49 Best universities for Criminology and Criminal Justice in Canada

Updated: March 02, 2025

Ranking by academic field

Below is a list of best universities in Canada ranked based on their research performance in Criminology and Criminal Justice. A graph of 536K citations received by 27.6K academic papers made by 49 universities in Canada was used to calculate publications' ratings, which then were adjusted for release dates and added to final scores.

We don't distinguish between undergraduate and graduate programs nor do we adjust for current majors offered. You can find information about granted degrees on a university page but always double-check with the university website.

1. University of Toronto

Ontario | Toronto

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#3 in North America

#3 in the World

Enrollment: 27,651
Founded: 1827

2. University of British Columbia

British Columbia | Vancouver

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#22 in North America

#27 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 52%
Enrollment: 71,201
Founded: 1908

3. Simon Fraser University

British Columbia | Burnaby

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#27 in North America

#32 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 77%
Founded: 1965

4. Carleton University

Ontario | Ottawa

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#39 in North America

#52 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 17%
Enrollment: 9,109
Founded: 1942

5. University of Montreal

Quebec State | Montreal

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#42 in North America

#55 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 41%
Enrollment: 66,972
Founded: 1878

6. University of Ottawa

Ontario | Ottawa

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#50 in North America

#67 in the World

Enrollment: 42,027
Founded: 1848

7. Queen's University

Ontario | Kingston

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#55 in North America

#76 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 64%
Enrollment: 30,386
Founded: 1841

8. McGill University

Quebec State | Montreal

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#65 in North America

#91 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 46%
Enrollment: 37,888
Founded: 1821

9. York University

Ontario | Toronto

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#68 in North America

#97 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 32%
Enrollment: 53,000
Founded: 1959

10. University of Alberta

Alberta | Edmonton

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#72 in North America

#103 in the World

Enrollment: 31,185
Founded: 1908

11. Western University

Ontario | London

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#78 in North America

#114 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 31%
Enrollment: 21,836
Founded: 1878

12. University of Calgary

Alberta | Calgary

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#106 in North America

#156 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 55%
Enrollment: 33,000
Founded: 1966

13. McMaster University

Ontario | Hamilton

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#121 in North America

#186 in the World

Enrollment: 27,965
Founded: 1887

14. University of Saskatchewan

Saskatchewan | Saskatoon

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#128 in North America

#195 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Enrollment: 20,953
Founded: 1907

15. University of Victoria

British Columbia | Victoria

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#137 in North America

#209 in the World

Enrollment: 15,999
Founded: 1963

16. University of Manitoba

Manitoba | Winnipeg

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#144 in North America

#235 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 52%
Enrollment: 29,800
Founded: 1877

17. University of Waterloo

Ontario | Waterloo

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#146 in North America

#238 in the World

Founded: 1957

18. Dalhousie University

Nova Scotia | Halifax

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#152 in North America

#250 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 82%
Enrollment: 30,867
Founded: 1818

19. Ryerson University

Ontario | Toronto

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#166 in North America

#275 in the World

Enrollment: 38,950
Founded: 1948

20. Wilfrid Laurier University

Ontario | Waterloo

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#170 in North America

#284 in the World

Enrollment: 19,000
Founded: 1911

21. Laval University

Quebec State | Quebec City

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#174 in North America

#292 in the World

Enrollment: 45,000
Founded: 1852

22. University of New Brunswick

New Brunswick | Fredericton

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#187 in North America

#314 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 66%
Enrollment: 32,036
Founded: 1785

23. University of Windsor

Ontario | Windsor

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#197 in North America

#327 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Enrollment: 16,092
Founded: 1857

24. University of Guelph

Ontario | Guelph

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#205 in North America

#344 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 68%
Founded: 1964

25. Ontario Tech University

Ontario | Oshawa

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#217 in North America

#370 in the World

Founded: 2002

26. Memorial University of Newfoundland

Newfoundland and Labrador | St. John's

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#227 in North America

#388 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 78%
Founded: 1925

27. University of Quebec in Montreal

Quebec State | Montreal

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#237 in North America

#403 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 63%
Enrollment: 40,000
Founded: 1969

28. University of Quebec, Trois-Rivieres

Quebec State | Trois-Rivieres

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#272 in North America

#510 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Enrollment: 14,000
Founded: 1969

29. Brock University

Ontario | St. Catharines

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#275 in North America

#520 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 95%
Founded: 1964

30. Concordia University

Quebec State | Montreal

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#279 in North America

#533 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 44%
Founded: 1974

31. University of Winnipeg

Manitoba | Winnipeg

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#283 in North America

#542 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 68%
Enrollment: 10,000
Founded: 1871

32. Lakehead University

Ontario | Thunder Bay

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#292 in North America

#555 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 90%
Founded: 1965

33. University of Regina

Saskatchewan | Regina

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#319 in North America

#612 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 68%
Founded: 1911

34. Saint Mary's University

Nova Scotia | Halifax

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#339 in North America

#656 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Enrollment: 7,281
Founded: 1802

35. University of Lethbridge

Alberta | Lethbridge

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#358 in North America

#696 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 66%
Founded: 1967

36. Trent University

Ontario | Peterborough

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#383 in North America

#760 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 80%
Founded: 1963

37. University of Sherbrooke

Quebec State | Sherbrooke

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#398 in North America

#795 in the World

Enrollment: 40,000
Founded: 1954

38. MacEwan University

Alberta | Edmonton

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#401 in North America

#798 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Founded: 1971

39. Mount Royal University

Alberta | Calgary

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#440 in North America

#895 in the World

Founded: 1910

40. University of Northern British Columbia

British Columbia | Prince George

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#441 in North America

#896 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 83%
Enrollment: 28,609
Founded: 1990

41. Laurentian University

Ontario | Greater Sudbury

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#450 in North America

#922 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 66%
Enrollment: 9,323
Founded: 1960

42. Kings University in Canada

Alberta | Edmonton

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#454 in North America

#929 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 77%
Founded: 1979

43. University of the Fraser Valley

British Columbia | Abbotsford

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#471 in North America

#979 in the World

Enrollment: 15,000
Founded: 1974

44. Kwantlen Polytechnic University

British Columbia | Surrey

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#495 in North America

#1043 in the World

Founded: 1981

45. Brandon University

Manitoba | Brandon

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#501 in North America

#1063 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Founded: 1899

46. Thompson Rivers University

British Columbia | Kamloops

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#520 in North America

#1116 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 84%
Founded: 1970

47. Mount Saint Vincent University

Nova Scotia | Halifax

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#553 in North America

#1218 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 75%
Enrollment: 4,050
Founded: 1873

48. St. Francis Xavier University

Nova Scotia | Antigonish

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#563 in North America

#1273 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 71%
Founded: 1853

49. University of Quebec in Outaouais

Quebec State | Gatineau

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#597 in North America

#1456 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Enrollment: 6,000
Founded: 1981

The best cities to study Criminology and Criminal Justice in Canada based on the number of universities and their ranks are Toronto, Vancouver, Burnaby, and Ottawa.