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2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Studies Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region

15 Ranked Colleges
326 Degrees Awarded
$20,400 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees*
Best Value Criminal Justice Studies Schools for a Master's in the Great Lakes Region

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Best Value Criminal Justice Studies Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region” ranking is part of that endeavor.

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 Great Lakes region, there were 6,031 criminal justice studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively. At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 326 criminal justice studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $57,039 and $42,488 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Criminal Justice Studies Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region” ranking analyzed 15 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.

Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the criminal justice studies program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value Criminal Justice Studies Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. 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 a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Criminal Justice Studies Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region.

Top 15 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Criminal Justice Studies in the Great Lakes Region

#1

Xavier University

Cincinnati, Ohio
#2 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Xavier University. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Studies Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region list. Cincinnati, Ohio is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s criminal justice studies degrees to 18 students in 2019-2020.

Xavier also took the #2 spot in our “Best Criminal Justice Studies Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Xavier University are $12,076, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Full Xavier Criminal Justice Studies Report

#2

Illinois State University

Normal, Illinois
#6 in overall quality

Out of the 15 schools in the Best Value Criminal Justice Studies Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Illinois State University landed the #2 spot on the list. Illinois State University is a public institution located in Normal, Illinois. The school has a large population, and it awarded 7 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Illinois State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #6 on our “Best Criminal Justice Studies Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at Illinois State University are $11,069, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read full report on Criminal Justice Studies at Illinois State

#3

Lewis University

Romeoville, Illinois
#3 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Lewis University. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Studies Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region list. Lewis is located in Romeoville, Illinois and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 18 masters’s criminal justice studies degrees to qualified students.

Lewis did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #3 on our “Best Criminal Justice Studies Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at Lewis University are $14,780, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read full report on Criminal Justice Studies at Lewis

#4

University of Wisconsin - Platteville

Platteville, Wisconsin
#4 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Wisconsin - Platteville. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Studies Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region list. Located in Platteville, Wisconsin, this medium-sized public school awarded 39 diplomas to qualified masters’s criminal justice studies students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UW - Platteville, the school also landed the #4 spot in our “Best Criminal Justice Studies Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at UW - Platteville are $18,226, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read more about Criminal Justice Studies at UW - Platteville

#5

Youngstown State University

Youngstown, Ohio
#13 in overall quality

Out of the 15 schools in the Best Value Criminal Justice Studies Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Youngstown State University landed the #5 spot on the list. Youngstown State University is a fairly large school located in Youngstown, Ohio that handed out 8 masters’s criminal justice studies degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region master’s degree criminal justice studies students list, Youngstown State University has also earned the #13 rank in our “Best Criminal Justice Studies Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Youngstown State University are $9,495.

Read full report on Criminal Justice Studies at Youngstown State University

#1 in overall quality

With a ranking of #6, University of Cincinnati - Main Campus did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Studies Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region list. University of Cincinnati - Main Campus is a large public school situated in Cincinnati, Ohio. It awarded 121 masters’s criminal justice studies degrees in 2019-2020.

UC did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #1 on our “Best Criminal Justice Studies Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at University of Cincinnati - Main Campus are $26,644.

Read full report on Criminal Justice Studies at UC

#7

Governors State University

University Park, Illinois
#12 in overall quality

Governors State University landed the #7 spot on the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Studies Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking. University Park, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s criminal justice studies degrees to 6 students in 2019-2020.

GSU also made our “Best Criminal Justice Studies Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #12. Average graduate tuition and fees at Governors State University are $14,674, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Full Governors State University Criminal Justice Studies Report

#8

Loyola University Chicago

Chicago, Illinois
#7 in overall quality

Loyola University Chicago ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Criminal Justice Studies Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region list. Loyola University Chicago is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 11 masters’s criminal justice studies degrees in 2019-2020.

Loyola Chicago not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #7 on our “Best Criminal Justice Studies Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at Loyola Chicago are $19,154, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read full report on Criminal Justice Studies at Loyola Chicago

#8 in overall quality

With a ranking of #9, University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Studies Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region list. UWM is located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 12 masters’s criminal justice studies degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UWM, the school also landed the #8 spot in our “Best Criminal Justice Studies Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at UWM are $25,295.

Read full report on Criminal Justice Studies at University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee

#5 in overall quality

University of Illinois at Chicago ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value Criminal Justice Studies Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region list. University of Illinois at Chicago is located in Chicago, Illinois and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 9 masters’s criminal justice studies degrees to qualified students.

UIC not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #5 on our “Best Criminal Justice Studies Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at UIC are $27,036.

Read more about Criminal Justice Studies at University of Illinois at Chicago

#10 in overall quality

With a ranking of #11, University of Michigan - Dearborn did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Studies Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region list. Dearborn, Michigan is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s criminal justice studies degrees to 11 students in 2019-2020.

UM Dearborn also made our “Best Criminal Justice Studies Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #10. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at UM Dearborn are $25,072.

Full UM Dearborn Criminal Justice Studies Report

#11 in overall quality

Kent State University at Kent landed the #12 spot on the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Studies Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Located in Kent, Ohio, this large public school awarded 17 diplomas to qualified masters’s criminal justice studies students in 2019-2020.

Kent State also made our “Best Criminal Justice Studies Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #11. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Kent State University at Kent are $21,952.

Read full report on Criminal Justice Studies at Kent State

#13

University of Toledo

Toledo, Ohio
#9 in overall quality

University of Toledo did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Studies Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #13. University of Toledo is located in Toledo, Ohio and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 12 masters’s criminal justice studies degrees to qualified students.

University of Toledo did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #9 on our “Best Criminal Justice Studies Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Toledo are $27,067, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read more about Criminal Justice Studies at University of Toledo

#14

Chicago State University

Chicago, Illinois
#15 in overall quality

Chicago State University ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value Criminal Justice Studies Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region list. CSU is a small public school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 12 masters’s criminal justice studies degrees in 2019-2020.

CSU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #15 on our “Best Criminal Justice Studies Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at Chicago State University are $15,056, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read more about Criminal Justice Studies at Chicago State University

#15

Wayne State University

Detroit, Michigan
#14 in overall quality

With a ranking of #15, Wayne State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Studies Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region list. Located in Detroit, Michigan, this large public school awarded 17 degrees to qualified masters’s criminal justice studies students in 2019-2020.

Wayne State also made our “Best Criminal Justice Studies Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #14. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Wayne State University are $37,215.

Full Wayne State 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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