2026 Best Value Criminal Justice & Police Science Schools in Indiana

[Criminal Justice & Police Science](/majors/protective-security-safety-services/criminal-justice-and-corrections/criminal-justice-and-police-science/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 4 schools to find the best return on investment for criminal justice & police science students.
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2026 Best Value Criminal Justice & Police Science Schools in Indiana
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the criminal justice & police science degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Criminal Justice & Police Science Schools
Purdue University Northwest tops our 2026 list of the best value criminal justice & police science schools in Indiana. Located in the suburb of Hammond, Purdue University Northwest is a large public university. Students from in state pay about $8,357 in tuition and fees, compared with $15,504 for out-of-state students. Criminal Justice & Police Science graduates carry a median of $25,083 in student loans. Soon after graduation, criminal justice & police science degree recipients from Purdue University Northwest generally make around $51,424. Set against $25,083 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 72%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Vincennes University earned it the #2 place for criminal justice & police science. Set in the town of Vincennes, Vincennes University is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $7,126, with out-of-state students paying around $16,858. Students borrow a median of $17,587 to complete the criminal justice & police science program here. Soon after graduation, criminal justice & police science degree recipients from Vincennes University generally make around $40,696. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Indianapolis earned it the #3 place for criminal justice & police science. Set in the city of Indianapolis, University Of Indianapolis is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $37,200. Typical student debt for criminal justice & police science graduates is $26,324. Criminal Justice & Police Science graduates of University Of Indianapolis earn a median of $44,418 early in their careers. Set against $26,324 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 66% of applicants are accepted.
Calumet College Of Saint Joseph came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best value criminal justice & police science schools. Calumet College Of Saint Joseph is a small private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Whiting. Students from in state pay about $23,850 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for criminal justice & police science graduates is $23,856. Soon after graduation, criminal justice & police science degree recipients from Calumet College Of Saint Joseph generally make around $66,716. That is a strong return on a $23,856 median debt.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 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 · 4 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 4 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.