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2022 Best Value Associate Degree Colleges for Criminal Justice in the Great Lakes Region

30 Ranked Colleges
741 Degrees Awarded
$10,000 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

In 2019-2020, 33,568 people earned their degree in criminal justice, making the major the 32nd most popular in the United States.

Across the Great Lakes region, there were 2,365 criminal justice graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively. At the associate degree level specifically, there were 741 criminal justice graduates with average earnings and debt of $32,508 and $17,812 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region” ranking looked at 30 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.

To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as the cost to attend the school after aid is awarded and overall quality of the criminal justice program at the school. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

More Ways to Rank Criminal Justice Schools

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 an Associate in the Great Lakes Region”.

In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region.

Top 25 Best Value Associate Degree Colleges for Criminal Justice in the Great Lakes Region

#1 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Eastern Gateway Community College. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region. Eastern Gateway Community College is a large public school situated in Steubenville, Ohio. It awarded 368 associates’s criminal justice degrees in 2019-2020.

Eastern Gateway Community College also made our “Best Criminal Justice Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #1. It costs about $3,340 for Great Lakes Region Associate Degree Criminal Justice students per year to attend Eastern Gateway Community College.

Read full report on Criminal Justice at Eastern Gateway Community College

#2

Oakland Community College

Bloomfield Hills, Michigan
#3 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Oakland Community College. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region. This fairly large school is located in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, and it awarded 20 associates’s criminal justice degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region associate degree criminal justice students list, Oakland Community College has also earned the #3 rank in our “Best Criminal Justice Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Oakland Community College is $2,825 for great lakes region associate degree criminal justice students.

Full Oakland Community College Criminal Justice Report

#3

Macomb Community College

Warren, Michigan
#5 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Macomb Community College. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region. Macomb Community College is a public institution located in Warren, Michigan. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 19 associates’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Macomb Community College did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #5 on our “Best Criminal Justice Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Macomb Community College is $8,724 for great lakes region associate degree criminal justice students.

Read more about Criminal Justice at Macomb Community College

#4

Southwestern Illinois College

Belleville, Illinois
#12 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Southwestern Illinois College. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region. SWIC is located in Belleville, Illinois and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 21 associates’s criminal justice degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our great lakes region associate degree criminal justice students list, SWIC has also earned the #12 rank in our “Best Criminal Justice Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend SWIC is $7,098 for great lakes region associate degree criminal justice students.

Read full report on Criminal Justice at Southwestern Illinois College

#5

Henry Ford College

Dearborn, Michigan
#9 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Henry Ford College. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region. Located in Dearborn, Michigan, this fairly large public school handed out 33 degrees to qualified associates’s criminal justice students in 2019-2020.

Henry Ford College also took the #9 spot in our “Best Criminal Justice Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Henry Ford College is $3,182 for Great Lakes Region Associate Degree Criminal Justice students.

Read more about Criminal Justice at Henry Ford College

#6

Lake Superior State University

Sault Ste Marie, Michigan
#4 in overall quality

Lake Superior State University landed the #6 spot on the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Lake Superior State University is located in Sault Ste Marie, Michigan and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 25 associates’s criminal justice degrees to qualified students.

Lake Superior State University not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #4 on our “Best Criminal Justice Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Lake Superior State University is $12,398 for great lakes region associate degree criminal justice students.

Full Lake Superior State University Criminal Justice Report

#7

Owens Community College

Perrysburg, Ohio
#11 in overall quality

Owens Community College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #7. Located in Perrysburg, Ohio, this medium-sized public school awarded 16 diplomas to qualified associates’s criminal justice students in 2019-2020.

Owens State Community College did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #11 on our “Best Criminal Justice Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $8,323 for great lakes region associate degree criminal justice students per year to attend Owens State Community College.

Read more about Criminal Justice at Owens Community College

#8

Bay de Noc Community College

Escanaba, Michigan
#16 in overall quality

Bay de Noc Community College came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Bay College is located in Escanaba, Michigan and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 11 associates’s criminal justice degrees to qualified students.

Bay College did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #16 on our “Best Criminal Justice Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Bay de Noc Community College is $8,506 for Great Lakes Region Associate Degree Criminal Justice students.

Read full report on Criminal Justice at Bay College

#9

Triton College

River Grove, Illinois
#13 in overall quality

Triton College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #9. Triton College is a medium-sized school located in River Grove, Illinois that handed out 17 associates’s criminal justice degrees in 2019-2020.

Triton College did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #13 on our “Best Criminal Justice Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Triton College is $4,988 for Great Lakes Region Associate Degree Criminal Justice students.

Read more about Criminal Justice at Triton College

#19 in overall quality

Central Ohio Technical College came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region ranking. This small school is located in Newark, Ohio, and it awarded 9 associates’s criminal justice degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at COTC, the school also landed the #19 spot in our “Best Criminal Justice Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend COTC is $9,612 for Great Lakes Region Associate Degree Criminal Justice students.

Read full report on Criminal Justice at Central Ohio Technical College

#11

Stark State College

North Canton, Ohio
#21 in overall quality

With a ranking of #11, Stark State College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region list. Stark State College is a fairly large public school situated in North Canton, Ohio. It awarded 23 associates’s criminal justice degrees in 2019-2020.

Stark State College also made our “Best Criminal Justice Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #21. The estimated yearly cost for Stark State College is $6,464 for great lakes region associate degree criminal justice students.

Read more about Criminal Justice at Stark State College

#12

Northern Michigan University

Marquette, Michigan
#6 in overall quality

Northern Michigan University came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Northern Michigan University is located in Marquette, Michigan and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 7 associates’s criminal justice degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our great lakes region associate degree criminal justice students list, Northern Michigan University has also earned the #6 rank in our “Best Criminal Justice Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Northern Michigan University is $15,453 for Great Lakes Region Associate Degree Criminal Justice students.

