Best Criminology Colleges in India 2026: Fees, Admission, Courses

About 60+ best Criminology colleges are there in India. Of these, 31 colleges are privately owned, 21 colleges are owned by public/government organisations, and public-private entities own 1 college. Some of the top Criminology colleges in India are KJC, Nehru Arts and Science College, Dr. MGR Educational and Research Institute, Maharaja's College, University of Mysore, Institute of Distance Education, University of Madras, University of Lucknow, etc.

Students can secure admission on merit-based or through entrance tests like CUET PG, CUET, etc. Top courses offered BA, MA, BSc, MSc, etc.

As per popularity basis, listed below are the best Criminology colleges in India along with their tuition fees:

Top Colleges	Tuition Fee
Kristu Jayanti College	INR 2.8 lakh
Dr. MGR Educational and Research Institute	INR 1.08 lakh
Maharaja's College, University of Mysore	INR 26,170 – INR 41,580
Institute of Distance Education, University of Madras	INR 16,710
University of Madras	INR 3,000

Disclaimer: This information is sourced from official website/ media reports.

Yes, it is estimated that joining the best Criminology colleges in India can be affordable as most colleges have tuition fees of less than INR 1 lakh, listed below are some colleges along with their tuition fees:

Low-cost Colleges	Tuition Fee
Maharaja's College, University of Mysore	INR 26,170 – INR 41,580
Institute of Distance Education, University of Madras	INR 16,710
University of Madras	INR 3,000
University of Lucknow	INR 60,320
MGU Kerala	INR 5,200

Disclaimer: This information is sourced from official website and may vary.

Some personality traits speak loudly if someone is made for Criminology, to be honest. Having an analytical mind, sharp eyes, curiosity, and being detail-oriented are the signs that you're the best for such fields. 

On top of that, a Criminology course will teach you a lot about legal systems, criminal psychology, social justice, etc., and help you enhance your skills.

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Criminology Career

Getting admission in ARSD College can be considered moderately difficult as the admission is based on CUET. Scoring well in CUET is mandatory to get a seat in the college as the competition is high. For popular courses such as BCom (Hons), MCom, BSc and BA (Hons), the cutoffs tend to be quite high due to the college's reputation within Delhi University. 

There are about 15+ BA Criminology colleges in India. Some of them are mentioned below along with their tuition fees:

Top Colleges	Tuition Fee
Institute of Distance Education, University of Madras	INR 16,710
National Forensic Sciences University	INR 6 lakh
Maharaja's College, University of Mysore	INR 41,580
Nehru Arts and Science College	-
Shri Krishna University	-

Disclaimer: This information is sourced from official website/ media reports.

Hi

According to Naukri.com - average salary for criminology professionals in India is 3.5 Lacs per year (INR). It has the potential to climb to 25 Lacs per year with experience. 

Refer to the table below for more information

Job Profiles	Average Annual Salary (in INR)
Criminologist	INR 5 lakh
Detective	INR 4 lakh
Forensic Science Technician	INR 6 lakh
Criminal Lawyer	INR 3.5 lakh
Lecturer	INR 4 lakh
Social Worker	INR 2.5 lakh
Crime Investigator	INR 3 lakh

Source - Multiple external/ official sites, data may vary.

Yes, there are many private Criminology colleges in India. Some of them are mentioned below along with their tuition fees:

Private Colleges	Tuition Fee
Kristu Jayanti College Admission	INR 2.8 lakh
Dr. MGR Educational and Research Institute Admission	INR 1.08 lakh
RV University Admission	INR 6.4 lakh
Srinivas University Admission	INR 2.69 Lacs – INR 4.29 lakh
Karunya Institute of Technology and Sciences Admission	INR 1.2 lakh

Disclaimer: This information is sourced from official website and may vary.

Of course, it is. Non-police roles are equally important in crime investigation and research. Being a Criminology professional, you can help CIDs, law firms, and research labs through analyzing evidence, understanding criminal psychology, and crime prevention.

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Criminology Career

The number of participating companies at Nehru Arts and Science College are: 

• This college has almost 100% of students placed with reputable companies such as Oberoi, Le Meridian, Taj,  Marriott, Wipro, Accenture, TCS,  Focus, KGIS, Infosys  and many more .
• At NASC, students are placed in prestigious firms and given competitive pay, making for an exceptional placement experience .

 

 

Yes, joining the top Criminology colleges in India can be worthwhile for you. For that, you need to check its ROI. Listed below are some colleges along with their tuition fees and average placement package:

Top Colleges	Tuition Fee	Average Placement Package
Kristu Jayanti College Courses	INR 2.8 lakh	INR 6.5 LPA
University of Lucknow Courses	INR 60,320	INR 7.46 LPA
Pondicherry University Courses	INR 6,000	INR 3 LPA
Patna University Courses	INR 37,000	INR 3.6 LPA
Srinivas University Courses	INR 2.69 Lacs – INR 4.29 lakh	INR 10 LPA

Disclaimer: This information is sourced from official website/ media reports/ NIRF website and may vary.

Yes, listed below are the top government Criminology colleges in India along with their tuition fees:

Public/Govt. Colleges	Tuition Fee
Maharaja's College, University of Mysore Admission	INR 26,170 – INR 41,580
University of Madras Admission	INR 3,000
University of Lucknow Admission	INR 60,320
National Forensic Sciences University Admission	INR 2.4 Lacs – INR 6 lakh
MGU Kerala Admission	INR 5,200

Disclaimer: This information is sourced from official website and may vary.

