2027 Best Value Corrections Schools in Pennsylvania
[Corrections](/majors/protective-security-safety-services/criminal-justice-and-corrections/corrections/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 5 schools to find the best return on investment for corrections students.
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2027 Best Value Corrections Schools in Pennsylvania
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in corrections, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Corrections Schools
Our analysis ranked Westmoreland County Community College the best value for a degree in corrections in Pennsylvania. Set in the suburb of Youngwood, Westmoreland County Community College is a moderately-sized public institution. Students from in state pay about $6,306 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $14,728. Corrections graduates carry a median of $11,000 in student loans. Median earnings reach $37,439 ten years out. That is a strong return on a $11,000 median debt.
Pennsylvania Highlands Community College came in at #2 on our 2027 list of the best value corrections schools. Located in the rural area of Johnstown, Pennsylvania Highlands Community College is a mid-sized public university. In-state tuition and fees average $7,110, while out-of-state students pay about $13,350. Typical student debt for corrections graduates is $11,315. Soon after graduation, corrections degree recipients from Pennsylvania Highlands Community College generally make around $31,499. That is a strong return on a $11,315 median debt.
Butler County Community College came in at #3 on our 2027 list of the best value corrections schools. Butler County Community College is a mid-sized public school located in the town of Butler. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $5,910, with out-of-state students paying around $12,000. Students borrow a median of $10,836 to complete the corrections program here. Soon after graduation, corrections degree recipients from Butler County Community College generally make around $41,492. That is a strong return on a $10,836 median debt.
Lehigh Carbon Community College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in corrections, landing the #4 spot this year. Lehigh Carbon Community College is a moderately-sized public school located in the rural area of Schnecksville. In-state tuition and fees average $5,280, compared with $13,270 for out-of-state students. Corrections graduates carry a median of $11,000 in student loans. Soon after graduation, corrections degree recipients from Lehigh Carbon Community College generally make around $39,957. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
A rank of #5 makes University Of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus one of the best values for corrections. Set in the city of Pittsburgh, University Of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $21,926, while out-of-state students pay about $41,430. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the corrections program here. Early-career corrections graduates make about $36,959. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. The acceptance rate is 58%.
More Corrections Rankings
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 5 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 5 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
