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Criminal lawyer education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a criminal lawyer. Criminal lawyers usually study law, legal research and advanced professional studies, or secretarial and administrative science. 71% of criminal lawyers hold a bachelor's degree, and 21% hold an doctoral degree. We analyzed 22 real criminal lawyer resumes to see exactly what criminal lawyer education sections show.

The most common colleges for criminal lawyers are the Central State University and the Central State University.

There are also many online criminal lawyer courses to help get the education required to be a criminal lawyer.

What education do you need to become a criminal lawyer?

What degree do you need to be a criminal lawyer?

The most common degree for criminal lawyers is bachelor's degree, with 71% of criminal lawyers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are doctoral degree degree at 21% and doctoral degree degree at 7%.
  • Bachelor's, 71%
  • Doctorate, 21%
  • Diploma, 7%

What should I major in to become a criminal lawyer?

You should major in law to become a criminal lawyer. 55% of criminal lawyers major in law. Other common majors for a criminal lawyer include legal research and advanced professional studies and secretarial and administrative science.

Most common colleges for criminal lawyers

Criminal lawyers often get their degrees at Central State University, Kent State University, and Washington University in St Louis. Here are the most common colleges for criminal lawyers in the US based on their resumes.
Criminal lawyer common collegePercentages
Central State University33.33%
Kent State University16.67%
Washington University in St Louis16.67%
Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico16.67%
Troy University16.67%

Best majors for criminal lawyers

Best colleges for criminal lawyers

The best colleges for criminal lawyers are University of Pennsylvania, Vanderbilt University, and Northwestern University.

A criminal lawyer with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for criminal lawyers. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become criminal lawyers.

1. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

2. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, MI • Private

In-state tuition

$15,262

Enrollment

30,079

3. Georgetown University

Washington, DC • Private

In-state tuition

$54,104

Enrollment

7,089

4. University of Virginia

Charlottesville, VA • Private

In-state tuition

$17,653

Enrollment

16,405

5. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$8,987

Enrollment

18,946

6. Duke University

Durham, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$55,695

Enrollment

6,596

7. Vanderbilt University

Nashville, TN • Private

In-state tuition

$49,816

Enrollment

6,840

8. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

9. Emory University

Atlanta, GA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,306

Enrollment

6,975

10. University of Texas at Austin

Austin, TX • Private

In-state tuition

$10,610

Enrollment

40,329

20 best online courses for criminal lawyers

Advertising disclosure

1. Introduction to International Criminal Law

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-- About the Course -- From the Nuremberg trial to the case against Saddam Hussein, from the prosecution of Al-Qaeda terrorists to the trial of Somali pirates – no area of law is as important to world peace and security as international criminal law. Taught by one of the world’s leading experts in the field, this course will educate students about the fundamentals of international criminal law and policy. We will explore the contours of international crimes such as genocide, war crimes,...

2. Hot Topics in Criminal Justice

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The American criminal justice system is in need of reform. We incarcerate too many people. We pay insufficient attention to scientific advances that can help separate out the most and least culpable and dangerous. We grant the police far too much power to use force and technological surveillance. As a way of thinking about dealing with these problems, this course examines two over-arching issues: What should we do with people who have committed crime, and how should we identify who they are? On...

3. Effective Legal Office Administration

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Effective Legal Office Administration...

4. Criminal Law in 120 Minutes: A Fast Track Course

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4.6
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A 2 hour fast track summary of Criminal Law, targeting all common law LL.B examinations!...

5. Artificial Intelligence and legal issues

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The purpose of the course is to help students understand the legal implications related to the design and use of artificial intelligence systems, providing an overview of the risks and legal protections that can be envisaged and giving an overview of the legislation and legal principles currently applicable on the subject. In particular, the profiles of civil and criminal liability, protection in terms of intellectual property and the impacts of AI on the fundamental rights of the individual -...

6. Legal Tech and the Digital Transformation of Law

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The digital revolution changed the way we communicate and trade. Now, it is coming into the world of law. This program will give you a broad overview of the main trends that are affecting the legal industry: - The birth of the legal tech market and the application of technology in law. - The role of artificial intelligence in the automation of the work of lawyers. - Blockchain technology and its impact on the way we sign and execute contracts. - Initiatives to ensure access to justice through...

7. Criminology and Criminal Psychology Certified CSI+ Course

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Learn Criminal Law and Start your career with certification of Criminal Law and Criminal Psychology, Learn Criminology...

8. Legal English

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Legal language and communication skills...

9. International Law In Action: Investigating and Prosecuting International Crimes

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‘Investigating and Prosecuting International Crimes’ is the second course in Leiden University’s new series on International Law in Action. The first course covered international courts and tribunals in The Hague in general. This second course provides an insider perspective into the work of international criminal courts and tribunals. You will learn about the investigation and prosecution of international crimes in The Hague. Atrocities produce unspeakable forms of violence. We will explore...

