2022 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Criminal Justice & Corrections in the Southeast Region
It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. 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 Master’s in the Southeast Region” ranking is part of that endeavor.
With 113,581 degrees handed out in 2019-2020, criminal justice and corrections is the 6th most popular major in the United States. 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.
Across the Southeast region, there were 30,292 criminal justice and corrections graduates with average earnings and debt of $31,510 and $28,027 respectively. At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 2,139 criminal justice and corrections graduates with average earnings and debt of $53,950 and $43,286 respectively.
This year’s “Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Master’s in the Southeast Region” ranking looked at 74 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.
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 and corrections program at the school. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.
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More Ways to Rank Criminal Justice & Corrections Schools
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 Southeast Region” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.
We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. 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 Master’s in the Southeast Region
The colleges and universities below are the best for southeast region master’s degree criminal justice students.
Top 25 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Criminal Justice & Corrections in the Southeast Region
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend American Public University System. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Master’s in the Southeast Region list. American Public University System is located in Charles Town, West Virginia and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 121 masters’s criminal justice degrees to qualified students.
American Military University did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #1 on our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Master’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at American Military University are $7,050.
Read full report on Criminal Justice & Corrections at American Public University System
Out of the 74 schools in the Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Master’s in the Southeast Region that were part of this year’s ranking, University of the Cumberlands landed the #2 spot on the list. Cumberlands is a private not-for-profit institution located in Williamsburg, Kentucky. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 43 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our southeast region master’s degree criminal justice students list, Cumberlands has also earned the #12 rank in our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Master’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of the Cumberlands are $4,582, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Read more about Criminal Justice & Corrections at Cumberlands
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Liberty University. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Master’s in the Southeast Region. Liberty University is a large school located in Lynchburg, Virginia that handed out 366 masters’s criminal justice degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Liberty University, the school also landed the #7 spot in our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Master’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Liberty University are $8,349, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Read more about Criminal Justice & Corrections at Liberty University
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Columbia College. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Master’s in the Southeast Region. Columbia College South Carolina is a small school located in Columbia, South Carolina that handed out 26 masters’s criminal justice degrees in 2019-2020.
Columbia College South Carolina did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #9 on our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Master’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Columbia College are $10,911.
Read full report on Criminal Justice & Corrections at Columbia College
Out of the 74 schools in the Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Master’s in the Southeast Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Mississippi College landed the #5 spot on the list. Located in Clinton, Mississippi, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 13 diplomas to qualified masters’s criminal justice students in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our southeast region master’s degree criminal justice students list, MC has also earned the #6 rank in our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Master’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at MC are $12,322.
Read more about Criminal Justice & Corrections at Mississippi College
Saint Leo University ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Master’s in the Southeast Region list. Saint Leo University is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Saint Leo, Florida. It awarded 190 masters’s criminal justice degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at St. Leo University, the school also landed the #5 spot in our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Master’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Saint Leo University are $14,568.
Read full report on Criminal Justice & Corrections at St. Leo University
Columbus State University ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Master’s in the Southeast Region list. CSU is a medium-sized public school situated in Columbus, Georgia. It awarded 58 masters’s criminal justice degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at CSU, the school also landed the #11 spot in our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Master’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Columbus State University are $13,264, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Anderson University South Carolina came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Master’s in the Southeast Region ranking. Located in Anderson, South Carolina, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 13 degrees to qualified masters’s criminal justice students in 2019-2020.
Anderson University South Carolina also took the #20 spot in our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Master’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Anderson University South Carolina are $11,178.
Read full report on Criminal Justice & Corrections at Anderson University South Carolina
Bethel University came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Master’s in the Southeast Region ranking. Bethel is a private not-for-profit institution located in McKenzie, Tennessee. The school has a small population, and it awarded 52 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Bethel also made our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Master’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list, coming in at #24. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Bethel University are $11,382.
Read more about Criminal Justice & Corrections at Bethel University
Lynn University landed the #10 spot on the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Master’s in the Southeast Region ranking. Lynn University is a small school located in Boca Raton, Florida that handed out 9 masters’s criminal justice degrees in 2019-2020.
Lynn University Fighting Knights also made our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Master’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list, coming in at #15. Average graduate tuition and fees at Lynn University Fighting Knights are $13,420, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Full Lynn University Fighting Knights Criminal Justice & Corrections Report
Faulkner University came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Master’s in the Southeast Region ranking. Faulkner is a private not-for-profit institution located in Montgomery, Alabama. The school has a small population, and it awarded 47 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Average graduate tuition and fees at Faulkner are $11,850, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Read full report on Criminal Justice & Corrections at Faulkner
Eastern Kentucky University ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Master’s in the Southeast Region list. Located in Richmond, Kentucky, this fairly large public school handed out 30 diplomas to qualified masters’s criminal justice students in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our southeast region master’s degree criminal justice students list, Eastern has also earned the #18 rank in our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Master’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Eastern Kentucky University are $14,500, but some majors have different tuition rates.
