2027 Best Value Criminal Justice Studies Schools in Nebraska

[Criminal Justice Studies](/majors/protective-security-safety-services/criminal-justice-and-corrections/criminal-justice-studies/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. 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 8 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 Nebraska
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 Metropolitan Community College Area this year. Metropolitan Community College Area is a very large public school located in the city of Omaha. In-state tuition and fees average $3,375, compared with $4,950 for out-of-state students. Criminal Justice Studies graduates carry a median of $13,462 in student loans. Soon after graduation, criminal justice studies degree recipients from Metropolitan Community College Area generally make around $28,511. That is a strong return on a $13,462 median debt.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Central Community College earned it the #2 place for criminal justice studies. Located in the city of Grand Island, Central Community College is a large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $3,360, while out-of-state students pay about $4,800. Criminal Justice Studies graduates carry a median of $10,277 in student loans. Soon after graduation, criminal justice studies degree recipients from Central Community College generally make around $43,218. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
A rank of #3 makes Southeast Community College Area one of the best values for criminal justice studies. Set in the city of Lincoln, Southeast Community College Area is a large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $3,444, with out-of-state students paying around $4,032. Criminal Justice Studies graduates carry a median of $14,552 in student loans. Criminal Justice Studies graduates of Southeast Community College Area earn a median of $28,473 early in their careers. Set against $14,552 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Students looking for strong value in criminal justice studies will find it at University Of Nebraska At Omaha, which ranked #4. Located in the city of Omaha, University Of Nebraska At Omaha is a large public university. Students from in state pay about $8,718 in tuition and fees, compared with $23,206 for out-of-state students. Criminal Justice Studies graduates carry a median of $22,561 in student loans. Criminal Justice Studies graduates of University Of Nebraska At Omaha earn a median of $45,897 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 87%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Peru State College earned it the #5 place for criminal justice studies. Peru State College is a small public school located in the rural area of Peru. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $8,433. Students borrow a median of $27,367 to complete the criminal justice studies program here. Criminal Justice Studies graduates of Peru State College earn a median of $38,953 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Wayne State College earned the #6 position for value in criminal justice studies this year. Set in the town of Wayne, Wayne State College is a moderately-sized public institution. Students from in state pay about $8,171 in tuition and fees. Criminal Justice Studies graduates carry a median of $25,000 in student loans. Criminal Justice Studies graduates of Wayne State College earn a median of $41,869 early in their careers. Set against $25,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
University Of Nebraska At Kearney ranked #7 on our 2027 list of the best value criminal justice studies schools. Set in the town of Kearney, University Of Nebraska At Kearney is a moderately-sized public institution. Students from in state pay about $8,564 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $16,484. Students borrow a median of $19,250 to complete the criminal justice studies program here. Early-career criminal justice studies graduates make about $40,128. Set against $19,250 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 90%.
Bellevue University earned the #8 position for value in criminal justice studies this year. Set in the suburb of Bellevue, Bellevue University is a large private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $12,873 in tuition and fees. Criminal Justice Studies graduates carry a median of $27,852 in student loans. Soon after graduation, criminal justice studies degree recipients from Bellevue University generally make around $65,603. That is a strong return on a $27,852 median debt.
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 · 8 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 8 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.