Find Schools

Study Area & Zipcode

Find Schools Near

2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k

650 Ranked Colleges
51,953 Degrees Awarded
$6,400 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor's For Those Making $30-$48k

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking is part of that endeavor.

In 2019-2020, 113,581 criminal justice and corrections students received their degree, making the major the 6th most popular in the country. In 2017-2018, criminal justice and corrections graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $31,952 and had an average of $24,936 in loans still to pay off.

At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 51,953 criminal justice and corrections graduates with average earnings and debt of $38,303 and $24,501 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking looked at 650 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in criminal justice and corrections. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent criminal justice and corrections programs, but they also cost less that schools of similar quality.

Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the criminal justice and corrections program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

More Ways to Rank Criminal Justice & Corrections Schools

Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Criminal Justice & Corrections (Income $30-$48k)

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend John Jay College of Criminal Justice. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k. John Jay College of Criminal Justice is located in New York, New York and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 1,582 bachelors’s criminal justice degrees to qualified students.

John Jay not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #21 on our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It costs about $3,108 for bachelor’s degree criminal justice students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend John Jay College of Criminal Justice.

Read full report on Criminal Justice & Corrections at John Jay College of Criminal Justice

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. UT Rio Grande Valley is a public institution located in Edinburg, Texas. The school has a large population, and it awarded 425 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UT Rio Grande Valley also claimed a top spot on our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s ranked in the top 15% of all schools on our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend UT Rio Grande Valley is $3,473 for bachelor’s degree criminal justice students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low student loan default rate of 4.8% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full UT Rio Grande Valley Criminal Justice & Corrections Report

#3

Northeastern University

Boston, Massachusetts

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Northeastern University. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Boston, Massachusetts, this large private not-for-profit school handed out 59 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s criminal justice students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our bachelor’s degree criminal justice students whose families make $30-$48k list, Northeastern has also earned the #3 rank in our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Northeastern is $12,823 for Bachelor’s Degree Criminal Justice students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Criminal Justice & Corrections at Northeastern

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend California State University - Los Angeles. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k. Los Angeles, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s criminal justice degrees to 307 students in 2019-2020.

On top of its placing in this ranking, Cal State LA also did well on our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. It costs about $2,117 for bachelor’s degree criminal justice students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Cal State LA.

The low student loan default rate of 1.4% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about Criminal Justice & Corrections at Cal State LA

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Florida International University. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k. FIU is a large public school situated in Miami, Florida. It awarded 600 bachelors’s criminal justice degrees in 2019-2020.

On top of its placing in this ranking, FIU also did well on our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s ranked in the top 10% of all schools on our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Florida International University is $6,683 for bachelor’s degree criminal justice students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full Florida International University Criminal Justice & Corrections Report

#6

Franklin University

Columbus, Ohio

With a ranking of #6, Franklin University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. Franklin University is a medium-sized school located in Columbus, Ohio that handed out 20 bachelors’s criminal justice degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $11,992 for bachelor’s degree criminal justice students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Franklin University.

Read full report on Criminal Justice & Corrections at Franklin University

#7

Florida State University

Tallahassee, Florida

Florida State University landed the #7 spot on the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Florida State University is a large school located in Tallahassee, Florida that handed out 537 bachelors’s criminal justice degrees in 2019-2020.

Florida State also took the #13 spot in our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Florida State University is $6,816 for Bachelor’s Degree Criminal Justice students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low student loan default rate of 3.5% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on Criminal Justice & Corrections at Florida State University

#8

The University of West Florida

Pensacola, Florida

With a ranking of #8, The University of West Florida did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. The University of West Florida is a fairly large public school situated in Pensacola, Florida. It awarded 81 bachelors’s criminal justice degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend UWF is $3,912 for bachelor’s degree criminal justice students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about Criminal Justice & Corrections at The University of West Florida

With a ranking of #9, University of Central Florida did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. University of Central Florida is a public institution located in Orlando, Florida. The school has a large population, and it awarded 483 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on this list, UCF is in the top on our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s ranked in the top 10% of all schools on our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Central Florida is $7,847 for bachelor’s degree criminal justice students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The student loan default rate at the school is 4.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full UCF Criminal Justice & Corrections Report

#10

Indiana University - Bloomington

Bloomington, Indiana

Indiana University - Bloomington came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. IU Bloomington is a public institution located in Bloomington, Indiana. The school has a large population, and it awarded 117 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

On top of its placing in this ranking, IU Bloomington also did well on our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 5% of all schools in this category. The estimated yearly cost for IU Bloomington is $6,192 for Bachelor’s Degree Criminal Justice students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Criminal Justice & Corrections at IU Bloomington

California State University - Dominguez Hills landed the #11 spot on the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. CSUDH is a fairly large school located in Carson, California that handed out 203 bachelors’s criminal justice degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for CSUDH is $3,115 for Bachelor’s Degree Criminal Justice students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Criminal Justice & Corrections at CSUDH

With a ranking of #12, Texas A&M International University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. Texas A&M International University is located in Laredo, Texas and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 190 bachelors’s criminal justice degrees to qualified students.

