income) share
90%
First-generation share
48%
Endowment / student
$432
Top-earning majors
Median earnings by field of study (highest credential), ~2 years after completion.
Public Administration$40,481
Economics$40,179
Social Sciences, Other$39,153
Criminal Justice and Corrections$38,182
Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management$36,141
Political Science and Government$36,104
Campus & location
Campus safety
On-campus violent crimes (2024)
1
Per 1,000 students
0.09
On-campus criminal offenses classed as violent (murder/non-negligent manslaughter, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) for the most recent reported year. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education Campus Safety and Security (Clery Act). Counts reflect what’s reported to the school, and urban campuses often report more partly due to non-student incidents nearby — read alongside campus size and setting, not as a standalone safety verdict.
Climate
Pleasant days / yr
90
Summer high
83°F
Winter low
29°F
Annual rain
54.3"
Annual snow
19.2"
Natural-hazard risk
Relatively High
Pleasant days counts days per year with a mean temperature of 55–75°F, a high at or below 90°F, a low at or above 45°F, and little precipitation — a transparent comfort measure, not a weighting we invented. Computed from Open-Meteo ERA5 daily history (2019–2023). Natural-hazard risk is the county’s composite rating from the FEMA National Risk Index.
Deep dive — research, future-scholar output & economic mobility▾
Economic mobility
Mobility rate
9.7%
Bottom → top quintile
36%
From bottom quintile
27%
Mobility rate = the share of students who both start in the bottom household-income quintile and reach the top quintile; bottom → top is that chance conditional on starting at the bottom. Source: Opportunity Insights Mobility Report Cards (Chetty, Friedman, Saez, Turner & Yagan). Reflects 1980–82 birth cohorts, so it’s directional, not current.
Quick answers
What is the acceptance rate at CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice?
CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice's acceptance rate is approximately 57% (New York, NY), based on the most recent figures we compiled from public and primary sources.
What SAT score do you need for CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice?
Admitted students at CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice typically score 930–1220 on the SAT (the middle-50% range). Scores outside this band are still admitted, especially with strong applications.
How much does CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice cost?
At CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice, the average net price (after aid) is about $3,203 per year. Actual cost varies with financial aid and residency.
How many undergraduates attend CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice?
CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice enrolls approximately 11,590 undergraduate students.
Where is CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice located?
CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice is located in New York, NY.
Admissions
John Jay maintains a moderately selective admissions process, with a 57.1% Acceptance rateThe share of applicants a college admits in a given year. A 10% acceptance rate means it admits about 1 in 10 applicants. for undergraduates in 2024 (down from 10,987 applicants to 19,238). The college evaluates applicants holistically, considering high school academic averages, completed units, and optional SAT/ACT scores (Test-optionalA policy where you choose whether to submit SAT or ACT scores. If you don't, the rest of your application carries more weight. through spring 2027). Notably, 14% of admitted students boast GPAs of 3.75 or higher, while another 13% fall in the 3.50–3.74 range—suggesting competitive academic preparation among top admits. The rolling admissions policy provides flexibility, but early applicants may benefit from greater program availability.
The college's 30+ majors range from predictable (Criminal Justice, Forensic Psychology) to unexpected (Latin American Studies, Gender Studies). Its Ph.D. program in Criminal Justice and Criminology ranks among the top 15 nationally, per U.S. News. The curriculum balances theory with practical training—internships with NYC agencies are common. While criminal justice dominates (the most popular major category), programs like Computer Science and Public Administration attract growing interest. Student reviews praise faculty accessibility but note facilities can feel dated in this vertical Manhattan campus.
Earnings = median of students working ~10 years after entry; debt = median of graduates. Value divides 10-yr earnings by one year’s net price — read it as earnings per dollar of annual cost, not a full lifetime ROI; it favors lower-cost schools. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard. Figures lag ~2 years and reflect all students, not your intended major.
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities$34,704
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology$34,420
Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard (field-of-study earnings). Figures cover graduates who received federal aid and lag ~2 years; not all programs report data.
The urban campus fosters tight-knit communities through 50+ student organizations, from the Mock Trial Team to the Haitian Culture Club. Events skew professional (networking mixers) and cultural (student theater productions), with occasional prom-style parties. The lack of traditional dorms (only 3% of students live on campus) means social life revolves around commuters and club involvement. A Reddit user notes: 'There is a lot of clubs and events...they do have different opportunities and meetups.' The YouTube campus tour shows students studying in sunlit atriums and collaborating in modern labs—a contrast to the college's Brutalist exterior.
The overall graduation rate sits at 54-56%, but participants in the ACE program (an intensive support initiative) graduate at 68.8%—11.7 points higher than peers. Median earnings one year post-graduation are $36,427, rising to $56,195 at the 10-year mark. The college ranks #5 in Washington Monthly's 'Best Bang for the Buck' rankings, thanks partly to 85% of students graduating debt-free. These metrics reflect John Jay's value proposition: solid ROI for First-generation (first-gen)A student who would be the first in their immediate family to earn a four-year college degree. Many colleges consider this in context. and working-class students, particularly those eyeing public sector careers where advanced degrees are common.
In-state tuition runs $7,470 annually—less than many community colleges. Even out-of-state students pay just $15,420. The average Need-based aidFinancial aid awarded based on your family's ability to pay, as measured by forms like the FAFSA, rather than on achievements. package totals $9,966, with 86% of first-years receiving scholarships or grants (averaging $9,619). Work-study and institutional aid further reduce costs: the Net priceWhat a family actually pays after grants and scholarships are subtracted from the sticker price — usually far less than the published cost. calculator shows many low-income students attending nearly free. As one Reddit user put it: 'You can't beat the price for a NYC degree.' This affordability explains why the college ranks among the nation's top mobility engines, propelling students from the bottom quintile of household income into the middle class.
John Jay occupies a unique niche: it's both a specialized criminal justice powerhouse and a broad-access liberal arts college. Where else can you take 'Policing Terrorism' from former NYPD commissioners, then discuss it over bodega coffee with classmates from 135 countries? The college turns constraints (no football team, limited housing) into strengths—its urban integration means internships at the DA's office or UN happen between classes. For students seeking affordable pathways into law enforcement, forensic science, or public policy, John Jay offers unmatched NYC connections and a pragmatic, mission-driven culture.
CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice logo · sourceCUNY--John Jay College of Criminal Justice - Profile, Rankings and Data | US News Best Colleges · sourceAbout | John Jay College of Criminal Justice · sourceCUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice – MICEFA · source
