49 Best universities for Criminology and Criminal Justice in Canada

Updated: March 15, 2026

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 569K citations received by 29K 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

#2 in North America

#2 in the World

Enrollment: 102,431
Founded: 1827

2. University of British Columbia

British Columbia | Vancouver

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#19 in North America

#24 in the World

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

3. Simon Fraser University

British Columbia | Burnaby

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#26 in North America

#33 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 77%
Founded: 1965

4. Carleton University

Ontario | Ottawa

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#38 in North America

#51 in the World

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

5. University of Montreal

Quebec State | Montreal

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#43 in North America

#59 in the World

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

6. University of Ottawa

Ontario | Ottawa

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#49 in North America

#67 in the World

Enrollment: 42,027
Founded: 1848

7. Queen's University

Ontario | Kingston

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#54 in North America

#77 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 64%
Enrollment: 35,612
Founded: 1841

8. McGill University

Quebec State | Montreal

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#64 in North America

#93 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

#99 in the World

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

10. University of Alberta

Alberta | Edmonton

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#71 in North America

#105 in the World

Enrollment: 31,185
Founded: 1908

11. Western University

Ontario | London

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#78 in North America

#116 in the World

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

12. University of Calgary

Alberta | Calgary

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#104 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

#117 in North America

#180 in the World

Enrollment: 27,965
Founded: 1887

14. University of Saskatchewan

Saskatchewan | Saskatoon

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#124 in North America

#194 in the World

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

15. University of Victoria

British Columbia | Victoria

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#135 in North America

#213 in the World

Enrollment: 15,999
Founded: 1963

16. University of Waterloo

Ontario | Waterloo

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#142 in North America

#235 in the World

Founded: 1957

17. Dalhousie University

Nova Scotia | Halifax

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#144 in North America

#239 in the World

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

18. University of Manitoba

Manitoba | Winnipeg

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#145 in North America

#241 in the World

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

19. Ryerson University

Ontario | Toronto

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#160 in North America

#269 in the World

Enrollment: 38,950
Founded: 1948

20. Wilfrid Laurier University

Ontario | Waterloo

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#167 in North America

#281 in the World

Enrollment: 19,000
Founded: 1911

21. Laval University

Quebec State | Quebec City

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#173 in North America

#291 in the World

Enrollment: 56,000
Founded: 1852

22. University of Windsor

Ontario | Windsor

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#187 in North America

#319 in the World

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

23. University of New Brunswick

New Brunswick | Fredericton

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#188 in North America

#320 in the World

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

24. University of Guelph

Ontario | Guelph

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#192 in North America

#325 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 68%
Founded: 1964

25. Ontario Tech University

Ontario | Oshawa

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#210 in North America

#359 in the World

Founded: 2002

26. Memorial University of Newfoundland

Newfoundland and Labrador | St. John's

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#217 in North America

#375 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 78%
Founded: 1925

27. University of Quebec in Montreal

Quebec State | Montreal

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#235 in North America

#406 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

#267 in North America

#504 in the World

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

29. University of Winnipeg

Manitoba | Winnipeg

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#269 in North America

#517 in the World

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

30. Brock University

Ontario | St. Catharines

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#270 in North America

#519 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 95%
Founded: 1964

31. Concordia University

Quebec State | Montreal

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#278 in North America

#536 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 44%
Founded: 1974

32. Lakehead University

Ontario | Thunder Bay

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#286 in North America

#555 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 90%
Founded: 1965

33. University of Regina

Saskatchewan | Regina

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#303 in North America

#590 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 68%
Founded: 1911

34. Saint Mary's University

Nova Scotia | Halifax

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#329 in North America

#644 in the World

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

35. University of Lethbridge

Alberta | Lethbridge

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#360 in North America

#706 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 66%
Founded: 1967

36. Trent University

Ontario | Peterborough

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#371 in North America

#738 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 80%
Founded: 1963

37. MacEwan University

Alberta | Edmonton

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#390 in North America

#783 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Founded: 1971

38. University of Sherbrooke

Quebec State | Sherbrooke

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#399 in North America

#806 in the World

Enrollment: 40,000
Founded: 1954

39. Mount Royal University

Alberta | Calgary

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#434 in North America

#888 in the World

Founded: 1910

40. University of Northern British Columbia

British Columbia | Prince George

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#441 in North America

#907 in the World

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

41. Kings University in Canada

Alberta | Edmonton

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#450 in North America

#935 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 77%
Founded: 1979

42. Laurentian University

Ontario | Greater Sudbury

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#455 in North America

#946 in the World

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

43. University of the Fraser Valley

British Columbia | Abbotsford

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#466 in North America

#973 in the World

Enrollment: 15,000
Founded: 1974

44. Kwantlen Polytechnic University

British Columbia | Surrey

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#496 in North America

#1057 in the World

Founded: 1981

45. Brandon University

Manitoba | Brandon

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#499 in North America

#1065 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Founded: 1899

46. Thompson Rivers University

British Columbia | Kamloops

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#519 in North America

#1124 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 84%
Founded: 1970

47. Mount Saint Vincent University

Nova Scotia | Halifax

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#547 in North America

#1215 in the World

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

48. St. Francis Xavier University

Nova Scotia | Antigonish

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#559 in North America

#1246 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 71%
Founded: 1853

49. University of Quebec in Outaouais

Quebec State | Gatineau

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#603 in North America

#1482 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.