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2022 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Criminal Justice in the Plains States Region

12 Ranked Colleges
290 Degrees Awarded
$15,000 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees*
Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Master's in the Plains States Region

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Master’s in the Plains States Region” ranking.

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 Plains States region, there were 1,698 criminal justice graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively. At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 290 criminal justice graduates with average earnings and debt of $53,438 and $39,783 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Master’s in the Plains States Region” ranking looked at 12 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in criminal justice. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality criminal justice programs that also have a lower cost than 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. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Master’s in the Plains States Region” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

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. Test it out when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.

Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Master’s in the Plains States Region

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Master’s in the Plains States Region.

Top 12 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Criminal Justice in the Plains States Region

#1

Bellevue University

Bellevue, Nebraska
#2 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Bellevue University. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Master’s in the Plains States Region list. Bellevue University is a fairly large school located in Bellevue, Nebraska that handed out 27 masters’s criminal justice degrees in 2019-2020.

Bellevue University not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #2 on our “Best Criminal Justice Master’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at Bellevue University are $11,385, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read full report on Criminal Justice at Bellevue University

#2

Walden University

Minneapolis, Minnesota
#3 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Walden University. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Master’s in the Plains States Region. Walden University is a large school located in Minneapolis, Minnesota that handed out 152 masters’s criminal justice degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our plains states region master’s degree criminal justice students list, Walden University has also earned the #3 rank in our “Best Criminal Justice Master’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Walden University are $10,716.

Read full report on Criminal Justice at Walden University

#3

Concordia University, Saint Paul

Saint Paul, Minnesota
#6 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Concordia University, Saint Paul. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Master’s in the Plains States Region list. Concordia University, Saint Paul is a private not-for-profit institution located in Saint Paul, Minnesota. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 21 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Concordia University, Saint Paul, the school also landed the #6 spot in our “Best Criminal Justice Master’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Concordia University, Saint Paul are $8,550, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read more about Criminal Justice at Concordia University, Saint Paul

#4

Saint Cloud State University

Saint Cloud, Minnesota
#5 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Saint Cloud State University. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Master’s in the Plains States Region. St. Cloud State University is a public institution located in Saint Cloud, Minnesota. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 4 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.

St. Cloud State University did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #5 on our “Best Criminal Justice Master’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Saint Cloud State University are $12,904.

Full St. Cloud State University Criminal Justice Report

#5

Columbia College

Columbia, Missouri
#11 in overall quality

Out of the 12 schools in the Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Master’s in the Plains States Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Columbia College landed the #5 spot on the list. Columbia College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Columbia, Missouri. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 25 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Columbia College Missouri, the school also landed the #11 spot in our “Best Criminal Justice Master’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Columbia College Missouri are $8,584, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Full Columbia College Criminal Justice Report

#6

Southeast Missouri State University

Cape Girardeau, Missouri
#9 in overall quality

Southeast Missouri State University ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Master’s in the Plains States Region list. Cape Girardeau, Missouri is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s criminal justice degrees to 4 students in 2019-2020.

Southeast Missouri State University also took the #9 spot in our “Best Criminal Justice Master’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Southeast Missouri State University are $10,792, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Full Southeast Missouri State University Criminal Justice Report

#7

Mount Mercy University

Cedar Rapids, Iowa
#7 in overall quality

Mount Mercy University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Master’s in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #7. Located in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 20 degrees to qualified masters’s criminal justice students in 2019-2020.

Mount Mercy also took the #7 spot in our “Best Criminal Justice Master’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Mount Mercy are $10,870, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Full Mount Mercy Criminal Justice Report

#8

Saint Ambrose University

Davenport, Iowa
#4 in overall quality

Saint Ambrose University ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Master’s in the Plains States Region list. Located in Davenport, Iowa, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 4 degrees to qualified masters’s criminal justice students in 2019-2020.

St. Ambrose University not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #4 on our “Best Criminal Justice Master’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at Saint Ambrose University are $18,150, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read full report on Criminal Justice at Saint Ambrose University

#9

University of Central Missouri

Warrensburg, Missouri
#8 in overall quality

With a ranking of #9, University of Central Missouri did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Master’s in the Plains States Region list. UCM is a public institution located in Warrensburg, Missouri. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 14 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UCM not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #8 on our “Best Criminal Justice Master’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at University of Central Missouri are $16,394.

Read full report on Criminal Justice at University of Central Missouri

#10

University of St Thomas Minnesota

Saint Paul, Minnesota
#1 in overall quality

University of St Thomas Minnesota came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Master’s in the Plains States Region ranking. University of St Thomas Minnesota is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Saint Paul, Minnesota. It awarded 7 masters’s criminal justice degrees in 2019-2020.

UST MN did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #1 on our “Best Criminal Justice Master’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at UST MN are $24,814, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Full UST MN Criminal Justice Report

#11

Washburn University

Topeka, Kansas
#12 in overall quality

Washburn University ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Master’s in the Plains States Region list. Washburn University is a public institution located in Topeka, Kansas. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 4 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Washburn University not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #12 on our “Best Criminal Justice Master’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Washburn University are $19,206.

Full Washburn University Criminal Justice Report

#12

University of Missouri - Kansas City

Kansas City, Missouri
#10 in overall quality

University of Missouri - Kansas City landed the #12 spot on the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Master’s in the Plains States Region ranking. This fairly large school is located in Kansas City, Missouri, and it awarded 8 masters’s criminal justice degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our plains states region master’s degree criminal justice students list, UMKC has also earned the #10 rank in our “Best Criminal Justice Master’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Missouri - Kansas City are $26,699, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read full report on Criminal Justice at University of Missouri - Kansas City

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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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