2027 Best Value Criminal Justice Studies Schools in West Virginia
[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 schools below stand out for delivering a strong criminal justice studies education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2027 ranking, College Factual evaluated 9 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for criminal justice studies students.
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2027 Best Value Criminal Justice Studies Schools in West Virginia
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in criminal justice studies, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Criminal Justice Studies Schools
West Virginia University At Parkersburg earned the #1 spot for value among criminal justice studies schools in West Virginia. Located in the rural area of Parkersburg, West Virginia University At Parkersburg is a mid-sized public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $5,476, while out-of-state students pay about $9,424. Criminal Justice Studies graduates carry a median of $15,595 in student loans. Criminal Justice Studies graduates of West Virginia University At Parkersburg earn a median of $45,400 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Marshall University earned it the #2 place for criminal justice studies. Set in the city of Huntington, Marshall University is a large public institution. Students from in state pay about $9,162 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $20,342. Typical student debt for criminal justice studies graduates is $25,873. Criminal Justice Studies graduates of Marshall University earn a median of $32,747 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 96% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Blue Ridge Community And Technical College earned it the #3 place for criminal justice studies. Set in the rural area of Martinsburg, Blue Ridge Community And Technical College is a moderately-sized public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $4,752, while out-of-state students pay about $8,808. Typical student debt for criminal justice studies graduates is $12,000. Criminal Justice Studies graduates of Blue Ridge Community And Technical College earn a median of $41,032 early in their careers. Set against $12,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Fairmont State University came in at #4 on our 2027 list of the best value criminal justice studies schools. Located in the town of Fairmont, Fairmont State University is a mid-sized public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $8,708, while out-of-state students pay about $18,924. Criminal Justice Studies graduates carry a median of $25,557 in student loans. Early-career criminal justice studies graduates make about $36,490. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Fairmont State University admits about 99% of applicants.
American Public University System is a great value for students pursuing a degree in criminal justice studies, landing the #5 spot this year. Located in the town of Charles Town, American Public University System is a very large private for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $8,400. Typical student debt for criminal justice studies graduates is $21,243. Early-career criminal justice studies graduates make about $62,012. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Potomac State College Of West Virginia University ranked #6 on our 2027 list of the best value criminal justice studies schools. Potomac State College Of West Virginia University is a small public school located in the town of Keyser. Students from in state pay about $5,280 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $13,200. Typical student debt for criminal justice studies graduates is $19,858. Soon after graduation, criminal justice studies degree recipients from Potomac State College Of West Virginia University generally make around $42,670. That is a strong return on a $19,858 median debt.
West Virginia State University earned the #7 position for value in criminal justice studies this year. West Virginia State University is a mid-sized public school located in the suburb of Institute. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,570, with out-of-state students paying around $14,990. Students borrow a median of $25,860 to complete the criminal justice studies program here. Soon after graduation, criminal justice studies degree recipients from West Virginia State University generally make around $39,056. Set against $25,860 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 96% of applicants are accepted.
Salem International University earned the #8 position for value in criminal justice studies this year. Salem International University is a small private for-profit school located in the rural area of Salem. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $12,070. Criminal Justice Studies graduates carry a median of $30,949 in student loans. Early-career criminal justice studies graduates make about $25,665. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
West Virginia Wesleyan College earned the #9 position for value in criminal justice studies this year. Located in the town of Buckhannon, West Virginia Wesleyan College is a small private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $34,090. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the criminal justice studies program here. Soon after graduation, criminal justice studies degree recipients from West Virginia Wesleyan College generally make around $31,400. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 93% of applicants are accepted.
More Criminal Justice Studies Rankings
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced 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 · 9 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 9 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.
