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2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k

203 Ranked Colleges
13,908 Degrees Awarded
$6,800 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor's in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

In 2019-2020, 113,581 criminal justice and corrections students received their degree, making the major the 6th most popular in the country. In 2017-2018, criminal justice and corrections graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $31,952 and had an average of $24,936 in loans still to pay off.

Across the Southeast region, there were 30,292 criminal justice and corrections graduates with average earnings and debt of $31,510 and $28,027 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 13,908 criminal justice and corrections graduates with average earnings and debt of $36,277 and $25,415 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking looked at 203 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in criminal justice and corrections. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality criminal justice and corrections programs that also have a lower cost than schools of similar quality.

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

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 Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. Test it out when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.

Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k

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

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Criminal Justice & Corrections (Income $0-$30k) in the Southeast Region

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Florida International University. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k. Florida International University is a large public school situated in Miami, Florida. It awarded 600 bachelors’s criminal justice degrees in 2019-2020.

FIU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #10 on our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. It costs about $5,002 for southeast region bachelor’s degree criminal justice students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend FIU.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Criminal Justice & Corrections at Florida International University

#2

Florida State University

Tallahassee, Florida

Out of the 203 schools in the Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Florida State University landed the #2 spot on the list. Florida State is a large public school situated in Tallahassee, Florida. It awarded 537 bachelors’s criminal justice degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Florida State, the school also landed the #3 spot in our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. It costs about $5,360 for southeast region bachelor’s degree criminal justice students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Florida State.

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 95%.

Read full report on Criminal Justice & Corrections at Florida State

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Central Florida. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Orlando, Florida is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s criminal justice degrees to 483 students in 2019-2020.

UCF also made our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list, coming in at #8. It costs about $6,211 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Criminal Justice students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend UCF.

The low student loan default rate of 4.2% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 92%.

Read more about Criminal Justice & Corrections at UCF

#4

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 #4 on our 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. American Public University System is a private for-profit institution located in Charles Town, West Virginia. The school has a large population, and it awarded 542 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

American Military University did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #1 on our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for American Military University is $10,013 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Criminal Justice students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 98%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Criminal Justice & Corrections at American Public University System

#5

The University of West Florida

Pensacola, Florida

Out of the 203 schools in the Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, The University of West Florida landed the #5 spot on the list. The University of West Florida is located in Pensacola, Florida and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 81 bachelors’s criminal justice degrees to qualified students.

UWF excels when it comes to criminal justice quality. It’s in the top 20% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The yearly cost to attend UWF is $4,140 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Criminal Justice students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full The University of West Florida Criminal Justice & Corrections Report

#6

University of North Florida

Jacksonville, Florida

University of North Florida ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. University of North Florida is a fairly large school located in Jacksonville, Florida that handed out 178 bachelors’s criminal justice degrees in 2019-2020.

On top of its placing in this ranking, UNF also did well on our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools in this category. It costs about $5,097 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Criminal Justice students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend UNF.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full University of North Florida Criminal Justice & Corrections Report

#7

Citadel Military College of South Carolina

Charleston, South Carolina

Citadel Military College of South Carolina landed the #7 spot on the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This small school is located in Charleston, South Carolina, and it awarded 64 bachelors’s criminal justice degrees in 2019-2020.

The Citadel also made our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list, coming in at #5. The yearly cost to attend The Citadel is $7,296 for southeast region bachelor’s degree criminal justice students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low student loan default rate of 4.7% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%.

Full Citadel Military College of South Carolina Criminal Justice & Corrections Report

#8

University of Georgia

Athens, Georgia

University of Georgia ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. University of Georgia is located in Athens, Georgia and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 64 bachelors’s criminal justice degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UGA, the school also landed the #4 spot in our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. It costs about $7,541 for southeast region bachelor’s degree criminal justice students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend UGA.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Criminal Justice & Corrections at UGA

#9

Indian River State College

Fort Pierce, Florida

Indian River State College landed the #9 spot on the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Indian River State College is a public institution located in Fort Pierce, Florida. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 71 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Indian River State College is $1,402 for southeast region bachelor’s degree criminal justice students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full Indian River State College Criminal Justice & Corrections Report

#10

Elizabeth City State University

Elizabeth City, North Carolina

Elizabeth City State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #10. Located in Elizabeth City, North Carolina, this small public school handed out 20 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s criminal justice students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend ECSU is $1,217 for southeast region bachelor’s degree criminal justice students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full ECSU Criminal Justice & Corrections Report

#11

Florida Atlantic University

Boca Raton, Florida

Florida Atlantic University ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Boca Raton, Florida, this large public school awarded 309 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s criminal justice students in 2019-2020.

FAU also claimed a top spot on our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. It costs about $6,085 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Criminal Justice students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend FAU.

