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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Criminal Justice (Income $30-$48k) in the Great Lakes Region

29 Ranked Colleges
1,328 Degrees Awarded
$14,600 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor's in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking is part of that endeavor.

Criminal Justice is the 32nd most popular major in the country with 33,568 degrees awarded in 2019-2020.

Across the Great Lakes region, there were 2,365 criminal justice graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 1,328 criminal justice graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,075 and $25,381 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking looked at 29 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in criminal justice. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great criminal justice programs and cost less that schools of similar quality.

When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the criminal justice program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

One Size Does Not Fit All

The criminal justice school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k”.

To further help you make the college decision, we’ve developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to you. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head! If you don’t have time right now, you can bookmark it for later.

Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Criminal Justice (Income $30-$48k) in the Great Lakes Region

#1

Franklin University

Columbus, Ohio
#22 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Franklin University. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Franklin University is a medium-sized school located in Columbus, Ohio that handed out 20 bachelors’s criminal justice degrees in 2019-2020.

Franklin University not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #22 on our “Best Criminal Justice Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Franklin University is $11,992 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Criminal Justice students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about Criminal Justice at Franklin University

#8 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k. IUPUI is a large public school situated in Indianapolis, Indiana. It awarded 1 bachelors’s criminal justice degrees in 2019-2020.

IUPUI not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #8 on our “Best Criminal Justice Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $6,315 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree criminal justice students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis.

Read more about Criminal Justice at Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis

#3

Ferris State University

Big Rapids, Michigan
#5 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Ferris State University. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Big Rapids, Michigan, this fairly large public school handed out 46 degrees to qualified bachelors’s criminal justice students in 2019-2020.

Ferris did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #5 on our “Best Criminal Justice Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Ferris is $10,521 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree criminal justice students whose families make $30-$48k.

Full Ferris Criminal Justice Report

#4

Grand Valley State University

Allendale, Michigan
#4 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Grand Valley State University. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Allendale, Michigan is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s criminal justice degrees to 165 students in 2019-2020.

GVSU also made our “Best Criminal Justice Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #4. The estimated yearly cost for Grand Valley State University is $12,459 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree criminal justice students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Criminal Justice at Grand Valley State University

#5

Oakland University

Rochester Hills, Michigan
#13 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Oakland University. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k. Oakland is a fairly large public school situated in Rochester Hills, Michigan. It awarded 3 bachelors’s criminal justice degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree criminal justice students whose families make $30-$48k list, Oakland has also earned the #13 rank in our “Best Criminal Justice Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $7,751 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree criminal justice students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Oakland.

Read more about Criminal Justice at Oakland University

#6

Western Illinois University

Macomb, Illinois
#3 in overall quality

With a ranking of #6, Western Illinois University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. This medium-sized school is located in Macomb, Illinois, and it awarded 291 bachelors’s criminal justice degrees in 2019-2020.

WIU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #3 on our “Best Criminal Justice Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Western Illinois University is $14,526 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree criminal justice students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Criminal Justice at WIU

#6

Indiana University - East

Richmond, Indiana
#25 in overall quality

With a ranking of #6, Indiana University - East did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Indiana University - East is a small public school situated in Richmond, Indiana. It awarded 47 bachelors’s criminal justice degrees in 2019-2020.

IU East also took the #25 spot in our “Best Criminal Justice Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $5,002 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree criminal justice students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend IU East.

Read more about Criminal Justice at IU East

#8

Lake Superior State University

Sault Ste Marie, Michigan
#16 in overall quality

Lake Superior State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #8. Lake Superior State University is a public institution located in Sault Ste Marie, Michigan. The school has a small population, and it awarded 42 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Lake Superior State University also made our “Best Criminal Justice Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #16. The yearly cost to attend Lake Superior State University is $9,640 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Criminal Justice students whose families make $30-$48k.

Full Lake Superior State University Criminal Justice Report

#9

Michigan State University

East Lansing, Michigan
#2 in overall quality

Michigan State University came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. East Lansing, Michigan is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s criminal justice degrees to 139 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree criminal justice students whose families make $30-$48k list, Michigan State has also earned the #2 rank in our “Best Criminal Justice Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $15,197 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree criminal justice students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Michigan State.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The student loan default rate at the school is 3.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Criminal Justice at Michigan State University

#11 in overall quality

Southern Illinois University Carbondale landed the #10 spot on the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Carbondale, Illinois is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s criminal justice degrees to 2 students in 2019-2020.

SIUC not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #11 on our “Best Criminal Justice Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $14,306 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree criminal justice students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend SIUC.

Read more about Criminal Justice at SIUC

#11

Ashland University

Ashland, Ohio
#7 in overall quality

Ashland University ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Ashland, Ohio, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 28 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s criminal justice students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Ashland, the school also landed the #7 spot in our “Best Criminal Justice Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $16,844 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree criminal justice students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Ashland University.

The low student loan default rate of 4.0% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on Criminal Justice at Ashland University

#12

University of St Francis

Joliet, Illinois
#19 in overall quality

University of St Francis did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #12. University of Saint Francis is located in Joliet, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 14 bachelors’s criminal justice degrees to qualified students.