The yearly cost to attend Texas A&M International University is $2,298 for bachelor’s degree criminal justice students whose families make $30-$48k.

Full Texas A&M International University Criminal Justice & Corrections Report

With a ranking of #13, California State University - Stanislaus did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. This fairly large school is located in Turlock, California, and it awarded 223 bachelors’s criminal justice degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $3,958 for bachelor’s degree criminal justice students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Stan State.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Criminal Justice & Corrections at Stan State

#14

American Public University System

Charles Town, West Virginia

American Public University System did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #14. Charles Town, West Virginia is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private for-profit school handed out bachelors’s criminal justice degrees to 542 students in 2019-2020.

American Military University also took the #2 spot in our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $10,917 for Bachelor’s Degree Criminal Justice students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend American Public University System.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 98%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full American Military University Criminal Justice & Corrections Report

California State University - Fullerton came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in Fullerton, California, this large public school handed out 334 degrees to qualified bachelors’s criminal justice students in 2019-2020.

On top of its placing in this ranking, Cal State Fullerton also did well on our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s ranked in the top 20% of all schools on our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It costs about $6,100 for Bachelor’s Degree Criminal Justice students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Cal State Fullerton.

The low student loan default rate of 2.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%.

Read more about Criminal Justice & Corrections at California State University - Fullerton

#16

University of North Texas

Denton, Texas

University of North Texas landed the #16 spot on the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. University of North Texas is a large school located in Denton, Texas that handed out 261 bachelors’s criminal justice degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education it offers, UNT is also in the top of our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It’s ranked in the top 15% of all schools on our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for UNT is $9,082 for Bachelor’s Degree Criminal Justice students whose families make $30-$48k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%.

Read full report on Criminal Justice & Corrections at University of North Texas

#17

University of North Florida

Jacksonville, Florida

University of North Florida ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. University of North Florida is located in Jacksonville, Florida and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 178 bachelors’s criminal justice degrees to qualified students.

It costs about $5,942 for bachelor’s degree criminal justice students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend UNF.

The low student loan default rate of 4.3% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full University of North Florida Criminal Justice & Corrections Report

Indiana University - Northwest came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. IU Northwest is a public institution located in Gary, Indiana. The school has a small population, and it awarded 27 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend IU Northwest is $4,960 for bachelor’s degree criminal justice students whose families make $30-$48k.

Full Indiana University - Northwest Criminal Justice & Corrections Report

#19

Elizabeth City State University

Elizabeth City, North Carolina

Elizabeth City State University ranked #19 on this year’s Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. ECSU is a small public school situated in Elizabeth City, North Carolina. It awarded 20 bachelors’s criminal justice degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Elizabeth City State University is $1,919 for Bachelor’s Degree Criminal Justice students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about Criminal Justice & Corrections at Elizabeth City State University

#20

Indian River State College

Fort Pierce, Florida

Indian River State College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #20. Indian River State College is a fairly large public school situated in Fort Pierce, Florida. It awarded 71 bachelors’s criminal justice degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $1,475 for Bachelor’s Degree Criminal Justice students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Indian River State College.

Read full report on Criminal Justice & Corrections at Indian River State College

#21

University of Wyoming

Laramie, Wyoming

University of Wyoming came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This fairly large school is located in Laramie, Wyoming, and it awarded 71 bachelors’s criminal justice degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for UW is $9,200 for bachelor’s degree criminal justice students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low student loan default rate of 4.5% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full UW Criminal Justice & Corrections Report

#22

California State University - San Bernardino

San Bernardino, California

California State University - San Bernardino ranked #22 on this year’s Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in San Bernardino, California, this fairly large public school handed out 294 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s criminal justice students in 2019-2020.

It costs about $5,869 for Bachelor’s Degree Criminal Justice students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend CSUSB.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%.

Read more about Criminal Justice & Corrections at CSUSB

#23

Washington State University

Pullman, Washington

With a ranking of #23, Washington State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. Washington State University is located in Pullman, Washington and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 146 bachelors’s criminal justice degrees to qualified students.

