2027 Best Value Criminal Justice Studies Schools in Missouri
[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. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong criminal justice studies education at a price that pays off.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 7 schools to find the best return on investment for criminal justice studies students.
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2027 Best Value Criminal Justice Studies Schools in Missouri
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
Leading the list is Truman State University, our #1 best value for criminal justice studies in Missouri. Located in the town of Kirksville, Truman State University is a mid-sized public university. In-state tuition and fees average $9,838, while out-of-state students pay about $18,566. Typical student debt for criminal justice studies graduates is $21,997. Early-career criminal justice studies graduates make about $32,176. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 84% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in criminal justice studies will find it at Harris Stowe State University, which ranked #2. Located in the city of Saint Louis, Harris Stowe State University is a small public university. Students from in state pay about $7,008 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $11,640. Criminal Justice Studies graduates carry a median of $32,000 in student loans. Early-career criminal justice studies graduates make about $34,108. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Missouri Western State University came in at #3 on our 2027 list of the best value criminal justice studies schools. Located in the city of Saint Joseph, Missouri Western State University is a mid-sized public university. Students from in state pay about $9,545 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $18,455. Criminal Justice Studies graduates carry a median of $20,149 in student loans. Criminal Justice Studies graduates of Missouri Western State University earn a median of $39,808 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $20,149 median debt.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Southeast Missouri State University earned it the #4 place for criminal justice studies. Located in the city of Cape Girardeau, Southeast Missouri State University is a large public university. Students from in state pay about $9,903 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $26,625 to complete the criminal justice studies program here. Early-career criminal justice studies graduates make about $36,537. That is a strong return on a $26,625 median debt. Roughly 74% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in criminal justice studies will find it at Lindenwood University, which ranked #5. Lindenwood University is a large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Saint Charles. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $21,600. Typical student debt for criminal justice studies graduates is $27,000. Criminal Justice Studies graduates of Lindenwood University earn a median of $36,253 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. Lindenwood University admits about 57% of applicants.
Saint Louis University Main Campus placed #6 among the best values for criminal justice studies. Set in the city of Saint Louis, Saint Louis University Main Campus is a large private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $55,760 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $23,694 to complete the criminal justice studies program here. Criminal Justice Studies graduates of Saint Louis University Main Campus earn a median of $45,709 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $23,694 median debt. Saint Louis University Main Campus admits about 75% of applicants.
Webster University earned the #7 position for value in criminal justice studies this year. Webster University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Saint Louis. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $31,750. Students borrow a median of $25,939 to complete the criminal justice studies program here. Soon after graduation, criminal justice studies degree recipients from Webster University generally make around $57,152. Set against $25,939 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Webster University admits about 86% of applicants.
More Criminal Justice Studies Rankings
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 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 · 7 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 7 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.
