2027 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools in Connecticut
[Criminal Justice](/majors/protective-security-safety-services/criminal-justice-and-corrections/criminal-justice/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
College Factual analyzed 4 schools to build this 2027 ranking of the best value criminal justice schools.
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2027 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools in Connecticut
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the criminal justice degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Criminal Justice Schools
Our analysis ranked Charter Oak State College the best value for a degree in criminal justice in Connecticut. Charter Oak State College is a mid-sized public school located in the suburb of New Britain. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $8,506. Criminal Justice graduates carry a median of $23,000 in student loans. Soon after graduation, criminal justice degree recipients from Charter Oak State College generally make around $68,956. Set against $23,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Central Connecticut State University came in at #2 on our 2027 list of the best value criminal justice schools. Set in the suburb of New Britain, Central Connecticut State University is a large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $13,050, compared with $16,550 for out-of-state students. Criminal Justice graduates carry a median of $24,340 in student loans. Early-career criminal justice graduates make about $60,151. Set against $24,340 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 73%.
Students looking for strong value in criminal justice will find it at University Of New Haven, which ranked #3. Located in the suburb of West Haven, University Of New Haven is a large private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $47,332. Criminal Justice graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Early-career criminal justice graduates make about $47,026. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 60%.
Sacred Heart University came in at #4 on our 2027 list of the best value criminal justice schools. Set in the suburb of Fairfield, Sacred Heart University is a large private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $50,404 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for criminal justice graduates is $27,000. Soon after graduation, criminal justice degree recipients from Sacred Heart University generally make around $62,864. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 65%.
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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 · 4 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 4 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.
