2026 Best Value Criminal Justice & Police Science Schools in Iowa
[Criminal Justice & Police Science](/majors/protective-security-safety-services/criminal-justice-and-corrections/criminal-justice-and-police-science/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 12 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 Iowa
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in criminal justice & police science, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Criminal Justice & Police Science Schools
For return on investment in criminal justice & police science, no school beat Western Iowa Tech Community College this year. Set in the city of Sioux City, Western Iowa Tech Community College is a moderately-sized public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $5,186, compared with $5,330 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for criminal justice & police science graduates is $11,500. Criminal Justice & Police Science graduates of Western Iowa Tech Community College earn a median of $43,547 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $11,500 median debt.
North Iowa Area Community College came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value criminal justice & police science schools. Set in the rural area of Mason City, North Iowa Area Community College is a mid-sized public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $6,653, compared with $9,551 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $12,043 to complete the criminal justice & police science program here. Criminal Justice & Police Science graduates of North Iowa Area Community College earn a median of $44,466 early in their careers. Set against $12,043 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Kirkwood Community College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in criminal justice & police science, landing the #3 spot this year. Located in the city of Cedar Rapids, Kirkwood Community College is a large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $6,176, compared with $8,220 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $15,779 to complete the criminal justice & police science program here. Soon after graduation, criminal justice & police science degree recipients from Kirkwood Community College generally make around $41,681. That is a strong return on a $15,779 median debt.
Students looking for strong value in criminal justice & police science will find it at Iowa Central Community College, which ranked #4. Located in the town of Fort Dodge, Iowa Central Community College is a moderately-sized public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $5,496, while out-of-state students pay about $7,788. Typical student debt for criminal justice & police science graduates is $14,473. Criminal Justice & Police Science graduates of Iowa Central Community College earn a median of $39,121 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Eastern Iowa Community College District is a great value for students pursuing a degree in criminal justice & police science, landing the #5 spot this year. Eastern Iowa Community College District is a large public school located in the city of Davenport. In-state tuition and fees average $4,848, compared with $6,456 for out-of-state students. Criminal Justice & Police Science graduates carry a median of $15,995 in student loans. Soon after graduation, criminal justice & police science degree recipients from Eastern Iowa Community College District generally make around $41,510. Set against $15,995 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Hawkeye Community College earned the #6 position for value in criminal justice & police science this year. Located in the rural area of Waterloo, Hawkeye Community College is a moderately-sized public university. In-state tuition and fees average $6,525, with out-of-state students paying around $6,612. Typical student debt for criminal justice & police science graduates is $11,000. Soon after graduation, criminal justice & police science degree recipients from Hawkeye Community College generally make around $49,572. That is a strong return on a $11,000 median debt.
Des Moines Area Community College placed #7 among the best values for criminal justice & police science. Set in the suburb of Ankeny, Des Moines Area Community College is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $5,790 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $6,690. Criminal Justice & Police Science graduates carry a median of $12,000 in student loans. Early-career criminal justice & police science graduates make about $42,555. Set against $12,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced 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 · 12 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.
