2027 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools in Minnesota
[Criminal Justice](/majors/protective-security-safety-services/criminal-justice-and-corrections/criminal-justice/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
To produce this 2027 ranking, College Factual evaluated 6 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for criminal justice students.
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2027 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools in Minnesota
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 Bemidji State University the best value for a degree in criminal justice in Minnesota. Bemidji State University is a moderately-sized public school located in the town of Bemidji. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $10,237. Students borrow a median of $23,181 to complete the criminal justice program here. Early-career criminal justice graduates make about $48,984. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Bemidji State University admits about 56% of applicants.
Southwest Minnesota State University came in at #2 on our 2027 list of the best value criminal justice schools. Located in the town of Marshall, Southwest Minnesota State University is a large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $10,361. Typical student debt for criminal justice graduates is $27,000. Criminal Justice graduates of Southwest Minnesota State University earn a median of $47,898 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Southwest Minnesota State University admits about 62% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in criminal justice will find it at Metropolitan State University, which ranked #3. Located in the city of Saint Paul, Metropolitan State University is a moderately-sized public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,840. Typical student debt for criminal justice graduates is $31,213. Early-career criminal justice graduates make about $54,195. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 99%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Concordia University Saint Paul earned it the #4 place for criminal justice. Set in the city of Saint Paul, Concordia University Saint Paul is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $25,600. Criminal Justice graduates carry a median of $28,076 in student loans. Soon after graduation, criminal justice degree recipients from Concordia University Saint Paul generally make around $65,867. Set against $28,076 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 79%.
Minnesota State University Mankato is a great value for students pursuing a degree in criminal justice, landing the #5 spot this year. Set in the city of Mankato, Minnesota State University Mankato is a large public institution. Students from in state pay about $9,572 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $18,942. Criminal Justice graduates carry a median of $25,000 in student loans. Soon after graduation, criminal justice degree recipients from Minnesota State University Mankato generally make around $53,088. Set against $25,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 88% of applicants are accepted.
Walden University earned the #6 position for value in criminal justice this year. Located in the city of Minneapolis, Walden University is a very large private for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $11,067. Criminal Justice graduates carry a median of $48,133 in student loans. Early-career criminal justice graduates make about $60,276. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
More Criminal Justice Rankings
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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 · 6 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 6 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.
