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2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for Criminal Justice for a Master’s

21 Ranked Colleges
486 Degrees Awarded
$45,952 Avg Salary
Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for Criminal Justice for a Master's

When it comes to choosing a college, veterans have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for Criminal Justice for a Master’s” ranking is part of that endeavor.

In 2020-2021, 113,121 criminal justice and corrections students received their degree, making the major the 7th most popular in the country. In 2019-2020, criminal justice and corrections graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $35,465 and had an average of $25,425 in loans still to pay off.

Across the Plains States region, there were 6,080 criminal justice and corrections graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,141 and $29,816 respectively.

For this year’s “Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for Criminal Justice for a Master’s” ranking, we looked at 21 colleges that offer a degree in criminal justice and corrections. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great criminal justice and corrections programs and a strong support system for veterans and active service members.

When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the criminal justice and corrections program at the school, veteran affordability, and veteran satisfaction. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

One Size Does Not Fit All

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When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for Criminal Justice for a Master’s” list to help you make the college decision.

In addition to College Factual’s rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.

Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for Criminal Justice for a Master’s

The colleges and universities below are the best for plains states region master’s degree vets studying criminal justice.

Top 21 Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Master’s Degree Colleges for Veterans in the Plains States Region

1
Webster crest
Webster University
Saint Louis, Missouri

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Webster University. The school came in at #1 for the Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for Criminal Justice for a Master’s. Webster is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Saint Louis, Missouri. It awarded 23 masters’s criminal justice degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our plains states region master’s degree vets studying criminal justice list, Webster has also earned the #11 rank in our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Master’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking.Among the 8,197 students enrolled at Webster University, 1 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 3 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $2,175. To help with additional expenses, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read More…

2
SLU crest
Saint Louis University
Saint Louis, Missouri

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Saint Louis University. The school came in at #2 for the Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for Criminal Justice for a Master’s. Saint Louis, Missouri is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s criminal justice degrees to 4 students in 2020-2021.

SLU also took the #2 spot in our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Master’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking.Among the 12,229 students enrolled at SLU, 5 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 1 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $25,162. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%.

Read More…

3

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Nebraska at Omaha. The school came in at #3 for the Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for Criminal Justice for a Master’s. University of Nebraska at Omaha is a fairly large school located in Omaha, Nebraska that handed out 36 masters’s criminal justice degrees in 2020-2021.

UNOMAHA did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #9 on our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Master’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list.Among the 15,892 students enrolled at University of Nebraska at Omaha, 928 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 488 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $5,364. During this same period, 75 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. University of Nebraska at Omaha offers credit for military training for eligible students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

[Read full report on veteran student life at UNOMAHA]](/colleges/university-of-nebraska-at-omaha/student-life/veterans/)

4
Columbia College Missouri crest
Columbia College
Columbia, Missouri

Out of the 21 schools in the Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for Criminal Justice for a Master’s that were part of this year’s ranking, Columbia College landed the #4 spot on the list. Columbia College is located in Columbia, Missouri and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 26 masters’s criminal justice degrees to qualified students.

Columbia College Missouri did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #18 on our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Master’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list.Among the 8,347 students enrolled at Columbia College, 6 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 1 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $750. To help with additional expenses, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

Full Columbia College Missouri Veteran Student Life Report

5

Out of the 21 schools in the Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for Criminal Justice for a Master’s that were part of this year’s ranking, North Dakota State University - Main Campus landed the #5 spot on the list. North Dakota State University is a fairly large school located in Fargo, North Dakota that handed out 3 masters’s criminal justice degrees in 2020-2021.

North Dakota State University not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #4 on our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Master’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list.Of the 12,846 students enrolled at North Dakota State University, 4 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 0 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $0. During this same period, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full North Dakota State University Veteran Student Life Report

6
Bellevue University crest
Bellevue University
Bellevue, Nebraska

Bellevue University landed the #6 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for Criminal Justice for a Master’s ranking. Bellevue University is located in Bellevue, Nebraska and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 30 masters’s criminal justice degrees to qualified students.

Bellevue University also made our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Master’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #6.Of the 13,059 students enrolled at Bellevue University, 1 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 0 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $0. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Bellevue University offers credit for military training for eligible students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

[Read full report on veteran student life at Bellevue University]](/colleges/bellevue-university/student-life/veterans/)

7

University of St Thomas Minnesota came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for Criminal Justice for a Master’s ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Saint Paul, Minnesota, and it awarded 10 masters’s criminal justice degrees in 2020-2021.

UST MN did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #1 on our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Master’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list.Among the 9,792 students enrolled at UST MN, 2 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 0 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $0. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. UST MN does offer credit for military training for eligible students.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

[Read full report on veteran student life at UST MN]](/colleges/university-of-st-thomas-minnesota/student-life/veterans/)

8
Simpson College crest
Simpson College
Indianola, Iowa

Simpson College did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for Criminal Justice for a Master’s ranking, coming in at #8. Simpson College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Indianola, Iowa. It awarded 5 masters’s criminal justice degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our plains states region master’s degree vets studying criminal justice list, Simpson College has also earned the #5 rank in our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Master’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking.Of the 1,267 students enrolled at Simpson College, 35 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 18 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $10,481. On top of their other funding sources, 7 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read More…

9
UCM crest
University of Central Missouri
Warrensburg, Missouri

With a ranking of #9, University of Central Missouri did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for Criminal Justice for a Master’s list. UCM is located in Warrensburg, Missouri and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 13 masters’s criminal justice degrees to qualified students.

