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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Criminal Justice & Corrections (Income $0-$30k) in the Plains States Region

65 Ranked Colleges
3,178 Degrees Awarded
$11,200 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor's in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking - to help you make that decision.

With 113,581 degrees handed out in 2019-2020, criminal justice and corrections is the 6th most popular major in the United States. 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 Plains States region, there were 6,120 criminal justice and corrections graduates with average earnings and debt of $34,044 and $27,500 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 3,178 criminal justice and corrections graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,786 and $25,576 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking looked at 65 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in criminal justice and corrections. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great criminal justice and corrections 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 criminal justice and corrections program at the school. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

More Ways to Rank Criminal Justice & Corrections Schools

The criminal justice 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 Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k”.

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. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.

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

The colleges and universities below are the best for plains states region bachelor’s degree criminal justice students whose families make $0-$30k.

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

Out of the 65 schools in the Best Value Criminal Justice 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 - Crookston landed the #1 spot on the list. UMN Crookston is located in Crookston, Minnesota and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 11 bachelors’s criminal justice degrees to qualified students.

UMN Crookston not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #23 on our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend UMN Crookston is $5,832 for plains states region bachelor’s degree criminal justice students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full UMN Crookston Criminal Justice & Corrections Report

#2

Truman State University

Kirksville, Missouri

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Truman State University. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. This small school is located in Kirksville, Missouri, and it awarded 37 bachelors’s criminal justice degrees in 2019-2020.

Truman State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #14 on our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. It costs about $7,564 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Criminal Justice students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Truman 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 88%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full Truman State University Criminal Justice & Corrections Report

#3

Minot State University

Minot, North Dakota

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Minot State University. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Minot, North Dakota is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s criminal justice degrees to 41 students in 2019-2020.

MSU also made our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #18. It costs about $8,923 for plains states region bachelor’s degree criminal justice students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend MSU.

Read full report on Criminal Justice & Corrections at MSU

#4

Winona State University

Winona, Minnesota

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Winona State University. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k. Located in Winona, Minnesota, this medium-sized public school awarded 68 degrees to qualified bachelors’s criminal justice students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Winona State, the school also landed the #1 spot in our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $12,381 for plains states region bachelor’s degree criminal justice students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Winona State University.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Winona State Criminal Justice & Corrections Report

#5

Saint Cloud State University

Saint Cloud, Minnesota

Out of the 65 schools in the Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Saint Cloud State University landed the #5 spot on the list. Saint Cloud State University is a public institution located in Saint Cloud, Minnesota. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 73 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

St. Cloud State University also took the #6 spot in our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend St. Cloud State University is $10,688 for plains states region bachelor’s degree criminal justice students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full St. Cloud State University Criminal Justice & Corrections Report

Minnesota State University - Mankato came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Minnesota State University - Mankato is a fairly large school located in Mankato, Minnesota that handed out 85 bachelors’s criminal justice degrees in 2019-2020.

Minnesota State Mankato not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #3 on our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Minnesota State University - Mankato is $11,057 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Criminal Justice students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low student loan default rate of 4.4% 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 Minnesota State University - Mankato

#7

Bemidji State University

Bemidji, Minnesota

Bemidji State University ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Bemidji State University is a small school located in Bemidji, Minnesota that handed out 63 bachelors’s criminal justice degrees in 2019-2020.

Bemidji State University did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #15 on our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Bemidji State University is $10,632 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Criminal Justice students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Criminal Justice & Corrections at Bemidji State University

University of Nebraska at Omaha did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #8. UNOMAHA is a public institution located in Omaha, Nebraska. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 192 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UNOMAHA also made our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #13. The estimated yearly cost for University of Nebraska at Omaha is $10,490 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Criminal Justice students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Criminal Justice & Corrections at UNOMAHA

North Dakota State University - Main Campus ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Fargo, North Dakota, this fairly large public school handed out 47 degrees to qualified bachelors’s criminal justice students in 2019-2020.

North Dakota State University also made our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #5. It costs about $11,524 for plains states region bachelor’s degree criminal justice students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend North Dakota State University - Main Campus.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full North Dakota State University Criminal Justice & Corrections Report

#10

University of North Dakota

Grand Forks, North Dakota

With a ranking of #10, University of North Dakota did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. UND is a public institution located in Grand Forks, North Dakota. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 65 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UND not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #4 on our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for UND is $11,092 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Criminal Justice students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low student loan default rate of 2.9% 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 UND

Fort Hays State University ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Hays, Kansas, this fairly large public school handed out 51 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s criminal justice students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Fort Hays State University is $9,464 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Criminal Justice students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Criminal Justice & Corrections at FHSU

#12

Wayne State College

Wayne, Nebraska

With a ranking of #12, Wayne State College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Wayne, Nebraska is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s criminal justice degrees to 51 students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for WSC is $10,333 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Criminal Justice students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Criminal Justice & Corrections at Wayne State College

With a ranking of #13, Southwest Minnesota State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Southwest Minnesota State University is located in Marshall, Minnesota and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 19 bachelors’s criminal justice degrees to qualified students.

