2027 Best Value Criminal Justice Studies Schools in Alabama
[Criminal Justice Studies](/majors/protective-security-safety-services/criminal-justice-and-corrections/criminal-justice-studies/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. 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 criminal justice studies students.
What’s on this page:
2027 Best Value Criminal Justice Studies Schools in Alabama
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the criminal justice studies degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Criminal Justice Studies Schools
For return on investment in criminal justice studies, no school beat Auburn University At Montgomery this year. Auburn University At Montgomery is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Montgomery. Students from in state pay about $9,700 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $20,668. Typical student debt for criminal justice studies graduates is $25,635. Criminal Justice Studies graduates of Auburn University At Montgomery earn a median of $38,710 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Auburn University At Montgomery admits about 92% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in criminal justice studies will find it at Jacksonville State University, which ranked #2. Jacksonville State University is a large public school located in the suburb of Jacksonville. Students from in state pay about $12,894 in tuition and fees, compared with $23,334 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for criminal justice studies graduates is $27,192. Early-career criminal justice studies graduates make about $33,879. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 78% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #3 makes Troy University one of the best values for criminal justice studies. Located in the town of Troy, Troy University is a large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $10,176, while out-of-state students pay about $20,352. Typical student debt for criminal justice studies graduates is $25,000. Criminal Justice Studies graduates of Troy University earn a median of $43,451 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $25,000 median debt. Roughly 96% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Alabama State University earned it the #4 place for criminal justice studies. Set in the city of Montgomery, Alabama State University is a mid-sized public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $11,248, with out-of-state students paying around $19,576. Typical student debt for criminal justice studies graduates is $32,261. Early-career criminal justice studies graduates make about $32,898. That is a strong return on a $32,261 median debt. Roughly 98% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #5 makes Faulkner University one of the best values for criminal justice studies. Set in the city of Montgomery, Faulkner University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $23,920. Typical student debt for criminal justice studies graduates is $28,250. Soon after graduation, criminal justice studies degree recipients from Faulkner University generally make around $60,669. Set against $28,250 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Faulkner University admits about 73% of applicants.
More Criminal Justice Studies Rankings
View All Criminal Justice Studies Rankings >
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.
