2027 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools in Indiana

[Criminal Justice](/majors/protective-security-safety-services/criminal-justice-and-corrections/criminal-justice/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
College Factual analyzed 10 schools to build this 2027 ranking of the best value criminal justice schools.
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2027 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools in Indiana
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in criminal justice, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Criminal Justice Schools
For return on investment in criminal justice, no school beat Indiana University Kokomo this year. Located in the city of Kokomo, Indiana University Kokomo is a moderately-sized public university. In-state tuition and fees average $8,424, while out-of-state students pay about $22,811. Students borrow a median of $25,000 to complete the criminal justice program here. Soon after graduation, criminal justice degree recipients from Indiana University Kokomo generally make around $39,833. That is a strong return on a $25,000 median debt. The acceptance rate is 86%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Indiana University Northwest earned it the #2 place for criminal justice. Located in the suburb of Gary, Indiana University Northwest is a moderately-sized public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $8,424, compared with $22,811 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for criminal justice graduates is $24,471. Early-career criminal justice graduates make about $48,925. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Indiana University Northwest admits about 73% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Purdue University Global earned it the #3 place for criminal justice. Located in the city of West Lafayette, Purdue University Global is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $10,101 in tuition and fees, compared with $14,412 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $25,137 to complete the criminal justice program here. Soon after graduation, criminal justice degree recipients from Purdue University Global generally make around $52,005. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Students looking for strong value in criminal justice will find it at Indiana University Southeast, which ranked #4. Located in the suburb of New Albany, Indiana University Southeast is a moderately-sized public university. In-state tuition and fees average $8,424, with out-of-state students paying around $22,811. Students borrow a median of $23,950 to complete the criminal justice program here. Soon after graduation, criminal justice degree recipients from Indiana University Southeast generally make around $41,898. Set against $23,950 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 84% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #5 makes Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis one of the best values for criminal justice. Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis is a very large public school located in the city of Indianapolis. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $10,762, compared with $34,891 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for criminal justice graduates is $20,300. Early-career criminal justice graduates make about $46,011. Set against $20,300 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 76%.
Indiana University East earned the #6 position for value in criminal justice this year. Indiana University East is a moderately-sized public school located in the town of Richmond. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $8,424, with out-of-state students paying around $22,811. Typical student debt for criminal justice graduates is $28,686. Early-career criminal justice graduates make about $45,204. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Indiana University East admits about 67% of applicants.
University Of Southern Indiana earned the #7 position for value in criminal justice this year. Set in the suburb of Evansville, University Of Southern Indiana is a large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $10,066, with out-of-state students paying around $22,907. Criminal Justice graduates carry a median of $20,000 in student loans. Soon after graduation, criminal justice degree recipients from University Of Southern Indiana generally make around $39,384. Set against $20,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 96%.
Indiana University Bloomington came in at #8 for value in criminal justice this year. Set in the city of Bloomington, Indiana University Bloomington is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $12,144, with out-of-state students paying around $41,891. Typical student debt for criminal justice graduates is $19,464. Soon after graduation, criminal justice degree recipients from Indiana University Bloomington generally make around $35,572. That is a strong return on a $19,464 median debt. Roughly 78% of applicants are accepted.
Indiana Institute Of Technology College Of Professional Studies came in at #9 for value in criminal justice this year. Indiana Institute Of Technology College Of Professional Studies is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Fort Wayne. Students from in state pay about $9,896 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $37,273 to complete the criminal justice program here. Criminal Justice graduates of Indiana Institute Of Technology College Of Professional Studies earn a median of $45,947 early in their careers. Set against $37,273 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Indiana Institute Of Technology landed the #10 spot for criminal justice value this year. Indiana Institute Of Technology is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Fort Wayne. Students from in state pay about $31,361 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $37,273 to complete the criminal justice program here. Soon after graduation, criminal justice degree recipients from Indiana Institute Of Technology generally make around $56,185. Set against $37,273 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 70% of applicants are accepted.
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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 · 10 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 10 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.