2026 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. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
College Factual analyzed 9 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value criminal justice studies schools.
What’s on this page:
2026 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
Troy University tops our 2026 list of the best value criminal justice studies schools in Alabama. Troy University is a large public school located in the town of Troy. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $10,176, while out-of-state students pay about $20,352. Criminal Justice Studies graduates carry a median of $25,000 in student loans. Criminal Justice Studies graduates of Troy University earn a median of $43,451 early in their careers. Set against $25,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 96%.
Alabama State University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in criminal justice studies, landing the #2 spot this year. Located in the city of Montgomery, Alabama State University is a mid-sized public university. Students from in state pay about $11,248 in tuition and fees, compared with $19,576 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $32,261 to complete the criminal justice studies program here. Early-career criminal justice studies graduates make about $32,898. Set against $32,261 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 98%.
Students looking for strong value in criminal justice studies will find it at Auburn University At Montgomery, which ranked #3. Located in the city of Montgomery, Auburn University At Montgomery is a moderately-sized public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,700, with out-of-state students paying around $20,668. Students borrow a median of $25,635 to complete the criminal justice studies program here. Soon after graduation, criminal justice studies degree recipients from Auburn University At Montgomery generally make around $38,710. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 92%.
Students looking for strong value in criminal justice studies will find it at Jacksonville State University, which ranked #4. Jacksonville State University is a large public school located in the suburb of Jacksonville. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $12,894, compared with $23,334 for out-of-state students. Criminal Justice Studies graduates carry a median of $27,192 in student loans. Criminal Justice Studies graduates of Jacksonville State University earn a median of $33,879 early in their careers. Set against $27,192 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 78% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in criminal justice studies will find it at Faulkner University, which ranked #5. Faulkner University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Montgomery. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $23,920. Students borrow a median of $28,250 to complete the criminal justice studies program here. Criminal Justice Studies graduates of Faulkner University earn a median of $60,669 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 73%.
More Criminal Justice Studies Rankings
View All Criminal Justice Studies Rankings >
Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 9 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 6 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.
