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2023 Best Value Colleges for Criminal Justice Studies (With Aid)

461 Ranked Colleges
46,814 Degrees Awarded
$5,500 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Criminal Justice Studies Schools For Those Getting Aid

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. College Factual has developed its “Best Value Criminal Justice Studies Schools For Those Getting Aid” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

In 2020-2021, 46,814 people earned their degree in criminal justice studies, making the major the 16th most popular in the United States.

This year’s “Best Value Criminal Justice Studies Schools For Those Getting Aid” ranking analyzed 461 colleges that offered a degree in criminal justice studies. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great criminal justice studies programs and cost less that schools of similar quality.

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

One Size Does Not Fit All

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The criminal justice studies 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 Criminal Justice Studies Schools For Those Getting Aid”.

You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Best Value Criminal Justice Studies Schools For Those Getting Aid

The colleges and universities below are the best for criminal justice studies students with aid.

Top 25 Best Value Colleges for Criminal Justice Studies (With Aid)

1

Out of the 461 schools in the Best Value Criminal Justice Studies Schools For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, South Georgia Technical College landed the #1 spot on the list. This small school is located in Americus, Georgia, and it awarded 170 ’s criminal justice studies degrees in 2020-2021.

On top of its placing in this ranking, South Georgia Technical College also did well on our “Best Criminal Justice Studies Schools” list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. It costs about $763 for criminal justice studies students with aid per year to attend South Georgia Technical College.

Read more about Criminal Justice Studies at South Georgia Technical College

2
South Texas College crest
South Texas College
McAllen, Texas

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend South Texas College. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Criminal Justice Studies Schools For Those Getting Aid. South Texas College is a large school located in McAllen, Texas that handed out 310 ’s criminal justice studies degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend South Texas College is $1,504 for criminal justice studies students with aid.

Read full report on Criminal Justice Studies at South Texas College

3
Indian River State College crest
Indian River State College
Fort Pierce, Florida

Out of the 461 schools in the Best Value Criminal Justice Studies Schools For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, Indian River State College landed the #3 spot on the list. Indian River State College is located in Fort Pierce, Florida and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 72 ’s criminal justice studies degrees to qualified students.

It costs about $3,786 for criminal justice studies students with aid per year to attend Indian River State College.

Read full report on Criminal Justice Studies at Indian River State College

4
El Centro College crest
El Centro College
Dallas, Texas

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend El Centro College. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Best Value Criminal Justice Studies Schools For Those Getting Aid list. Dallas, Texas is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s criminal justice studies degrees to 324 students in 2020-2021.

El Centro College also claimed a top spot on our “Best Criminal Justice Studies Schools” list. It’s ranked in the top 15% of all schools on our “Best Criminal Justice Studies Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend El Centro College is $4,739 for criminal justice studies students with aid.

Read more about Criminal Justice Studies at El Centro College

5
American Military University crest
American Public University System
Charles Town, West Virginia

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend American Public University System. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Best Value Criminal Justice Studies Schools For Those Getting Aid list. American Public University System is a large school located in Charles Town, West Virginia that handed out 730 ’s criminal justice studies degrees in 2020-2021.

American Military University not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #2 on our “Best Criminal Justice Studies Schools” list. It costs about $10,563 for criminal justice studies students with aid per year to attend American Public University System.

With a freshman retention rate of 98%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Criminal Justice Studies at American Military University

6
Gateway Technical College crest
Gateway Technical College
Kenosha, Wisconsin

Gateway Technical College ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Criminal Justice Studies Schools For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Kenosha, Wisconsin, this medium-sized public school handed out 53 degrees to qualified ’s criminal justice studies students in 2020-2021.

Gateway Technical College also took the #18 spot in our “Best Criminal Justice Studies Schools” ranking. It costs about $8,487 for Criminal Justice Studies students with aid per year to attend Gateway Technical College.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read more about Criminal Justice Studies at Gateway Technical College

7

California State University - Los Angeles came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Criminal Justice Studies Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking. California State University - Los Angeles is a large public school situated in Los Angeles, California. It awarded 330 ’s criminal justice studies degrees in 2020-2021.

Cal State LA excels when it comes to criminal justice studies quality. It’s in the top 20% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. It costs about $3,302 for Criminal Justice Studies students with aid per year to attend California State University - Los Angeles.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.6% 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 Cal State LA Criminal Justice Studies Report

8
CSN crest
College of Southern Nevada
Las Vegas, Nevada

College of Southern Nevada ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Criminal Justice Studies Schools For Those Getting Aid list. This large school is located in Las Vegas, Nevada, and it awarded 181 ’s criminal justice studies degrees in 2020-2021.

CSN also claimed a top spot on our “Best Criminal Justice Studies Schools” list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The yearly cost to attend CSN is $7,019 for criminal justice studies students with aid.