10. An Introduction to American Law

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This course will give you a glimpse into six different areas of American law: Tort Law, Contract Law, Property, Constitutional Law, Criminal Law, and Civil Procedure. You will gain insight into the complexities and dilemmas that arise from the application of law in different settings, and what is distinctive about American approaches...

11. Legal Writing Master Class

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Learn with lawyers by learning the correct use of prepositions and articles, drafting contracts and writing letters...

12. Introduction to Criminal Psychology

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Understand the Forensic Psychology of the Criminal Mind...

13. European Business Law: Understanding the Fundamentals

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The European Union is one of the world’s largest and most important economies. This six week course is the first in a series of three that will provide students with an insight into European Business Law. The series ranges from considering the basic structures and principles of the European Union to focusing on various specialized areas of law. Each course will give the students an understanding of the laws and policies that regulate the internal market of European Union, as well as relevant...

14. Legal Aspects of Entrepreneurship

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By its nature, the law touches on many aspects of entrepreneurship, making it an applicable and versatile topic of study. For aspiring entrepreneurs, it's important to understand how to form the business, work with the initial customers, and hire. For active entrepreneurs, there are critical considerations on employment law, operating policies, and managing contracts. For everyone, the role that the law plays in managing the company, and its associated risks, must be properly understood to...

15. Legal English Language Certificate (LELC) Level 1 - CPD

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Learn from Lawyers - Learn the CORRECT use of articles, prepositions, legal terms & start writing your letter!...

16. Psychology of Criminal Behaviour & Criminology - ACCREDITED

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Personality Disorders, Violence, Sex Offence, Murder, and other types of crime...

17. Forensic Psychology: Criminal Profiling Certificate

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Criminology Crash Course...

18. The Legal Implications of Social Media in the Workplace

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4.4
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Regulatory and Case Law Considerations for Employers' Social Media Policy Development...

19. English for Business and Law - Contract Law

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4.5
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An English language course for business and law...

20. Employment Law Compliance Made Easy

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4.7
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A comprehensive course for management to understand key employment law issues in the workplace...

Top 10 most affordable universities for criminal lawyers

The most affordable schools for criminal lawyers are Baruch College of the City University of New York, university of florida, and hunter college of the city university of new york.

If the best universities for criminal lawyers are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for criminal lawyers.

1. Baruch College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,262

Cost of attendance

14,046

2. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

3. Hunter College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,182

Cost of attendance

13,998

4. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,656

Cost of attendance

21,623

5. Florida International University

Miami, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,556

Cost of attendance

19,434

6. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

7. Minot State University

Minot, ND • Private

In-state tuition

$7,064

Cost of attendance

15,576

8. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

9. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$8,987

Cost of attendance

25,527

10. Dickinson State University

Dickinson, ND • Private

In-state tuition

$6,768

Cost of attendance

15,506

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for criminal lawyers

The hardest universities for criminal lawyers to get into are University of Pennsylvania, Vanderbilt University, and Northwestern University.

Some great schools for criminal lawyers are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for criminal lawyers based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.

1. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,492

2. Vanderbilt University

Nashville, TN • Private

Admissions rate

10%

SAT average

1,514

3. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,508

4. Georgetown University

Washington, DC • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,456

5. Duke University

Durham, NC • Private

Admissions rate

9%

SAT average

1,516

6. Yale University

New Haven, CT • Private

Admissions rate

6%

SAT average

1,517

7. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,466

8. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

6%

SAT average

1,512

9. Boston College

Chestnut Hill, MA • Private

Admissions rate

28%

SAT average

1,429

10. Emory University

Atlanta, GA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,449

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for criminal lawyers

The easiest schools for criminal lawyers to get into are Barry University, mount saint mary's university, and felician university.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a criminal lawyer without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for criminal lawyers.

1. Barry University

Miami, FL • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,006

2. Mount Saint Mary's University

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,031

3. Felician University

Lodi, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

81%

SAT average

999

4. Nyack College

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

98%

SAT average

999

5. Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Bartlesville, OK • Private

Admissions rate

68%

SAT average

964

6. Notre Dame de Namur University

Belmont, CA • Private

Admissions rate

82%

SAT average

983

7. D'Youville College

Buffalo, NY • Private

Admissions rate

100%

SAT average

1,072

8. Ottawa University

Ottawa, KS • Private

Admissions rate

78%

SAT average

1,024

9. University of the Incarnate Word

San Antonio, TX • Private

Admissions rate

88%

SAT average

1,044

10. Bluefield College

Bluefield, VA • Private

Admissions rate

95%

SAT average

980

Average criminal lawyer salary by education level

Criminal lawyer education levelCriminal lawyer salary
Doctorate Degree$62,698

Criminal lawyer education FAQs

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.