Wazzu excels when it comes to criminal justice quality. It’s in the top 10% of all schools in this category. The estimated yearly cost for Washington State University is $11,337 for bachelor’s degree criminal justice students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Criminal Justice & Corrections at Wazzu

California State University - Long Beach ranked #24 on this year’s Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. California State University - Long Beach is a large public school situated in Long Beach, California. It awarded 208 bachelors’s criminal justice degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for California State University - Long Beach is $7,595 for Bachelor’s Degree Criminal Justice students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Criminal Justice & Corrections at California State University - Long Beach

The University of Texas at San Antonio did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #25. The University of Texas at San Antonio is a large public school situated in San Antonio, Texas. It awarded 283 bachelors’s criminal justice degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $11,109 for bachelor’s degree criminal justice students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend UTSA.

Full The University of Texas at San Antonio Criminal Justice & Corrections Report

Rest of the Best 50 in Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k

Not only did these schools make the top 50 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

#26

University of Wisconsin - Platteville

Platteville, Wisconsin
#28

San Diego State University

San Diego, California
#29

University of Minnesota - Crookston

Crookston, Minnesota
#30

University of Georgia

Athens, Georgia
#33

Florida Atlantic University

Boca Raton, Florida
#34

Truman State University

Kirksville, Missouri
#35

Northern Kentucky University

Highland Heights, Kentucky
#36

Ferris State University

Big Rapids, Michigan
#38

Minot State University

Minot, North Dakota
#40

University of North Georgia

Dahlonega, Georgia
#41

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Eau Claire, Wisconsin
#42

Florida Gulf Coast University

Fort Myers, Florida
#46

Oakland City University

Oakland City, Indiana
#47

Texas Woman's University

Denton, Texas
#48

Grand Valley State University

Allendale, Michigan
#49

Saint Cloud State University

Saint Cloud, Minnesota

Rest of the Top 15% Colleges in Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k

While not in the ‘top 50’, these schools make the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

Rank College Location
51 Dalton State College Dalton, GA
52 Oakland University Rochester Hills, MI
53 University of Illinois at Chicago Chicago, IL
54 Boston University Boston, MA
55 Indiana University - South Bend South Bend, IN
56 Central Christian College of Kansas McPherson, KS
57 Appalachian State University Boone, NC
58 Bemidji State University Bemidji, MN
59 Governors State University University Park, IL
60 Minnesota State University - Mankato Mankato, MN
61 Winona State University Winona, MN
62 University of Illinois at Springfield Springfield, IL
63 The University of Texas at El Paso El Paso, TX
64 Citadel Military College of South Carolina Charleston, SC
65 Rhode Island College Providence, RI
Rank College Location
66 University of Phoenix - California Costa Mesa, CA
67 Indiana University - East Richmond, IN
67 Western Illinois University Macomb, IL
69 Fayetteville State University Fayetteville, NC
70 Northeastern State University Tahlequah, OK
71 MSU Texas Wichita Falls, TX
72 Indiana University - Kokomo Kokomo, IN
73 University of Mississippi University, MS
74 University of Nebraska at Omaha Omaha, NE
75 Marshall University Huntington, WV
76 Texas State University San Marcos, TX
77 Southern Oregon University Ashland, OR
78 St. Joseph’s College - New York Brooklyn, NY
79 Southeastern Oklahoma State University Durant, OK
79 Ball State University Muncie, IN
81 University of Houston - Victoria Victoria, TX
82 Sam Houston State University Huntsville, TX
83 Indiana University - Southeast New Albany, IN
84 California State University - East Bay Hayward, CA
85 University of Massachusetts - Lowell Lowell, MA
86 McNeese State University Lake Charles, LA
87 University of North Dakota Grand Forks, ND
88 North Dakota State University - Main Campus Fargo, ND
89 University of Southern Indiana Evansville, IN
90 University of Phoenix - Arizona Tempe, AZ
Rank College Location
91 Westfield State University Westfield, MA
92 Mansfield University of Pennsylvania Mansfield, PA
93 Lamar University Beaumont, TX
94 Lake Superior State University Sault Ste Marie, MI
95 Weber State University Ogden, UT
96 Middle Tennessee State University Murfreesboro, TN
97 Heritage University Toppenish, WA
98 Arizona State University - Skysong Scottsdale, AZ
98 Augusta University Augusta, GA

Switch to a Different Ranking Method

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.

Featured Criminal Justice Administration Schools

Find Schools Near You