Read full report on Criminal Justice Studies at CSN

9
CGTC crest
Central Georgia Technical College
Warner Robins, Georgia

Central Georgia Technical College did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Criminal Justice Studies Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #9. Central Georgia Technical College is a medium-sized school located in Warner Robins, Georgia that handed out 161 ’s criminal justice studies degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend CGTC is $2,404 for Criminal Justice Studies students with aid.

Read more about Criminal Justice Studies at CGTC

10
Albany Technical College crest
Albany Technical College
Albany, Georgia

With a ranking of #10, Albany Technical College did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Criminal Justice Studies Schools For Those Getting Aid list. Albany Technical College is a small public school situated in Albany, Georgia. It awarded 146 ’s criminal justice studies degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend Albany Technical College is $663 for criminal justice studies students with aid.

Full Albany Technical College Criminal Justice Studies Report

11
Ivy Tech Community College crest
Ivy Tech Community College
Indianapolis, Indiana

Ivy Tech Community College did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Criminal Justice Studies Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #11. Ivy Tech Community College is located in Indianapolis, Indiana and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 581 ’s criminal justice studies degrees to qualified students.

On top of its placing in this ranking, Ivy Tech Community College also did well on our “Best Criminal Justice Studies Schools” list. It’s in the top [COLLEGE_QUALITY_PECTENTILE_ALL_LEVES]% of all schools in this category. The yearly cost to attend Ivy Tech Community College is $7,669 for Criminal Justice Studies students with aid.

Read more about Criminal Justice Studies at Ivy Tech Community College

12

Wiregrass Georgia Technical College came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Criminal Justice Studies Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking. Located in Valdosta, Georgia, this small public school awarded 68 degrees to qualified ’s criminal justice studies students in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for Wiregrass Georgia Technical College is $1,978 for criminal justice studies students with aid.

Full Wiregrass Georgia Technical College Criminal Justice Studies Report

13

Georgia Northwestern Technical College landed the #13 spot on the 2023 Best Value Criminal Justice Studies Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking. Georgia Northwestern Technical College is a public institution located in Rome, Georgia. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 69 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $1,445 for Criminal Justice Studies students with aid per year to attend Georgia Northwestern Technical College.

Read more about Criminal Justice Studies at Georgia Northwestern Technical College

14
Florida State crest
Florida State University
Tallahassee, Florida

Florida State University ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value Criminal Justice Studies Schools For Those Getting Aid list. Florida State is a large public school situated in Tallahassee, Florida. It awarded 608 ’s criminal justice studies degrees in 2020-2021.

Florida State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #5 on our “Best Criminal Justice Studies Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Florida State University is $9,946 for criminal justice studies students with aid.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.8%, 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 95%.

Read full report on Criminal Justice Studies at Florida State University

15

Northern Virginia Community College ranked #15 on this year’s Best Value Criminal Justice Studies Schools For Those Getting Aid list. Annandale, Virginia is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s criminal justice studies degrees to 170 students in 2020-2021.

On top of its placing in this ranking, Northern Virginia Community College also did well on our “Best Criminal Justice Studies Schools” list. It’s ranked in the top 10% of all schools on our “Best Criminal Justice Studies Schools” list. It costs about $9,452 for criminal justice studies students with aid per year to attend Northern Virginia Community College.

Read full report on Criminal Justice Studies at Northern Virginia Community College

16

California State University - Dominguez Hills did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Criminal Justice Studies Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #16. This fairly large school is located in Carson, California, and it awarded 295 ’s criminal justice studies degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $4,026 for criminal justice studies students with aid per year to attend CSUDH.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.1% 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%.

Full CSUDH Criminal Justice Studies Report

17

Florida International University ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value Criminal Justice Studies Schools For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Miami, Florida, this large public school awarded 643 diplomas to qualified ’s criminal justice studies students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education it offers, FIU is also in the top of our “Best Criminal Justice Studies Schools” ranking. It’s ranked in the top 10% of all schools on our “Best Criminal Justice Studies Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend FIU is $5,298 for Criminal Justice Studies students with aid.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Florida International University Criminal Justice Studies Report

18

McLennan Community College ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value Criminal Justice Studies Schools For Those Getting Aid list. This medium-sized school is located in Waco, Texas, and it awarded 64 ’s criminal justice studies degrees in 2020-2021.

On top of its placing in this ranking, MCC also did well on our “Best Criminal Justice Studies Schools” list. It’s in the top [COLLEGE_QUALITY_PECTENTILE_ALL_LEVES]% of all schools in this category. It costs about $6,849 for Criminal Justice Studies students with aid per year to attend McLennan Community College.

