2027 Best Value Criminal Justice Studies Schools in Kansas
[Criminal Justice Studies](/majors/protective-security-safety-services/criminal-justice-and-corrections/criminal-justice-studies/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
To produce this 2027 ranking, College Factual evaluated 5 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 Kansas
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
Our analysis ranked Fort Hays State University the best value for a degree in criminal justice studies in Kansas. Fort Hays State University is a large public school located in the town of Hays. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $5,923, with out-of-state students paying around $17,741. Students borrow a median of $28,750 to complete the criminal justice studies program here. Criminal Justice Studies graduates of Fort Hays State University earn a median of $42,428 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Fort Hays State University admits about 90% of applicants.
Wichita State University came in at #2 on our 2027 list of the best value criminal justice studies schools. Located in the city of Wichita, Wichita State University is a large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $9,684, with out-of-state students paying around $19,869. Criminal Justice Studies graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Soon after graduation, criminal justice studies degree recipients from Wichita State University generally make around $44,013. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 94% of applicants are accepted.
Butler Community College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in criminal justice studies, landing the #3 spot this year. Located in the town of El Dorado, Butler Community College is a moderately-sized public university. In-state tuition and fees average $3,541, compared with $6,271 for out-of-state students. Criminal Justice Studies graduates carry a median of $16,670 in student loans. Soon after graduation, criminal justice studies degree recipients from Butler Community College generally make around $39,404. Set against $16,670 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Pittsburg State University came in at #4 on our 2027 list of the best value criminal justice studies schools. Pittsburg State University is a moderately-sized public school located in the town of Pittsburg. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $8,400, with out-of-state students paying around $19,744. Criminal Justice Studies graduates carry a median of $24,843 in student loans. Early-career criminal justice studies graduates make about $50,003. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Pittsburg State University admits about 89% of applicants.
A rank of #5 makes Southwestern College one of the best values for criminal justice studies. Southwestern College is a small private not-for-profit school located in the town of Winfield. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $39,822. Typical student debt for criminal justice studies graduates is $26,874. Criminal Justice Studies graduates of Southwestern College earn a median of $60,820 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $26,874 median debt. Southwestern College admits about 76% of applicants.
More Criminal Justice Studies Rankings
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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.
