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2022 Best Value Associate Degree Colleges for Criminal Justice Studies in the Plains States Region

14 Ranked Colleges
305 Degrees Awarded
$12,000 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Criminal Justice Studies Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. College Factual has developed its “Best Value Criminal Justice Studies Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

In 2019-2020, 46,252 people earned their degree in criminal justice studies, making the major the 16th most popular in the United States.

Across the Plains States region, there were 2,432 criminal justice studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively. At the associate degree level specifically, there were 305 criminal justice studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $34,069 and $19,434 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Criminal Justice Studies Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region” ranking analyzed 14 colleges that offered a degree in criminal justice studies. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent criminal justice studies programs, but they also cost less that schools of similar quality.

To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as the cost to attend the school after aid is awarded and overall quality of the criminal justice studies program at the school. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

More Ways to Rank Criminal Justice Studies Schools

Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Best Value Criminal Justice Studies Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

To further help you make the college decision, we’ve developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to you. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head! If you don’t have time right now, you can bookmark it for later.

Best Value Criminal Justice Studies Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Criminal Justice Studies Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region.

Top 14 Best Value Associate Degree Colleges for Criminal Justice Studies in the Plains States Region

#1

North Hennepin Community College

Brooklyn Park, Minnesota
#1 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend North Hennepin Community College. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Studies Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region list. North Hennepin Community College is a public institution located in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 27 associates’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at North Hennepin Community College, the school also landed the #1 spot in our “Best Criminal Justice Studies Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for North Hennepin Community College is $10,284 for Plains States Region Associate Degree Criminal Justice Studies students.

Read full report on Criminal Justice Studies at North Hennepin Community College

#2

Century College

White Bear Lake, Minnesota
#2 in overall quality

Out of the 14 schools in the Best Value Criminal Justice Studies Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Century College landed the #2 spot on the list. White Bear Lake, Minnesota is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associates’s criminal justice studies degrees to 24 students in 2019-2020.

Century College also took the #2 spot in our “Best Criminal Justice Studies Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Century College is $10,808 for Plains States Region Associate Degree Criminal Justice Studies students.

Full Century College Criminal Justice Studies Report

#6 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Metropolitan Community College. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Criminal Justice Studies Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region. Omaha, Nebraska is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associates’s criminal justice studies degrees to 56 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our plains states region associate degree criminal justice studies students list, MCC has also earned the #6 rank in our “Best Criminal Justice Studies Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for MCC is $4,295 for plains states region associate degree criminal justice studies students.

Full Metropolitan Community College Criminal Justice Studies Report

#4

Inver Hills Community College

Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota
#5 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Inver Hills Community College. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Studies Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region list. Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associates’s criminal justice studies degrees to 17 students in 2019-2020.

IHCC did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #5 on our “Best Criminal Justice Studies Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Inver Hills Community College is $11,486 for plains states region associate degree criminal justice studies students.

Full Inver Hills Community College Criminal Justice Studies Report

#5

Normandale Community College

Bloomington, Minnesota
#4 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Normandale Community College. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Criminal Justice Studies Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region. Located in Bloomington, Minnesota, this medium-sized public school awarded 12 degrees to qualified associates’s criminal justice studies students in 2019-2020.

Normandale Community College did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #4 on our “Best Criminal Justice Studies Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Normandale Community College is $12,620 for plains states region associate degree criminal justice studies students.

Full Normandale Community College Criminal Justice Studies Report

#8 in overall quality

Rochester Community and Technical College landed the #6 spot on the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Studies Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region ranking. Located in Rochester, Minnesota, this medium-sized public school handed out 9 diplomas to qualified associates’s criminal justice studies students in 2019-2020.

Rochester Community and Technical College also took the #8 spot in our “Best Criminal Justice Studies Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Rochester Community and Technical College is $14,088 for Plains States Region Associate Degree Criminal Justice Studies students.

Full Rochester Community and Technical College Criminal Justice Studies Report

#9 in overall quality

Southeast Community College Area ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Criminal Justice Studies Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region list. Southeast Community College is a public institution located in Lincoln, Nebraska. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 23 associates’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Southeast Community College also made our “Best Criminal Justice Studies Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #9. The estimated yearly cost for Southeast Community College is $9,059 for Plains States Region Associate Degree Criminal Justice Studies students.

Full Southeast Community College Area Criminal Justice Studies Report

#8

Western Dakota Technical Institute

Rapid City, South Dakota
#7 in overall quality

Western Dakota Technical Institute landed the #8 spot on the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Studies Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region ranking. Western Dakota Tech is a public institution located in Rapid City, South Dakota. The school has a small population, and it awarded 16 associates’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Western Dakota Tech not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #7 on our “Best Criminal Justice Studies Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. It costs about $14,388 for plains states region associate degree criminal justice studies students per year to attend Western Dakota Tech.

Full Western Dakota Technical Institute Criminal Justice Studies Report

#10 in overall quality

Des Moines Area Community College ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value Criminal Justice Studies Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region list. Des Moines Area Community College is a public institution located in Ankeny, Iowa. The school has a large population, and it awarded 3 associates’s degrees in 2019-2020.

DMACC also made our “Best Criminal Justice Studies Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #10. The estimated yearly cost for DMACC is $10,076 for plains states region associate degree criminal justice studies students.

Full Des Moines Area Community College Criminal Justice Studies Report

#11 in overall quality

With a ranking of #10, Minneapolis Community and Technical College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Studies Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region list. Minneapolis Community and Technical College is located in Minneapolis, Minnesota and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 25 associates’s criminal justice studies degrees to qualified students.

Minneapolis Community and Technical College also made our “Best Criminal Justice Studies Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #11. The estimated yearly cost for Minneapolis Community and Technical College is $12,376 for Plains States Region Associate Degree Criminal Justice Studies students.

Read more about Criminal Justice Studies at Minneapolis Community and Technical College

#13 in overall quality

With a ranking of #11, Iowa Central Community College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Studies Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region list. Iowa Central Community College is a small school located in Fort Dodge, Iowa that handed out 1 associates’s criminal justice studies degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our plains states region associate degree criminal justice studies students list, Iowa Central Community College has also earned the #13 rank in our “Best Criminal Justice Studies Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Iowa Central Community College is $10,102 for plains states region associate degree criminal justice studies students.

Read full report on Criminal Justice Studies at Iowa Central Community College

#12

Hawkeye Community College

Waterloo, Iowa
#12 in overall quality

Hawkeye Community College ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value Criminal Justice Studies Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region list. Hawkeye Community College is a medium-sized public school situated in Waterloo, Iowa. It awarded 1 associates’s criminal justice studies degrees in 2019-2020.

Hawkeye Community College not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #12 on our “Best Criminal Justice Studies Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Hawkeye Community College is $11,495 for plains states region associate degree criminal justice studies students.

Read full report on Criminal Justice Studies at Hawkeye Community College

#13

Waldorf University

Forest City, Iowa
#3 in overall quality

With a ranking of #13, Waldorf University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Studies Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region list. Waldorf is a private for-profit institution located in Forest City, Iowa. The school has a small population, and it awarded 2 associates’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Waldorf not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #3 on our “Best Criminal Justice Studies Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. It costs about $20,036 for Plains States Region Associate Degree Criminal Justice Studies students per year to attend Waldorf University.

Full Waldorf University Criminal Justice Studies Report

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Notes and References

References

  • 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).
  • Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

  • *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
  • Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.

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