Read full report on Criminal Justice Studies at McLennan Community College

19

University of Central Florida came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Criminal Justice Studies Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking. Located in Orlando, Florida, this large public school awarded 646 diplomas to qualified ’s criminal justice studies students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UCF, the school also landed the #12 spot in our “Best Criminal Justice Studies Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Central Florida is $8,618 for criminal justice studies students with aid.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Criminal Justice Studies at UCF

20
Forsyth Tech crest
Forsyth Technical Community College
Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Forsyth Technical Community College ranked #20 on this year’s Best Value Criminal Justice Studies Schools For Those Getting Aid list. Forsyth Technical Community College is a public institution located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 60 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for Forsyth Tech is $5,388 for Criminal Justice Studies students with aid.

Full Forsyth Technical Community College Criminal Justice Studies Report

21
College of Southern Idaho crest
College of Southern Idaho
Twin Falls, Idaho

College of Southern Idaho ranked #21 on this year’s Best Value Criminal Justice Studies Schools For Those Getting Aid list. College of Southern Idaho is a medium-sized public school situated in Twin Falls, Idaho. It awarded 34 ’s criminal justice studies degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $5,188 for criminal justice studies students with aid per year to attend College of Southern Idaho.

Full College of Southern Idaho Criminal Justice Studies Report

22

Chemeketa Community College did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Criminal Justice Studies Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #22. Chemeketa Community College is located in Salem, Oregon and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 11 ’s criminal justice studies degrees to qualified students.

The yearly cost to attend Chemeketa Community College is $6,338 for criminal justice studies students with aid.

Read full report on Criminal Justice Studies at Chemeketa Community College

23

El Paso Community College landed the #23 spot on the 2023 Best Value Criminal Justice Studies Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking. El Paso, Texas is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s criminal justice studies degrees to 281 students in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for El Paso Community College is $3,848 for criminal justice studies students with aid.

Read full report on Criminal Justice Studies at El Paso Community College

24
Savannah Tech crest
Savannah Technical College
Savannah, Georgia

With a ranking of #24, Savannah Technical College did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Criminal Justice Studies Schools For Those Getting Aid list. Savannah Technical College is a public institution located in Savannah, Georgia. The school has a small population, and it awarded 53 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend Savannah Technical College is $4,992 for criminal justice studies students with aid.

Full Savannah Tech Criminal Justice Studies Report

25

University of Houston - Downtown landed the #25 spot on the 2023 Best Value Criminal Justice Studies Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking. University of Houston - Downtown is located in Houston, Texas and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 219 ’s criminal justice studies degrees to qualified students.

The yearly cost to attend University of Houston - Downtown is $12,044 for criminal justice studies students with aid.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.3% 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 Criminal Justice Studies at University of Houston - Downtown

Rest of the Best 50 in Best Value Criminal Justice Studies Schools For Those Getting Aid

Not only did these schools make the top 50 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

26
27
Century College crest
Century College
White Bear Lake, Minnesota
28
29
30
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Fayetteville Technical Community College
Fayetteville, North Carolina
31
32
33
34
35
36
North Georgia Technical College crest
North Georgia Technical College
Clarkesville, Georgia
37
FAU crest
Florida Atlantic University
Boca Raton, Florida
38
Western Technical College crest
Western Technical College
La Crosse, Wisconsin
39
Central Piedmont Community College crest
Central Piedmont Community College
Charlotte, North Carolina
40
41
COM crest
College of the Mainland
Texas City, Texas
42
43
Fayetteville State University crest
Fayetteville State University
Fayetteville, North Carolina
44
IU Bloomington crest
Indiana University - Bloomington
Bloomington, Indiana
45
45
47
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Mid-State Technical College
Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin
48
49
Texas State crest
Texas State University
San Marcos, Texas
50
Rio Salado College crest
Rio Salado College
Tempe, Arizona

Rest of the Top 15% Colleges in Best Value Criminal Justice Studies Schools For Those Getting Aid

While not in the ‘top 50’, these schools make the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

Rank College Location
51 New Mexico State University - Dona Ana Las Cruces, NM
52 Pima Community College Tucson, AZ
53 Southern Crescent Technical College Griffin, GA
54 University of Nevada - Las Vegas Las Vegas, NV
55 Rutgers University - Newark Newark, NJ
56 California State University - Bakersfield Bakersfield, CA
57 Southwest Wisconsin Technical College Fennimore, WI
58 Tarrant County College District Fort Worth, TX
59 Salt Lake Community College Salt Lake City, UT
60 University of Nebraska at Omaha Omaha, NE
61 University of North Florida Jacksonville, FL
62 Minnesota State University - Mankato Mankato, MN
63 Elizabeth City State University Elizabeth City, NC
64 Middlesex Community College Bedford, MA
65 Blackhawk Technical College Janesville, WI
Rank College Location
66 University of Maryland Global Campus Adelphi, MD
67 Indiana University - Northwest Gary, IN
68 San Diego State University San Diego, CA
69 Appalachian State University Boone, NC
70 Metropolitan Community College Omaha, NE

Notes and References

References

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

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