The nation's only liberal arts college focused on criminal justice and forensic science.
John Jay College awards bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees across 20+ academic departments. The college is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education and maintains a 16:1 student-faculty ratio with 78% average freshman retention. Core strengths include criminal justice, forensic psychology, forensic science, and human rights, supported by a comprehensive liberal arts curriculum spanning sciences, humanities, social sciences, and professional studies. The college offers in-person, online, and hybrid courses, including two fully online master's degrees and professional certificates launched in 2014.
The college occupies six buildings in Hell's Kitchen near Central Park and Lincoln Center. The flagship 13-story 'New Building' (opened 2011, $600 million) features classrooms, a mock court, black box theater, and a 9/11 memorial. Haaren Hall houses the Lloyd Sealy Library and Gerald W. Lynch Theater. The student body is 51% Hispanic, 17% Black, 14% White, and 12% Asian; 60% are low-income and 50% are first-generation students. Athletics compete in NCAA Division III through CUNYAC, with teams including soccer, basketball, baseball, and volleyball.
John Jay had a 37% undergraduate admission rate in 2016. The college participates in the selective Macaulay Honors College program, which provides full four-year tuition scholarships, specialized advisers, and a $7,500 Opportunities Fund to academically gifted students. The college welcomes transfer students, international students, and offers specialized programs for NYPD, DOC, and FDNY personnel. Graduate admissions are available for master's and doctoral programs in criminal justice, forensic psychology, human rights, and related fields.
John Jay houses 13 research centers and institutes including the Center for Cybercrime Studies, Center on Terrorism, Center for International Human Rights, and Prisoner Reentry Institute. The college reported 85% of graduates earning degrees with zero student debt. Notable alumni include NYC Mayor Eric Adams (BA 1998), forensic scientist Henry Lee (BS 1972), and NCIS actor Pauley Perrette. The college lost 67 alumni and students in the 9/11 attacks, commemorated by a steel memorial unveiled in 2013.