Read full report on Criminal Justice at Northern Michigan University

#13

Ashland University

Ashland, Ohio
#2 in overall quality

Ashland University came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Ashland, Ohio is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out associates’s criminal justice degrees to 3 students in 2019-2020.

Ashland also made our “Best Criminal Justice Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #2. The estimated yearly cost for Ashland is $20,111 for Great Lakes Region Associate Degree Criminal Justice students.

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%.

Full Ashland University Criminal Justice Report

#14

Kellogg Community College

Battle Creek, Michigan
#23 in overall quality

Kellogg Community College came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Battle Creek, Michigan is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associates’s criminal justice degrees to 1 students in 2019-2020.

Kellogg Community College also made our “Best Criminal Justice Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #23. The yearly cost to attend Kellogg Community College is $8,020 for Great Lakes Region Associate Degree Criminal Justice students.

Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read full report on Criminal Justice at Kellogg Community College

#15

St Clair County Community College

Port Huron, Michigan
#17 in overall quality

St Clair County Community College ranked #15 on this year’s Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region list. St Clair County Community College is located in Port Huron, Michigan and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 26 associates’s criminal justice degrees to qualified students.

SC4 not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #17 on our “Best Criminal Justice Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend SC4 is $4,892 for Great Lakes Region Associate Degree Criminal Justice students.

Read full report on Criminal Justice at St Clair County Community College

#16

Northwestern Michigan College

Traverse City, Michigan
#24 in overall quality

With a ranking of #16, Northwestern Michigan College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region list. This small school is located in Traverse City, Michigan, and it awarded 8 associates’s criminal justice degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region associate degree criminal justice students list, NMC has also earned the #24 rank in our “Best Criminal Justice Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $9,563 for Great Lakes Region Associate Degree Criminal Justice students per year to attend Northwestern Michigan College.

Read more about Criminal Justice at NMC

#18 in overall quality

Bryant & Stratton College - Wauwatosa ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region list. Bryant & Stratton College - Wauwatosa is a private for-profit institution located in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin. The school has a small population, and it awarded 12 associates’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region associate degree criminal justice students list, Bryant & Stratton College - Wauwatosa has also earned the #18 rank in our “Best Criminal Justice Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Bryant & Stratton College - Wauwatosa is $13,983 for great lakes region associate degree criminal justice students.

Full Bryant & Stratton College - Wauwatosa Criminal Justice Report

#18

Alpena Community College

Alpena, Michigan

Alpena Community College landed the #18 spot on the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region ranking. This small school is located in Alpena, Michigan, and it awarded 4 associates’s criminal justice degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Alpena Community College is $3,334 for Great Lakes Region Associate Degree Criminal Justice students.

Full Alpena Community College Criminal Justice Report

#19

Kaskaskia College

Centralia, Illinois
#22 in overall quality

Kaskaskia College ranked #19 on this year’s Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region list. Kaskaskia College is a small school located in Centralia, Illinois that handed out 17 associates’s criminal justice degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region associate degree criminal justice students list, Kaskaskia College has also earned the #22 rank in our “Best Criminal Justice Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Kaskaskia College is $6,574 for great lakes region associate degree criminal justice students.

Full Kaskaskia College Criminal Justice Report

#14 in overall quality

University of Akron Main Campus did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #20. Located in Akron, Ohio, this fairly large public school awarded 17 diplomas to qualified associates’s criminal justice students in 2019-2020.

University of Akron Main Campus also took the #14 spot in our “Best Criminal Justice Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Akron Main Campus is $17,792 for great lakes region associate degree criminal justice students.

Read more about Criminal Justice at University of Akron Main Campus

With a ranking of #21, Calumet College of Saint Joseph did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region list. CCSJ is a private not-for-profit institution located in Whiting, Indiana. The school has a small population, and it awarded 5 associates’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for CCSJ is $10,275 for great lakes region associate degree criminal justice students.

Read full report on Criminal Justice at CCSJ

#20 in overall quality

Miami University - Hamilton did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #22. Miami University - Hamilton is a public institution located in Hamilton, Ohio. The school has a small population, and it awarded 4 associates’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Miami University - Hamilton not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #20 on our “Best Criminal Justice Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $11,559 for great lakes region associate degree criminal justice students per year to attend Miami University - Hamilton.

Full Miami University - Hamilton Criminal Justice Report

Bryant & Stratton College - Parma came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Bryant & Stratton College - Parma is located in Parma, Ohio and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 4 associates’s criminal justice degrees to qualified students.

The estimated yearly cost for Bryant & Stratton College - Parma is $15,429 for Great Lakes Region Associate Degree Criminal Justice students.

With a freshman retention rate of 100%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on Criminal Justice at Bryant & Stratton College - Parma

#24

Concordia University, Wisconsin

Mequon, Wisconsin
#10 in overall quality

Concordia University, Wisconsin did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #24. Located in Mequon, Wisconsin, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school awarded 1 diplomas to qualified associates’s criminal justice students in 2019-2020.

Concordia University, Wisconsin also made our “Best Criminal Justice Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #10. The yearly cost to attend Concordia University, Wisconsin is $23,855 for Great Lakes Region Associate Degree Criminal Justice students.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Criminal Justice at Concordia University, Wisconsin

#25

Miami University - Middletown

Middletown, Ohio
#25 in overall quality

Miami University - Middletown came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Miami University - Middletown is a small public school situated in Middletown, Ohio. It awarded 1 associates’s criminal justice degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Miami University - Middletown, the school also landed the #25 spot in our “Best Criminal Justice Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Miami University - Middletown is $14,630 for great lakes region associate degree criminal justice students.

Read more about Criminal Justice at Miami University - Middletown

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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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