2027 Best Value Criminal Justice & Corrections Schools in Nebraska

[Criminal Justice & Corrections](/majors/protective-security-safety-services/criminal-justice-and-corrections/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong criminal justice & corrections education at a price that pays off.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 12 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 Nebraska
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the criminal justice & corrections degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Criminal Justice & Corrections Schools
Leading the list is Central Community College, our #1 best value for criminal justice & corrections in Nebraska. Located in the city of Grand Island, Central Community College is a large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $3,360, while out-of-state students pay about $4,800. Typical student debt for criminal justice & corrections graduates is $10,277. Early-career criminal justice & corrections graduates make about $43,218. 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 Metropolitan Community College Area, which ranked #2. Metropolitan Community College Area is a very large public school located in the city of Omaha. Students from in state pay about $3,375 in tuition and fees, compared with $4,950 for out-of-state students. Criminal Justice & Corrections graduates carry a median of $13,462 in student loans. Criminal Justice & Corrections graduates of Metropolitan Community College Area earn a median of $28,511 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $13,462 median debt.
A rank of #3 makes Northeast Community College one of the best values for criminal justice & corrections. Northeast Community College is a moderately-sized public school located in the town of Norfolk. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $3,840, compared with $5,130 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $9,000 to complete the criminal justice & corrections program here. Soon after graduation, criminal justice & corrections degree recipients from Northeast Community College generally make around $33,064. Set against $9,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Southeast Community College Area is a great value for students pursuing a degree in criminal justice & corrections, landing the #4 spot this year. Set in the city of Lincoln, Southeast Community College Area is a large public institution. Students from in state pay about $3,444 in tuition and fees, compared with $4,032 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $14,552 to complete the criminal justice & corrections program here. Soon after graduation, criminal justice & corrections degree recipients from Southeast Community College Area generally make around $28,473. 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 University Of Nebraska At Omaha, which ranked #5. Located in the city of Omaha, University Of Nebraska At Omaha is a large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $8,718, compared with $23,206 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for criminal justice & corrections graduates is $22,561. Early-career criminal justice & corrections graduates make about $45,897. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 87%.
Peru State College came in at #6 for value in criminal justice & corrections this year. Located in the rural area of Peru, Peru State College is a small public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $8,433. Typical student debt for criminal justice & corrections graduates is $27,367. Early-career criminal justice & corrections graduates make about $38,953. Set against $27,367 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Chadron State College landed the #7 spot for criminal justice & corrections value this year. Located in the town of Chadron, Chadron State College is a mid-sized public university. Students from in state pay about $8,294 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for criminal justice & corrections graduates is $20,250. Early-career criminal justice & corrections graduates make about $32,454. That is a strong return on a $20,250 median debt.
Wayne State College placed #8 among the best values for criminal justice & corrections. Located in the town of Wayne, Wayne State College is a moderately-sized public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $8,171. Students borrow a median of $25,000 to complete the criminal justice & corrections program here. Criminal Justice & Corrections graduates of Wayne State College earn a median of $41,869 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $25,000 median debt.
University Of Nebraska At Kearney ranked #9 on our 2027 list of the best value criminal justice & corrections schools. Set in the town of Kearney, University Of Nebraska At Kearney is a moderately-sized public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $8,564, while out-of-state students pay about $16,484. Typical student debt for criminal justice & corrections graduates is $19,250. Criminal Justice & Corrections graduates of University Of Nebraska At Kearney earn a median of $40,128 early in their careers. Set against $19,250 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 90%.
Bellevue University earned the #10 position for value in criminal justice & corrections this year. Set in the suburb of Bellevue, Bellevue University is a large private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $12,873 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for criminal justice & corrections graduates is $27,852. Soon after graduation, criminal justice & corrections degree recipients from Bellevue University generally make around $65,603. That is a strong return on a $27,852 median debt.
York College Nebraska came in at #11 for value in criminal justice & corrections this year. Located in the town of York, York College Nebraska is a small private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $23,000 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for criminal justice & corrections graduates is $28,370. Soon after graduation, criminal justice & corrections degree recipients from York College Nebraska generally make around $34,170. Set against $28,370 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 52% of applicants are accepted.
Midland University ranked #12 on our 2027 list of the best value criminal justice & corrections schools. Located in the town of Fremont, Midland University is a small private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $42,050. Criminal Justice & Corrections graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Early-career criminal justice & corrections graduates make about $41,149. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 66% of applicants are accepted.
More Criminal Justice & Corrections 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 · 12 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 12 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.