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2022 Best Value Criminology Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania

16 Ranked Colleges
456 Degrees Awarded
$24,900 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Criminology Schools for a Bachelor's in Pennsylvania

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Best Value Criminology Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania” ranking - to help you make that decision.

Criminology is the 82nd most popular major in the country with 10,182 degrees awarded in 2019-2020. In 2017-2018, criminology graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $32,583 and had an average of $24,397 in loans still to pay off.

Across Pennsylvania, there were 709 criminology graduates with average earnings and debt of $35,050 and $26,851 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 456 criminology graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Criminology Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania” ranking looked at 16 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in criminology. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great criminology programs and cost less that schools of similar quality.

To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as the cost to attend the school after aid is awarded and overall quality of the criminology program at the school. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

One Size Does Not Fit All

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 Pennsylvania”.

You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.

Best Value Criminology Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania

The colleges and universities below are the best for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree criminology students.

Top 16 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Criminology in Pennsylvania

#1

Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania

Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Criminology Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania. This medium-sized school is located in Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 61 bachelors’s criminology degrees in 2019-2020.

SRU also took the #6 spot in our “Best Criminology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. The yearly cost to attend SRU is $19,926 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Criminology students.

Read full report on Criminology at SRU

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Indiana University of Pennsylvania - Main Campus. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Criminology Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania list. Indiana, Pennsylvania is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s criminology degrees to 148 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at IUP, the school also landed the #11 spot in our “Best Criminology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Indiana University of Pennsylvania - Main Campus is $22,448 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Criminology students.

Full IUP Criminology Report

#3

Albright College

Reading, Pennsylvania

Out of the 16 schools in the Best Value Criminology Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania that were part of this year’s ranking, Albright College landed the #3 spot on the list. Albright College is located in Reading, Pennsylvania and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 11 bachelors’s criminology degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our pennsylvania bachelor’s degree criminology students list, Albright has also earned the #8 rank in our “Best Criminology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Albright is $19,469 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Criminology students.

Read full report on Criminology at Albright

#4

Eastern University

Saint Davids, Pennsylvania

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Eastern University. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Criminology Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania list. Eastern University is a small school located in Saint Davids, Pennsylvania that handed out 11 bachelors’s criminology degrees in 2019-2020.

EU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #10 on our “Best Criminology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” list. The yearly cost to attend EU is $22,284 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree criminology students.

Full EU Criminology Report

#5

Saint Vincent College

Latrobe, Pennsylvania

Out of the 16 schools in the Best Value Criminology Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania that were part of this year’s ranking, Saint Vincent College landed the #5 spot on the list. Saint Vincent College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Latrobe, Pennsylvania. It awarded 22 bachelors’s criminology degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Saint Vincent, the school also landed the #5 spot in our “Best Criminology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Saint Vincent College is $16,634 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree criminology students.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Saint Vincent Criminology Report

#6

Carlow University

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
#16 in overall quality

Carlow University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Criminology Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania ranking, coming in at #6. This small school is located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 3 bachelors’s criminology degrees in 2019-2020.

Carlow not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #16 on our “Best Criminology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” list. It costs about $20,002 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Criminology students per year to attend Carlow.

The student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full Carlow University Criminology Report

#7

Cabrini University

Radnor, Pennsylvania

Cabrini University ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Criminology Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania list. Located in Radnor, Pennsylvania, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 15 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s criminology students in 2019-2020.

Cabrini University also made our “Best Criminology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” list, coming in at #13. The yearly cost to attend Cabrini University is $21,684 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Criminology students.

Full Cabrini University Criminology Report

#8

Wilkes University

Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
#12 in overall quality

Wilkes University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Criminology Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania ranking, coming in at #8. This small school is located in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 17 bachelors’s criminology degrees in 2019-2020.

Wilkes not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #12 on our “Best Criminology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” list. It costs about $26,641 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree criminology students per year to attend Wilkes.

Full Wilkes University Criminology Report

#9

Lycoming College

Williamsport, Pennsylvania

Lycoming College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Criminology Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania ranking, coming in at #9. Lycoming is a small school located in Williamsport, Pennsylvania that handed out 37 bachelors’s criminology degrees in 2019-2020.

Lycoming also made our “Best Criminology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” list, coming in at #9. The estimated yearly cost for Lycoming is $18,580 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Criminology students.

Read full report on Criminology at Lycoming College

#10

Cedar Crest College

Allentown, Pennsylvania

Cedar Crest College landed the #10 spot on the 2022 Best Value Criminology Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania ranking. Cedar Crest is a small school located in Allentown, Pennsylvania that handed out 16 bachelors’s criminology degrees in 2019-2020.

Cedar Crest also took the #15 spot in our “Best Criminology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. It costs about $21,520 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Criminology students per year to attend Cedar Crest.

Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Full Cedar Crest Criminology Report

#11

Lebanon Valley College

Annville, Pennsylvania

Lebanon Valley College ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Criminology Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania list. Annville, Pennsylvania is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s criminology degrees to 10 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our pennsylvania bachelor’s degree criminology students list, LVC has also earned the #4 rank in our “Best Criminology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. It costs about $27,464 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree criminology students per year to attend Lebanon Valley College.

The low student loan default rate of 3.9% 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%.

Read more about Criminology at LVC

#12

Arcadia University

Glenside, Pennsylvania

Arcadia University ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value Criminology Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania list. This small school is located in Glenside, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 22 bachelors’s criminology degrees in 2019-2020.

Arcadia also took the #14 spot in our “Best Criminology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Arcadia is $27,189 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree criminology students.

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%.

Read full report on Criminology at Arcadia University

#13

Saint Joseph's University

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Saint Joseph’s University came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Criminology Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania ranking. Saint Joseph’s University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 21 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

St. Joe’s also took the #3 spot in our “Best Criminology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. It costs about $33,375 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Criminology students per year to attend Saint Joseph’s University.

With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 3.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Saint Joseph’s University Criminology Report

#14

Villanova University

Villanova, Pennsylvania
#2 in overall quality

Villanova University came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Criminology Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania ranking. Located in Villanova, Pennsylvania, this fairly large private not-for-profit school handed out 15 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s criminology students in 2019-2020.

Villanova also took the #2 spot in our “Best Criminology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Villanova University is $41,027 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Criminology students.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low student loan default rate of 1.5% 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 Villanova

#15

Drexel University

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
#7 in overall quality

Drexel University landed the #15 spot on the 2022 Best Value Criminology Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania ranking. Drexel University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The school has a large population, and it awarded 13 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Drexel not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #7 on our “Best Criminology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” list. The yearly cost to attend Drexel University is $34,914 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Criminology students.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 88%. The student loan default rate at the school is 2.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Criminology at Drexel

#16

University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

With a ranking of #16, University of Pennsylvania did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Criminology Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania list. This large school is located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 13 bachelors’s criminology degrees in 2019-2020.

UPenn did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #1 on our “Best Criminology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” list. The yearly cost to attend UPenn is $25,802 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Criminology students.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read more about Criminology at University of Pennsylvania

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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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