UCM not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #17 on our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Master’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list.Of the 9,959 students enrolled at UCM, 9 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 10 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $4,238. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

Full University of Central Missouri Veteran Student Life Report

10

Saint Ambrose University came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for Criminal Justice for a Master’s ranking. St. Ambrose University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Davenport, Iowa. The school has a small population, and it awarded 10 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at St. Ambrose University, the school also landed the #10 spot in our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Master’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking.Among the 3,003 students enrolled at Saint Ambrose University, 88 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 42 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $7,054. During this same period, 17 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Saint Ambrose University Veteran Student Life Report

11
Mount Mercy crest
Mount Mercy University
Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Mount Mercy University came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for Criminal Justice for a Master’s ranking. Mount Mercy is a small school located in Cedar Rapids, Iowa that handed out 21 masters’s criminal justice degrees in 2020-2021.

Mount Mercy also took the #14 spot in our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Master’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 58 of the 1,705 students enrolled at Mount Mercy were GI Bill® students, of which 33 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $7,227. To help with additional expenses, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

Read More…

12
St. Cloud State University crest
Saint Cloud State University
Saint Cloud, Minnesota

With a ranking of #12, Saint Cloud State University did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for Criminal Justice for a Master’s list. Located in Saint Cloud, Minnesota, this fairly large public school awarded 10 diplomas to qualified masters’s criminal justice students in 2020-2021.

St. Cloud State University not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #12 on our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Master’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list.Among the 11,841 students enrolled at Saint Cloud State University, 291 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 126 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $5,067. During this same period, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read More…

13
Washburn University crest
Washburn University
Topeka, Kansas

Washburn University ranked #13 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for Criminal Justice for a Master’s list. Washburn University is a public institution located in Topeka, Kansas. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 8 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our plains states region master’s degree vets studying criminal justice list, Washburn University has also earned the #15 rank in our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Master’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking.Of the 5,880 students enrolled at Washburn University, 306 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 147 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $5,535. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

Read More…

14
Capella University crest
Capella University
Minneapolis, Minnesota

With a ranking of #14, Capella University did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for Criminal Justice for a Master’s list. Capella University is a large school located in Minneapolis, Minnesota that handed out 81 masters’s criminal justice degrees in 2020-2021.

Capella University did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #7 on our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Master’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list.Our most recent data shows that 2,589 of the 38,930 students enrolled at Capella University were GI Bill® students, of which 1,685 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $6,867. On top of their other funding sources, 4 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

[Read full report on veteran student life at Capella University]](/colleges/capella-university/student-life/veterans/)

15

Wichita State University came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for Criminal Justice for a Master’s ranking. Located in Wichita, Kansas, this fairly large public school awarded 9 diplomas to qualified masters’s criminal justice students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our plains states region master’s degree vets studying criminal justice list, WSU has also earned the #21 rank in our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Master’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking.Of the 14,999 students enrolled at Wichita State University, 577 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 385 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $6,488. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

Full Wichita State University Veteran Student Life Report

16

Missouri Southern State University ranked #16 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for Criminal Justice for a Master’s list. This small school is located in Joplin, Missouri, and it awarded 3 masters’s criminal justice degrees in 2020-2021.

Missouri Southern also made our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Master’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #16.Of the 5,045 students enrolled at Missouri Southern State University, 210 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 98 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $4,255. To help with additional expenses, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

[Read full report on veteran student life at Missouri Southern]](/colleges/missouri-southern-state-university/student-life/veterans/)

17
Southeast Missouri State University crest
Southeast Missouri State University
Cape Girardeau, Missouri

Southeast Missouri State University landed the #17 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for Criminal Justice for a Master’s ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, and it awarded 5 masters’s criminal justice degrees in 2020-2021.

Southeast Missouri State University also made our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Master’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #19.According to our most recent data, Southeast Missouri State University supports 10,001 students, and 344 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 143 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $4,052. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

Read More…

18
SC crest
Southwestern College
Winfield, Kansas

Southwestern College ranked #18 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for Criminal Justice for a Master’s list. Located in Winfield, Kansas, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 5 degrees to qualified masters’s criminal justice students in 2020-2021.

SC not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #8 on our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Master’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list.Of the 1,413 students enrolled at SC, 11 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 6 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $5,795. To help with additional expenses, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Full SC Veteran Student Life Report

19
Walden University crest
Walden University
Minneapolis, Minnesota

Walden University ranked #19 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for Criminal Justice for a Master’s list. Located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, this large private for-profit school awarded 150 degrees to qualified masters’s criminal justice students in 2020-2021.

Walden University not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #3 on our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Master’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list.Among the 49,695 students enrolled at Walden University, 2,721 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 1,568 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $8,240. In addition to receiving other benefits, 3 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Walden University Veteran Student Life Report

20

Concordia University, Saint Paul ranked #20 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for Criminal Justice for a Master’s list. Concordia University, Saint Paul is a private not-for-profit institution located in Saint Paul, Minnesota. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 27 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Concordia University, Saint Paul did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #13 on our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Master’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list.Of the 5,585 students enrolled at Concordia University, Saint Paul, 196 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 118 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $8,143. On top of their other funding sources, 7 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read More…

21
MBU crest
Missouri Baptist University
Saint Louis, Missouri

Missouri Baptist University did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for Criminal Justice for a Master’s ranking, coming in at #21. Missouri Baptist University is a small school located in Saint Louis, Missouri that handed out 4 masters’s criminal justice degrees in 2020-2021.

MBU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #20 on our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Master’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list.Among the 4,860 students enrolled at Missouri Baptist University, 71 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 49 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $9,645. During this same period, 8 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Missouri Baptist University does offer credit for military training for eligible students.

[Read full report on veteran student life at Missouri Baptist University]](/colleges/missouri-baptist-university/student-life/veterans/)

Notes and References

References

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

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