2026 Best Value Criminal Justice & Corrections Schools in District of Columbia

[Criminal Justice & Corrections](/majors/protective-security-safety-services/criminal-justice-and-corrections/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 7 schools to find the best return on investment for criminal justice & corrections students.
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2026 Best Value Criminal Justice & Corrections Schools in District of Columbia
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in criminal justice & corrections, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Criminal Justice & Corrections Schools
Leading the list is Trinity Washington University, our #1 best value for criminal justice & corrections in District of Columbia. Set in the city of Washington, Trinity Washington University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $26,610. Typical student debt for criminal justice & corrections graduates is $33,564. Early-career criminal justice & corrections graduates make about $47,385. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Trinity Washington University admits about 100% of applicants.
University Of The District Of Columbia came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value criminal justice & corrections schools. Set in the city of Washington, University Of The District Of Columbia is a moderately-sized public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $5,662, with out-of-state students paying around $12,514. Students borrow a median of $32,304 to complete the criminal justice & corrections program here. Criminal Justice & Corrections graduates of University Of The District Of Columbia earn a median of $57,060 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Students looking for strong value in criminal justice & corrections will find it at Strayer University Global Region, which ranked #3. Located in the city of Washington, Strayer University Global Region is a large private for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $13,920. Typical student debt for criminal justice & corrections graduates is $56,937. Criminal Justice & Corrections graduates of Strayer University Global Region earn a median of $43,405 early in their careers. Set against $56,937 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
George Washington University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in criminal justice & corrections, landing the #4 spot this year. George Washington University is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Washington. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $67,710. Criminal Justice & Corrections graduates carry a median of $20,500 in student loans. Criminal Justice & Corrections graduates of George Washington University earn a median of $51,256 early in their careers. Set against $20,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. George Washington University admits about 47% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in criminal justice & corrections will find it at American University, which ranked #5. Set in the city of Washington, American University is a large private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $58,771. Criminal Justice & Corrections graduates carry a median of $23,250 in student loans. Early-career criminal justice & corrections graduates make about $49,607. That is a strong return on a $23,250 median debt. The acceptance rate is 62%.
Howard University ranked #6 on our 2026 list of the best value criminal justice & corrections schools. Located in the city of Washington, Howard University is a large private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $35,810. Criminal Justice & Corrections graduates carry a median of $26,000 in student loans. Criminal Justice & Corrections graduates of Howard University earn a median of $27,801 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Howard University admits about 41% of applicants.
Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 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 · 7 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.