2027 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools in Kansas
[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 5 schools to build this 2027 ranking of the best value criminal justice schools.
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2027 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools in Kansas
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 Central Christian College Of Kansas this year. Located in the town of McPherson, Central Christian College Of Kansas is a small private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $21,000 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $36,076 to complete the criminal justice program here. Early-career criminal justice graduates make about $55,453. That is a strong return on a $36,076 median debt. The acceptance rate is 53%.
Johnson County Community College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in criminal justice, landing the #2 spot this year. Set in the city of Overland Park, Johnson County Community College is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $2,424 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $5,688. Typical student debt for criminal justice graduates is $20,106. Criminal Justice graduates of Johnson County Community College earn a median of $55,171 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $20,106 median debt.
A rank of #3 makes Washburn University one of the best values for criminal justice. Washburn University is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Topeka. Students from in state pay about $9,945 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $20,949. Typical student debt for criminal justice graduates is $20,822. Criminal Justice graduates of Washburn University earn a median of $40,052 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $20,822 median debt.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Butler Community College earned it the #4 place for criminal justice. Located in the town of El Dorado, Butler Community College is a moderately-sized public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $3,541, compared with $6,271 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $16,670 to complete the criminal justice program here. Soon after graduation, criminal justice degree recipients from Butler Community College generally make around $39,404. Set against $16,670 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Students looking for strong value in criminal justice will find it at Sterling College Kansas, which ranked #5. Set in the rural area of Sterling, Sterling College Kansas is a small private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $33,700. Criminal Justice graduates carry a median of $27,250 in student loans. Early-career criminal justice graduates make about $30,086. Set against $27,250 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Sterling College Kansas admits about 48% of applicants.
More Criminal Justice Rankings
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published 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 · 5 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 5 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.