University of Saint Francis also made our “Best Criminal Justice Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #19. The estimated yearly cost for University of St Francis is $11,229 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree criminal justice students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full University of St Francis Criminal Justice Report

With a ranking of #13, Miami University - Hamilton did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Hamilton, Ohio is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s criminal justice degrees to 18 students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Miami University - Hamilton is $9,820 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Criminal Justice students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about Criminal Justice at Miami University - Hamilton

Calumet College of Saint Joseph landed the #14 spot on the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Calumet College of Saint Joseph is located in Whiting, Indiana and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 43 bachelors’s criminal justice degrees to qualified students.

It costs about $9,161 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Criminal Justice students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Calumet College of Saint Joseph.

Read full report on Criminal Justice at CCSJ

#15

Elmhurst University

Elmhurst, Illinois
#10 in overall quality

Elmhurst University ranked #15 on this year’s Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Elmhurst is located in Elmhurst, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 7 bachelors’s criminal justice degrees to qualified students.

Elmhurst also made our “Best Criminal Justice Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #10. It costs about $17,837 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Criminal Justice students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Elmhurst.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Criminal Justice at Elmhurst University

#16

Miami University - Middletown

Middletown, Ohio

Miami University - Middletown came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This small school is located in Middletown, Ohio, and it awarded 5 bachelors’s criminal justice degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $13,275 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree criminal justice students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Miami University - Middletown.

Read full report on Criminal Justice at Miami University - Middletown

#17

Bradley University

Peoria, Illinois
#6 in overall quality

With a ranking of #17, Bradley University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Peoria, Illinois, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school awarded 12 degrees to qualified bachelors’s criminal justice students in 2019-2020.

Bradley not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #6 on our “Best Criminal Justice Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $18,232 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree criminal justice students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Bradley University.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Criminal Justice at Bradley

#18

Carroll University

Waukesha, Wisconsin
#9 in overall quality

Carroll University landed the #18 spot on the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This small school is located in Waukesha, Wisconsin, and it awarded 13 bachelors’s criminal justice degrees in 2019-2020.

Carroll U also took the #9 spot in our “Best Criminal Justice Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Carroll University is $20,156 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree criminal justice students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Criminal Justice at Carroll University

#19

Heidelberg University

Tiffin, Ohio
#14 in overall quality

Heidelberg University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #19. This small school is located in Tiffin, Ohio, and it awarded 4 bachelors’s criminal justice degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Heidelburg College, the school also landed the #14 spot in our “Best Criminal Justice Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Heidelburg College is $16,683 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree criminal justice students whose families make $30-$48k.

Full Heidelburg College Criminal Justice Report

#20

Concordia University, Wisconsin

Mequon, Wisconsin
#18 in overall quality

With a ranking of #20, Concordia University, Wisconsin did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Concordia University, Wisconsin is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Mequon, Wisconsin. It awarded 13 bachelors’s criminal justice degrees in 2019-2020.

Concordia University, Wisconsin also made our “Best Criminal Justice Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #18. The yearly cost to attend Concordia University, Wisconsin is $20,893 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree criminal justice students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low student loan default rate of 4.6% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on Criminal Justice at Concordia University, Wisconsin

#21

Trine University

Angola, Indiana
#21 in overall quality

Trine University came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Angola, Indiana is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s criminal justice degrees to 28 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Trine, the school also landed the #21 spot in our “Best Criminal Justice Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Trine University is $19,821 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Criminal Justice students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Trine University Criminal Justice Report

#22

The University of Findlay

Findlay, Ohio
#15 in overall quality

The University of Findlay ranked #22 on this year’s Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Findlay, Ohio is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s criminal justice degrees to 12 students in 2019-2020.

Findlay also made our “Best Criminal Justice Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #15. It costs about $21,661 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree criminal justice students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Findlay.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Criminal Justice at Findlay

#23

Tiffin University

Tiffin, Ohio
#23 in overall quality

Tiffin University landed the #23 spot on the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in Tiffin, Ohio, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 46 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s criminal justice students in 2019-2020.

Tiffin University did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #23 on our “Best Criminal Justice Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Tiffin University is $19,908 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Criminal Justice students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Criminal Justice at Tiffin University

#24

Lake Erie College

Painesville, Ohio

With a ranking of #24, Lake Erie College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. This small school is located in Painesville, Ohio, and it awarded 6 bachelors’s criminal justice degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Lake Erie College is $19,291 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Criminal Justice students whose families make $30-$48k.

Full LEC Criminal Justice Report

#25

Adrian College

Adrian, Michigan
#12 in overall quality

Adrian College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #25. Adrian, Michigan is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s criminal justice degrees to 18 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree criminal justice students whose families make $30-$48k list, Adrian has also earned the #12 rank in our “Best Criminal Justice Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Adrian is $22,609 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree criminal justice students whose families make $30-$48k.

Full Adrian Criminal Justice Report

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Notes and References

References

  • 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).
  • Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

  • *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
  • Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.

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