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2022 Best Value Criminology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region

17 Ranked Colleges
769 Degrees Awarded
$19,600 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Criminology Schools for a Bachelor's in the Plains States Region

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. College Factual has developed its “Best Value Criminology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

In 2019-2020, 10,182 people earned their degree in criminology, making the major the 82nd most popular in the United States. 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 the Plains States region, there were 843 criminology graduates with average earnings and debt of $35,200 and $24,586 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” 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.

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. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Best Value Criminology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

To further help you make the college decision, we’ve developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to you. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Best Value Criminology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Criminology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region.

Top 17 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Criminology in the Plains States Region

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Minnesota - Duluth. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Criminology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region 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.

UMN Duluth also took the #3 spot in our “Best Criminology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UMN Duluth is $17,067 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Criminology students.

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

#2

University of Northern Iowa

Cedar Falls, Iowa

Out of the 17 schools in the Best Value Criminology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Northern Iowa landed the #2 spot on the list. UNI is a public institution located in Cedar Falls, Iowa. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 50 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UNI, the school also landed the #5 spot in our “Best Criminology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UNI is $15,620 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Criminology students.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Criminology at UNI

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Missouri State University - Springfield. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Criminology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region list. Springfield, Missouri is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s criminology degrees to 108 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree criminology students 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 $16,725 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Criminology students per year to attend Missouri State.

Read full report on Criminology at Missouri State

#16 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Northwest Missouri State University. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Criminology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region list. Northwest Missouri State University 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.

In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree criminology students list, Northwest has also earned the #16 rank in our “Best Criminology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $12,354 for plains states region bachelor’s degree criminology students per year to attend Northwest Missouri State University.

Read full report on Criminology at Northwest

#5

Maryville University of Saint Louis

Saint Louis, Missouri

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Maryville University of Saint Louis. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Criminology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region list. 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. It costs about $29,064 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Criminology students per year to attend Maryville U.

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 University of Saint Louis

#6

Avila University

Kansas City, Missouri

Avila University landed the #6 spot on the 2022 Best Value Criminology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region ranking. This small school is located in Kansas City, Missouri, and it awarded 13 bachelors’s criminology degrees in 2019-2020.

Avila also made our “Best Criminology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #15. It costs about $17,048 for plains states region bachelor’s degree criminology students per year to attend Avila University.

Full Avila Criminology Report

#7

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

Minneapolis, Minnesota

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities landed the #7 spot on the 2022 Best Value Criminology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region ranking. This large school is located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and it awarded 120 bachelors’s criminology degrees in 2019-2020.

UMN Twin Cities also made our “Best Criminology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #2. The estimated yearly cost for UMN Twin Cities is $17,740 for plains states region bachelor’s degree criminology students.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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%.

Read more about Criminology at UMN Twin Cities

#8

University of Saint Mary

Leavenworth, Kansas

University of Saint Mary ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Criminology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region list. Leavenworth, Kansas 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.

University of St. Mary not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #10 on our “Best Criminology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend University of St. Mary is $21,000 for plains states region bachelor’s degree criminology students.

Full University of Saint Mary Criminology Report

#9

Webster University

Saint Louis, Missouri
#8 in overall quality

Webster University came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Criminology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region ranking. Located in Saint Louis, Missouri, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school awarded 15 degrees to qualified bachelors’s criminology students in 2019-2020.

Webster also took the #8 spot in our “Best Criminology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Webster University is $22,768 for plains states region bachelor’s degree criminology students.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Criminology at Webster

#10

University of Iowa

Iowa City, Iowa
#6 in overall quality

University of Iowa landed the #10 spot on the 2022 Best Value Criminology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region ranking. Located in Iowa City, Iowa, this large public school awarded 95 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s criminology students in 2019-2020.

Iowa also made our “Best Criminology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #6. The estimated yearly cost for University of Iowa is $19,145 for plains states region bachelor’s degree criminology students.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 88%. The low student loan default rate of 3.5% 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 more about Criminology at University of Iowa

#11

University of Missouri - St Louis

Saint Louis, Missouri

University of Missouri - St Louis ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Criminology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region list. Saint Louis, Missouri is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s criminology degrees to 86 students in 2019-2020.

UMSL not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #13 on our “Best Criminology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. It costs about $9,435 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Criminology students per year to attend UMSL.

Full UMSL Criminology Report

#12

Benedictine College

Atchison, Kansas

Benedictine College landed the #12 spot on the 2022 Best Value Criminology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region ranking. Benedictine College is located in Atchison, Kansas and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 9 bachelors’s criminology degrees to qualified students.

Benedictine College also took the #12 spot in our “Best Criminology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Benedictine College is $23,011 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Criminology students.

The low student loan default rate of 3.8% 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 Benedictine College

#13

Hastings College

Hastings, Nebraska
#9 in overall quality

Hastings College ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value Criminology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region list. Hastings College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Hastings, Nebraska. It awarded 5 bachelors’s criminology degrees in 2019-2020.

Hastings also made our “Best Criminology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #9. The estimated yearly cost for Hastings College is $21,670 for plains states region bachelor’s degree criminology students.

Read full report on Criminology at Hastings College

#14

Upper Iowa University

Fayette, Iowa

Upper Iowa University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Criminology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #14. Located in Fayette, Iowa, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 54 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s criminology students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree criminology students list, UIU has also earned the #14 rank in our “Best Criminology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UIU is $21,624 for plains states region bachelor’s degree criminology students.

Read full report on Criminology at Upper Iowa University

#15

Drury University

Springfield, Missouri
#17 in overall quality

Drury University landed the #15 spot on the 2022 Best Value Criminology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region ranking. Drury University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Springfield, Missouri. The school has a small population, and it awarded 12 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Drury University also took the #17 spot in our “Best Criminology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Drury University is $18,419 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Criminology students.

Full Drury University Criminology Report

#16

Hamline University

Saint Paul, Minnesota

With a ranking of #16, Hamline University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Criminology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region list. Saint Paul, Minnesota is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s criminology degrees to 38 students in 2019-2020.

Hamline also took the #7 spot in our “Best Criminology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $20,866 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Criminology students 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 more about Criminology at Hamline University

#17

University of St Thomas Minnesota

Saint Paul, Minnesota

University of St Thomas Minnesota ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value Criminology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region list. 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. It costs about $29,155 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Criminology students per year to attend University of St Thomas Minnesota.

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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Criminology at University of St Thomas Minnesota

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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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