The yearly cost to attend Southwest Minnesota State University is $10,801 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Criminal Justice students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Criminal Justice & Corrections at Southwest Minnesota State University

#14

University of Central Missouri

Warrensburg, Missouri

With a ranking of #14, University of Central Missouri did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Warrensburg, Missouri is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s criminal justice degrees to 130 students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend University of Central Missouri is $10,608 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Criminal Justice students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Criminal Justice & Corrections at University of Central Missouri

Missouri Southern State University landed the #15 spot on the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Joplin, Missouri, this medium-sized public school handed out 69 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s criminal justice students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Missouri Southern is $7,882 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Criminal Justice students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Criminal Justice & Corrections at Missouri Southern State University

#16

Emporia State University

Emporia, Kansas

Emporia State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #16. Located in Emporia, Kansas, this medium-sized public school awarded 20 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s criminal justice students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree criminal justice students whose families make $0-$30k list, ESU has also earned the #25 rank in our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $11,624 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Criminal Justice students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend ESU.

Read full report on Criminal Justice & Corrections at Emporia State University

#17

Missouri Western State University

Saint Joseph, Missouri

Missouri Western State University landed the #17 spot on the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This small school is located in Saint Joseph, Missouri, and it awarded 44 bachelors’s criminal justice degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Missouri Western is $8,762 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Criminal Justice students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Criminal Justice & Corrections at Missouri Western

Minnesota State University - Moorhead came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Minnesota State University - Moorhead is a medium-sized school located in Moorhead, Minnesota that handed out 32 bachelors’s criminal justice degrees in 2019-2020.

MSU Moorhead not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #19 on our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. It costs about $12,484 for plains states region bachelor’s degree criminal justice students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Minnesota State University - Moorhead.

The low student loan default rate of 4.5% 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%.

Full Minnesota State University - Moorhead Criminal Justice & Corrections Report

#19

Southeast Missouri State University

Cape Girardeau, Missouri

Southeast Missouri State University landed the #19 spot on the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This fairly large school is located in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, and it awarded 64 bachelors’s criminal justice degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Southeast Missouri State University is $9,092 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Criminal Justice students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Criminal Justice & Corrections at Southeast Missouri State University

#20

Saint Louis University

Saint Louis, Missouri

With a ranking of #20, Saint Louis University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. SLU is located in Saint Louis, Missouri and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 29 bachelors’s criminal justice degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree criminal justice students whose families make $0-$30k list, SLU has also earned the #2 rank in our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for SLU is $20,051 for plains states region bachelor’s degree criminal justice students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 90%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Full Saint Louis University Criminal Justice & Corrections Report

#21

Park University

Parkville, Missouri

Park University came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Parkville, Missouri is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s criminal justice degrees to 146 students in 2019-2020.

Park University also made our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #22. It costs about $13,622 for plains states region bachelor’s degree criminal justice students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Park University.

Read more about Criminal Justice & Corrections at Park University

#22

Lindenwood University

Saint Charles, Missouri

Lindenwood University landed the #22 spot on the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Lindenwood University is a medium-sized school located in Saint Charles, Missouri that handed out 90 bachelors’s criminal justice degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Lindenwood University is $14,388 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Criminal Justice students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Criminal Justice & Corrections at Lindenwood University

#23

Metropolitan State University

Saint Paul, Minnesota

Metropolitan State University ranked #23 on this year’s Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Metropolitan State University is a medium-sized school located in Saint Paul, Minnesota that handed out 134 bachelors’s criminal justice degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree criminal justice students whose families make $0-$30k list, Metro State has also earned the #12 rank in our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Metro State is $14,388 for plains states region bachelor’s degree criminal justice students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full Metropolitan State University Criminal Justice & Corrections Report

#24

Wichita State University

Wichita, Kansas

Wichita State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #24. WSU is a public institution located in Wichita, Kansas. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 84 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend WSU is $11,642 for plains states region bachelor’s degree criminal justice students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full Wichita State University Criminal Justice & Corrections Report

#25

Simpson College

Indianola, Iowa

Simpson College landed the #25 spot on the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This small school is located in Indianola, Iowa, and it awarded 12 bachelors’s criminal justice degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree criminal justice students whose families make $0-$30k list, Simpson College has also earned the #8 rank in our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $15,357 for plains states region bachelor’s degree criminal justice students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Simpson College.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Simpson College Criminal Justice & Corrections 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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