It's vast, to speak honestly. This field is not only emerging but also growing at a fast pace. You can join CBI, forensic labs, law firms, educational institutions, or other investigative agencies. 

Criminology professionals are not only required in India but are highly-valued in other countries as well. If you upskill yourself in this field, there are high chances of you getting rich-paying jobs abroad, even in their government departments.

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Criminology Career

It's simple. Both are interrelated fields, but serve different purposes. Criminology reads criminals' psychology, analyzes crime patterns, and works on prevention. 

Forensic Science, on the other hand, is all about collecting evidence from a crime scene, test them for new findings to help officials solve the case. 

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Criminology Courses

Forensic Science Courses

Dr. M.G.R. Educational and Research Institute in Chennai is classified as a Tier 1 institution by Aston University. Thai Moogambigai Dental College and Hospital and Dr. M.G.R. Engineering College are combined to form the institute. It has a "A" grade from the NAAC for accreditation, and TUV SUD South Asia Private Limited has certified it with ISO 21001:2018. 
The institute was placed fourth in Chennai and fourth in Tamil Nadu in 2023, out of 312 institutions in India. 
 The institute's pleasant environment, helpful faculty, and excellent facilities. Some claim that the courses are pertinent and help students get ready for the workforce.

Neither is better nor bad. Both options are available because they cater to different types of studies and career options. A BA in Criminology will help you gain skills related to social analysis. For example, you'll be able to determine why the crime was committed. Or, human behaviour, legal systems, etc.

A BSc in Criminology, on the other hand, will give you practical skills to find evidence from the crime scene, work in forensic labs, assist researchers, etc.

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Criminology Courses

There are several reasons why candidates prefer to study Criminology course as a main part of their course. Some of these reasons are listed below

• The demand for Criminologists has risen with the increasing crime rate in the country as well as across the globe.
• The candidates who wish to join the Armed Forces, the Police Department and Investigation Agencies can pursue the course in order to mentally prepare themselves.
• It can also be pursued by candidates who have a genuine interest in the subject and wish to work in academia.
• Criminology courses are available in several specialisations like Law enforcement, Criminal Ethology, Criminal Justice and Cyber Law. Therefore, Lawyers can pursue this course to gain better insights into the field.
• Journalists and Crime Reporters can also study Criminology. Gaining a holistic understanding of crime and criminals from a different perspective can improve their work performance.
• The salary of an entry-level Criminologist ranges from INR 2.8 LPA to INR 6.5 LPA.

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Criminology Courses

Karunya Institute of Technology and Sciences offers a large diversity of courses to students in various fields. Karunya University admissions are held on the basis of entrance tests. Students seeking course admissions must clear their previous qualifying examination and appear for any of the prescribed entrance exams such as TANCET, KEE, among others. Students can visit the official website to learn more regarding the course-wise eligibility and specialisation details.

Mahatma Gandhi University Kerala accepts national entrance exams such as MGU CAT, KEAM, CPGET, etc. Mahatma Gandhi University admission process is conducted via online registrations. Candidates must have to qualify the eligibility criteria set by the university for the desired course. 

Patna University offers over 135 courses, including 18 undergraduate, 42 postgraduate, and 38 doctoral programmes in the streams such as Science, Commerce, Law, Management, Arts, Mass Communication, Education, etc. The university also offers a range of Diploma courses and certificates. The entrance exams accepted by the university include MAT. CMAT BEET, MEET, PUCET, etc.

No, students cannot get direct admission in Srinivas University. Entrance exams are required for admission in the university. The selection criteria for admission is based on the scores in KCET, JEE Main, KMAT, GATE, NEET, PGCET, etc.

Uttar Pradesh Rajarshi Tandon Open University (UPRTOU) is a government university. Rajarshi Tandon Open University offers UG, PG Diploma Certificate and Ph.D. programmes. UPRTOU was established in 1999 and is located in Prayagraj (formerly Allahabad). UPRTOU Allahabad is recognised by the Distance Education Council (DEC), National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE), All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) and UGC Distance Education Bureau. UPRTOU has an active & transparent placement cell that conducts placement drives for its students. Reputed recruiters like Amazon, Vistara, Indigo Airlines, Infosys, Tech Mahindra, EY, VIVO Mobile, Wipro, American Express and many more participate in the placement drive.

SAGE University is a private university that is recognised by organizations like UGC. Below given are the reasons to choose SAGE University, Bhopal:

• Good Ranking: The university is ranked 67 in the Engineering category, and 65 under Engineering (Private) by the Times 2025.
• Placement Opportunities: The university has a placement cell and gives placement opportunities in companies like Capgemini, Cognizant, Wipro, TCS, HCL, Infosys, IBM, Walmart, etc.
• Scholarship Options: The university also gives merit scholarships on the basis of SEE result.

Pandit Ravi Shankar Shukla University Raipur admisison is based on merit and entrance exams. The university accepts national entrance exams such as CAT, MAT, XAT, ATMA, and others. Candidates need to take the course-specific entrance examinations at PRSU. The applications for PRSU admissions are accepted via both online and offline modes.

Pondicherry University offers good placements annually for courses like BTech, MBA, MCA, etc. In 2025, a total 586 students were placed with decent salaries. Highest package offered during Pondicherry University placements 2025 was INR 22 LPA.