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2022 Best Value Criminology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k

17 Ranked Colleges
769 Degrees Awarded
$15,100 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Criminology Schools for a Bachelor's in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k

When it comes to choosing a college, students 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 “Best Value Criminology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking is part of that endeavor.

In 2019-2020, 10,182 people earned their degree in criminology, making the major the 79th most popular in the United States.

Across the Plains States region, there were 843 criminology graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 769 criminology graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,786 and $25,576 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Criminology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking, we looked at 17 colleges that offer a degree in criminology. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent criminology programs, but they also cost less that schools of similar quality.

When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the criminology program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

More Ways to Rank Criminology Schools

The criminology school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Best Value Criminology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k”.

One of our other unique offerings is College Combat. This tool lets you build your own customized comparisons utilizing the factors that are most important to 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.

Best Value Criminology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Criminology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k.

Top 17 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Criminology (Income $0-$30k) in the Plains States Region

#1

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

Minneapolis, Minnesota
#2 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Minnesota - Twin Cities. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Criminology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities is a large school located in Minneapolis, Minnesota that handed out 120 bachelors’s criminology degrees in 2019-2020.

UMN Twin Cities also took the #2 spot in our “Best Criminology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Minnesota - Twin Cities is $7,266 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Criminology students whose families make $0-$30k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Minnesota - Twin Cities Criminology Report

#3 in overall quality

Out of the 17 schools in the Best Value Criminology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Minnesota - Duluth landed the #2 spot on the list. University of Minnesota - Duluth is located in Duluth, Minnesota and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 62 bachelors’s criminology degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UMN Duluth, the school also landed the #3 spot in our “Best Criminology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Minnesota - Duluth is $7,443 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Criminology students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low student loan default rate of 3.1% 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 full report on Criminology at University of Minnesota - Duluth

#3

University of Northern Iowa

Cedar Falls, Iowa
#5 in overall quality

Out of the 17 schools in the Best Value Criminology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Northern Iowa landed the #3 spot on the list. UNI is a medium-sized public school situated in Cedar Falls, Iowa. It awarded 50 bachelors’s criminology degrees in 2019-2020.

UNI also took the #5 spot in our “Best Criminology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UNI is $10,757 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Criminology students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full UNI Criminology Report

#4

University of Missouri - St Louis

Saint Louis, Missouri
#13 in overall quality

Out of the 17 schools in the Best Value Criminology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Missouri - St Louis landed the #4 spot on the list. UMSL is located in Saint Louis, Missouri and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 86 bachelors’s criminology degrees to qualified students.

UMSL also took the #13 spot in our “Best Criminology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Missouri - St Louis is $7,401 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Criminology students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Criminology at UMSL

#5

University of Iowa

Iowa City, Iowa
#6 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Iowa. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Criminology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Iowa City, Iowa, this large public school awarded 95 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s criminology students in 2019-2020.

Iowa not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #6 on our “Best Criminology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of Iowa is $12,975 for plains states region bachelor’s degree criminology students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 88%.

Full Iowa Criminology Report

#16 in overall quality

Northwest Missouri State University came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Criminology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Northwest is a public institution located in Maryville, Missouri. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 18 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Northwest also took the #16 spot in our “Best Criminology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Northwest Missouri State University is $9,990 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Criminology students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Criminology at Northwest

#11 in overall quality

Missouri State University - Springfield came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Criminology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Missouri State is a large public school situated in Springfield, Missouri. It awarded 108 bachelors’s criminology degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree criminology students whose families make $0-$30k list, Missouri State has also earned the #11 rank in our “Best Criminology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $12,527 for plains states region bachelor’s degree criminology students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Missouri State.

Full Missouri State University - Springfield Criminology Report

#8

Hamline University

Saint Paul, Minnesota
#7 in overall quality

Hamline University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Criminology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #8. Hamline is located in Saint Paul, Minnesota and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 38 bachelors’s criminology degrees to qualified students.

Hamline did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #7 on our “Best Criminology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. It costs about $17,038 for plains states region bachelor’s degree criminology students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Hamline.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Criminology at Hamline University

#9

Hastings College

Hastings, Nebraska
#9 in overall quality

Hastings College landed the #9 spot on the 2022 Best Value Criminology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Hastings College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Hastings, Nebraska. It awarded 5 bachelors’s criminology degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree criminology students whose families make $0-$30k list, Hastings has also earned the #9 rank in our “Best Criminology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $16,260 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Criminology students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Hastings.

Read more about Criminology at Hastings

#10

Maryville University of Saint Louis

Saint Louis, Missouri
#1 in overall quality

Maryville University of Saint Louis came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Criminology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Maryville U is a private not-for-profit institution located in Saint Louis, Missouri. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 12 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Maryville U did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #1 on our “Best Criminology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Maryville University of Saint Louis is $23,479 for plains states region bachelor’s degree criminology students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Criminology at Maryville U

#11

Avila University

Kansas City, Missouri
#15 in overall quality

Avila University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Criminology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #11. Kansas City, Missouri is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s criminology degrees to 13 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree criminology students whose families make $0-$30k list, Avila has also earned the #15 rank in our “Best Criminology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Avila University is $13,672 for plains states region bachelor’s degree criminology students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full Avila University Criminology Report

#12

Webster University

Saint Louis, Missouri
#8 in overall quality

Webster University came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Criminology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Webster University is a medium-sized school located in Saint Louis, Missouri that handed out 15 bachelors’s criminology degrees in 2019-2020.

Webster did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #8 on our “Best Criminology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. It costs about $18,661 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Criminology students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Webster.

The low student loan default rate of 4.9% 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 Webster University Criminology Report

#13

University of Saint Mary

Leavenworth, Kansas
#10 in overall quality

University of Saint Mary did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Criminology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #13. Located in Leavenworth, Kansas, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 13 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s criminology students in 2019-2020.

University of St. Mary also took the #10 spot in our “Best Criminology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $17,127 for plains states region bachelor’s degree criminology students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of Saint Mary.

Read more about Criminology at University of Saint Mary

#14

Benedictine College

Atchison, Kansas
#12 in overall quality

Benedictine College came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Criminology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Benedictine College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Atchison, Kansas. It awarded 9 bachelors’s criminology degrees in 2019-2020.

Benedictine College also took the #12 spot in our “Best Criminology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Benedictine College is $18,742 for plains states region bachelor’s degree criminology students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Benedictine College Criminology Report

#15

Drury University

Springfield, Missouri
#17 in overall quality

Drury University came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Criminology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Drury University is a small school located in Springfield, Missouri that handed out 12 bachelors’s criminology degrees in 2019-2020.

Drury University did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #17 on our “Best Criminology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. It costs about $13,925 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Criminology students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Drury University.

Read more about Criminology at Drury University

#16

Upper Iowa University

Fayette, Iowa
#14 in overall quality

With a ranking of #16, Upper Iowa University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Criminology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. This small school is located in Fayette, Iowa, and it awarded 54 bachelors’s criminology degrees in 2019-2020.

UIU also took the #14 spot in our “Best Criminology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UIU is $21,427 for plains states region bachelor’s degree criminology students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Criminology at UIU

#17

University of St Thomas Minnesota

Saint Paul, Minnesota
#4 in overall quality

University of St Thomas Minnesota came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Criminology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Saint Paul, Minnesota, and it awarded 21 bachelors’s criminology degrees in 2019-2020.

UST MN not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #4 on our “Best Criminology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of St Thomas Minnesota is $27,460 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Criminology students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%.

Full UST MN Criminology Report

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Notes and References

References

  • 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).
  • Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

  • *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
  • Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.

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