With a ranking of #13, Charleston Southern University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Master’s in the Southeast Region list. Located in Charleston, South Carolina, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 8 degrees to qualified masters’s criminal justice students in 2019-2020.
Average graduate tuition and fees at Charleston Southern University are $7,800, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Troy University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Master’s in the Southeast Region ranking, coming in at #14. Troy University is a public institution located in Troy, Alabama. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 75 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Troy University are $16,156.
Read full report on Criminal Justice & Corrections at Troy University
Barton College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Master’s in the Southeast Region ranking, coming in at #15. Barton College is located in Wilson, North Carolina and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 4 masters’s criminal justice degrees to qualified students.
Average graduate tuition and fees at Barton College are $10,238, but some majors have different tuition rates.
William Carey University landed the #16 spot on the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Master’s in the Southeast Region ranking. William Carey University is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. It awarded 7 masters’s criminal justice degrees in 2019-2020.
Average graduate tuition and fees at William Carey University are $11,400, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Read full report on Criminal Justice & Corrections at William Carey University
University of Southern Mississippi ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Master’s in the Southeast Region list. This fairly large school is located in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, and it awarded 3 masters’s criminal justice degrees in 2019-2020.
Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Southern Miss are $10,896.
University of Arkansas at Little Rock landed the #18 spot on the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Master’s in the Southeast Region ranking. UA Little Rock is a medium-sized public school situated in Little Rock, Arkansas. It awarded 9 masters’s criminal justice degrees in 2019-2020.
Average graduate tuition and fees at UA Little Rock are $14,884, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Full University of Arkansas at Little Rock Criminal Justice & Corrections Report
Florida State University came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Master’s in the Southeast Region ranking. Tallahassee, Florida is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s criminal justice degrees to 89 students in 2019-2020.
Florida State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #2 on our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Master’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at Florida State are $26,707, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Full Florida State University Criminal Justice & Corrections Report
St. Thomas University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Master’s in the Southeast Region ranking, coming in at #20. STU is located in Miami Gardens, Florida and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 15 masters’s criminal justice degrees to qualified students.
STU also made our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Master’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list, coming in at #21. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at STU are $14,400.
Read full report on Criminal Justice & Corrections at St. Thomas University
Claflin University landed the #21 spot on the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Master’s in the Southeast Region ranking. Claflin is located in Orangeburg, South Carolina and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 8 masters’s criminal justice degrees to qualified students.
Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Claflin University are $12,035.
Full Claflin University Criminal Justice & Corrections Report
University of Memphis did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Master’s in the Southeast Region ranking, coming in at #22. University of Memphis is located in Memphis, Tennessee and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 9 masters’s criminal justice degrees to qualified students.
Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at UofM are $14,202.
University of North Alabama did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Master’s in the Southeast Region ranking, coming in at #23. Located in Florence, Alabama, this medium-sized public school awarded 11 degrees to qualified masters’s criminal justice students in 2019-2020.
Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at University of North Alabama are $13,860.
Read more about Criminal Justice & Corrections at University of North Alabama
McNeese State University came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Master’s in the Southeast Region ranking. Located in Lake Charles, Louisiana, this medium-sized public school handed out 26 degrees to qualified masters’s criminal justice students in 2019-2020.
Average graduate tuition and fees at McNeese are $16,386, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Read more about Criminal Justice & Corrections at McNeese State University
University of Central Florida landed the #25 spot on the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Master’s in the Southeast Region ranking. Located in Orlando, Florida, this large public school handed out 88 diplomas to qualified masters’s criminal justice students in 2019-2020.
UCF also made our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Master’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list, coming in at #4. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at UCF are $28,657.
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Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Master's Degree Schools in the Southeast Region
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Criminal Justice & Corrections students in the Southeast Region
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Criminal Justice & Corrections students with family income less than $30k in the Southeast Region
Best Value Master's Degree Colleges for Criminal Justice & Corrections (Income $48-$75k) in the Southeast Region
Criminal Justice & Corrections students with family income $48-$75k in the Southeast Region
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Best Value Master's Degree Colleges for Criminal Justice & Corrections in the Southeast Region
Criminal Justice & Corrections students in the Southeast Region
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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