Read more about Criminal Justice & Corrections at Florida Atlantic University

#12

Northern Kentucky University

Highland Heights, Kentucky

Northern Kentucky University came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. NKU is a fairly large school located in Highland Heights, Kentucky that handed out 48 bachelors’s criminal justice degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Northern Kentucky University is $4,156 for southeast region bachelor’s degree criminal justice students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Criminal Justice & Corrections at NKU

#13

Appalachian State University

Boone, North Carolina

Appalachian State University landed the #13 spot on the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Boone, North Carolina, this large public school awarded 127 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s criminal justice students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our southeast region bachelor’s degree criminal justice students whose families make $0-$30k list, Appalachian State has also earned the #21 rank in our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. It costs about $7,169 for southeast region bachelor’s degree criminal justice students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Appalachian State.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. 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 Criminal Justice & Corrections at Appalachian State

#14

Florida Gulf Coast University

Fort Myers, Florida

Florida Gulf Coast University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #14. Florida Gulf Coast University is a fairly large school located in Fort Myers, Florida that handed out 112 bachelors’s criminal justice degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on this list, FGCU is in the top on our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools in this category. It costs about $7,824 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Criminal Justice students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Florida Gulf Coast University.

Read full report on Criminal Justice & Corrections at Florida Gulf Coast University

#15

University of North Georgia

Dahlonega, Georgia

University of North Georgia came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. University of North Georgia is a public institution located in Dahlonega, Georgia. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 119 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

On top of its placing in this ranking, UNG also did well on our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. It’s ranked in the top 15% of all schools on our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. It costs about $7,650 for southeast region bachelor’s degree criminal justice students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of North Georgia.

Read more about Criminal Justice & Corrections at University of North Georgia

#16

University of Mississippi

University, Mississippi

With a ranking of #16, University of Mississippi did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. University, Mississippi is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s criminal justice degrees to 139 students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Ole Miss is $9,455 for southeast region bachelor’s degree criminal justice students whose families make $0-$30k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%.

Read full report on Criminal Justice & Corrections at University of Mississippi

#17

Dalton State College

Dalton, Georgia

Dalton State College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #17. Dalton, Georgia is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s criminal justice degrees to 31 students in 2019-2020.

It costs about $5,150 for southeast region bachelor’s degree criminal justice students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend DSC.

Full Dalton State College Criminal Justice & Corrections Report

#18

Fayetteville State University

Fayetteville, North Carolina

Fayetteville State University ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Fayetteville State University is located in Fayetteville, North Carolina and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 101 bachelors’s criminal justice degrees to qualified students.

The estimated yearly cost for Fayetteville State University is $4,330 for southeast region bachelor’s degree criminal justice students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full Fayetteville State University Criminal Justice & Corrections Report

#19

Middle Tennessee State University

Murfreesboro, Tennessee

Middle Tennessee State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #19. Middle Tennessee State University is a public institution located in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. The school has a large population, and it awarded 118 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

On top of its placing in this ranking, Middle Tennessee State University also did well on our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. It costs about $8,919 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Criminal Justice students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Middle Tennessee State University.

Full Middle Tennessee State University Criminal Justice & Corrections Report

#20

Marshall University

Huntington, West Virginia

With a ranking of #20, Marshall University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Marshall University is a fairly large public school situated in Huntington, West Virginia. It awarded 55 bachelors’s criminal justice degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Marshall University is $5,770 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Criminal Justice students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Criminal Justice & Corrections at Marshall University

#21

Western Carolina University

Cullowhee, North Carolina

With a ranking of #21, Western Carolina University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. WCU is a fairly large school located in Cullowhee, North Carolina that handed out 150 bachelors’s criminal justice degrees in 2019-2020.

WCU also claimed a top spot on our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The estimated yearly cost for WCU is $9,188 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Criminal Justice students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Criminal Justice & Corrections at WCU

The University of Tennessee - Chattanooga did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #22. UT Chattanooga is a public institution located in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 103 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $8,108 for southeast region bachelor’s degree criminal justice students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend The University of Tennessee - Chattanooga.

Full The University of Tennessee - Chattanooga Criminal Justice & Corrections Report

#23

McNeese State University

Lake Charles, Louisiana

McNeese State University landed the #23 spot on the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. McNeese is located in Lake Charles, Louisiana and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 28 bachelors’s criminal justice degrees to qualified students.

It costs about $11,892 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Criminal Justice students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend McNeese State University.

Read full report on Criminal Justice & Corrections at McNeese

#24

University of South Carolina - Columbia

Columbia, South Carolina

With a ranking of #24, University of South Carolina - Columbia did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Columbia, South Carolina, this large public school handed out 186 degrees to qualified bachelors’s criminal justice students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UofSC, the school also landed the #6 spot in our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. It costs about $12,426 for southeast region bachelor’s degree criminal justice students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend UofSC.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 90%, 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 3.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full UofSC Criminal Justice & Corrections Report

#25

North Carolina A & T State University

Greensboro, North Carolina

With a ranking of #25, North Carolina A & T State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. This fairly large school is located in Greensboro, North Carolina, and it awarded 106 bachelors’s criminal justice degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend NC A&T is $7,493 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Criminal Justice students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Criminal Justice & Corrections at NC A&T

Rest of the Best 31 in Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k

Not only did these schools make the top 31 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

#27

University of North Carolina at Pembroke

Pembroke, North Carolina
#28

George Mason University

Fairfax, Virginia
#29

Augusta University

Augusta, Georgia
#30

East Carolina University

Greenville, North Carolina
#31

Radford University

Radford, Virginia

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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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