by our College Data Analytics Team
[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.
To produce this 2027 ranking, College Factual evaluated 6 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for criminal justice & corrections students.
What’s on this page:
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the criminal justice & corrections degrees they offer, see the list below.
Leading the list is United Tribes Technical College, our #1 best value for criminal justice & corrections in North Dakota. Set in the suburb of Bismarck, United Tribes Technical College is a small private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $5,232. Median earnings reach $25,292 ten years out.
Minot State University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in criminal justice & corrections, landing the #2 spot this year. Located in the city of Minot, Minot State University is a mid-sized public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $8,702. Typical student debt for criminal justice & corrections graduates is $26,343. Early-career criminal justice & corrections graduates make about $45,579. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 65%.
Students looking for strong value in criminal justice & corrections will find it at Lake Region State College, which ranked #3. Located in the town of Devils Lake, Lake Region State College is a mid-sized public university. Students from in state pay about $5,520 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for criminal justice & corrections graduates is $10,131. Soon after graduation, criminal justice & corrections degree recipients from Lake Region State College generally make around $57,765. That is a strong return on a $10,131 median debt.
Students looking for strong value in criminal justice & corrections will find it at North Dakota State University Main Campus, which ranked #4. Set in the city of Fargo, North Dakota State University Main Campus is a large public institution. Students from in state pay about $10,910 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $15,564. Students borrow a median of $23,125 to complete the criminal justice & corrections program here. Soon after graduation, criminal justice & corrections degree recipients from North Dakota State University Main Campus generally make around $38,057. That is a strong return on a $23,125 median debt. The acceptance rate is 95%.
University Of Mary is a great value for students pursuing a degree in criminal justice & corrections, landing the #5 spot this year. Set in the rural area of Bismarck, University Of Mary is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $22,356 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $26,983 to complete the criminal justice & corrections program here. Early-career criminal justice & corrections graduates make about $65,565. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 75%.
University Of North Dakota placed #6 among the best values for criminal justice & corrections. Located in the city of Grand Forks, University Of North Dakota is a large public university. Students from in state pay about $10,951 in tuition and fees, compared with $15,570 for out-of-state students. Criminal Justice & Corrections graduates carry a median of $19,875 in student loans. Soon after graduation, criminal justice & corrections degree recipients from University Of North Dakota generally make around $42,825. Set against $19,875 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 77%.
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 · 6 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 6 ranked schools only.
More about our data sources and methodologies.
