2027 Best Value Criminal Justice & Corrections Schools in West Virginia
[Criminal Justice & Corrections](/majors/protective-security-safety-services/criminal-justice-and-corrections/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 10 schools to find the best return on investment for criminal justice & corrections students.
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2027 Best Value Criminal Justice & Corrections Schools in West Virginia
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 West Virginia University At Parkersburg, our #1 best value for criminal justice & corrections in West Virginia. Located in the rural area of Parkersburg, West Virginia University At Parkersburg is a mid-sized public university. Students from in state pay about $5,476 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $9,424. Criminal Justice & Corrections graduates carry a median of $15,595 in student loans. Early-career criminal justice & corrections graduates make about $45,400. That is a strong return on a $15,595 median debt.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Blue Ridge Community And Technical College earned it the #2 place for criminal justice & corrections. Set in the rural area of Martinsburg, Blue Ridge Community And Technical College is a moderately-sized public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $4,752, while out-of-state students pay about $8,808. Students borrow a median of $12,000 to complete the criminal justice & corrections program here. Early-career criminal justice & corrections graduates make about $41,032. That is a strong return on a $12,000 median debt.
Students looking for strong value in criminal justice & corrections will find it at Marshall University, which ranked #3. Marshall University is a large public school located in the city of Huntington. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,162, with out-of-state students paying around $20,342. Criminal Justice & Corrections graduates carry a median of $25,873 in student loans. Soon after graduation, criminal justice & corrections degree recipients from Marshall University generally make around $32,747. Set against $25,873 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 96% of applicants are accepted.
Fairmont State University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in criminal justice & corrections, landing the #4 spot this year. Set in the town of Fairmont, Fairmont State University is a mid-sized public institution. Students from in state pay about $8,708 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $18,924. Criminal Justice & Corrections graduates carry a median of $25,557 in student loans. Early-career criminal justice & corrections graduates make about $36,490. Set against $25,557 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 99% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at American Public University System earned it the #5 place for criminal justice & corrections. American Public University System is a very large private for-profit school located in the town of Charles Town. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $8,400. Typical student debt for criminal justice & corrections graduates is $21,243. Criminal Justice & Corrections graduates of American Public University System earn a median of $62,012 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $21,243 median debt.
Potomac State College Of West Virginia University landed the #6 spot for criminal justice & corrections value this year. Located in the town of Keyser, Potomac State College Of West Virginia University is a small public university. In-state tuition and fees average $5,280, with out-of-state students paying around $13,200. Students borrow a median of $19,858 to complete the criminal justice & corrections program here. Criminal Justice & Corrections graduates of Potomac State College Of West Virginia University earn a median of $42,670 early in their careers. Set against $19,858 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Shepherd University came in at #7 for value in criminal justice & corrections this year. Located in the rural area of Shepherdstown, Shepherd University is a mid-sized public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,056, while out-of-state students pay about $19,082. Typical student debt for criminal justice & corrections graduates is $23,326. Early-career criminal justice & corrections graduates make about $40,748. That is a strong return on a $23,326 median debt. Roughly 97% of applicants are accepted.
West Virginia State University ranked #8 on our 2027 list of the best value criminal justice & corrections schools. Set in the suburb of Institute, West Virginia State University is a mid-sized public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,570, while out-of-state students pay about $14,990. Criminal Justice & Corrections graduates carry a median of $25,860 in student loans. Early-career criminal justice & corrections graduates make about $39,056. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. West Virginia State University admits about 96% of applicants.
Salem International University placed #9 among the best values for criminal justice & corrections. Set in the rural area of Salem, Salem International University is a small private for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $12,070. Students borrow a median of $30,949 to complete the criminal justice & corrections program here. Early-career criminal justice & corrections graduates make about $25,665. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
West Virginia Wesleyan College earned the #10 position for value in criminal justice & corrections this year. Located in the town of Buckhannon, West Virginia Wesleyan College is a small private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $34,090 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for criminal justice & corrections graduates is $27,000. Criminal Justice & Corrections graduates of West Virginia Wesleyan College earn a median of $31,400 early in their careers. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 93% of applicants are accepted.
More Criminal Justice & Corrections 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 · 10 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 10 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.
