2022 Best Value Associate Degree Colleges for Criminal Justice & Corrections in the Plains States Region
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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 Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.
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 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 associate degree level specifically, there were 1,343 criminal justice and corrections graduates with average earnings and debt of $34,069 and $19,434 respectively.
This year’s “Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region” ranking analyzed 40 colleges that offered a degree 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.
Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the criminal justice and corrections program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. See our ranking methodology to learn more.
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One Size Does Not Fit All
Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.
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 an Associate in the Plains States Region
The colleges and universities below are the best for plains states region associate degree criminal justice students.
Top 25 Best Value Associate Degree Colleges for Criminal Justice & Corrections in the Plains States Region
Out of the 40 schools in the Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Alexandria Technical & Community College landed the #1 spot on the list. ATCC is located in Alexandria, Minnesota and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 76 associates’s criminal justice degrees to qualified students.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at ATCC, the school also landed the #1 spot in our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $13,550 for Plains States Region Associate Degree Criminal Justice students per year to attend ATCC.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend North Hennepin Community College. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region. This medium-sized school is located in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, and it awarded 63 associates’s criminal justice degrees in 2019-2020.
North Hennepin Community College not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #2 on our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend North Hennepin Community College is $10,284 for Plains States Region Associate Degree Criminal Justice students.
Read full report on Criminal Justice & Corrections at North Hennepin Community College
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Century College. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region list. White Bear Lake, Minnesota is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associates’s criminal justice degrees to 75 students in 2019-2020.
Century College also took the #3 spot in our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $10,808 for plains states region associate degree criminal justice students per year to attend Century College.
Read more about Criminal Justice & Corrections at Century College
Out of the 40 schools in the Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Metropolitan Community College landed the #4 spot on the list. MCC is located in Omaha, Nebraska and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 56 associates’s criminal justice degrees to qualified students.
MCC also took the #7 spot in our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend MCC is $4,295 for Plains States Region Associate Degree Criminal Justice students.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Inver Hills Community College. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region. IHCC is a public institution located in Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota. The school has a small population, and it awarded 40 associates’s degrees in 2019-2020.
IHCC also took the #6 spot in our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Inver Hills Community College is $11,486 for plains states region associate degree criminal justice students.
Read full report on Criminal Justice & Corrections at Inver Hills Community College
Normandale Community College landed the #6 spot on the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region ranking. Normandale Community College is a medium-sized public school situated in Bloomington, Minnesota. It awarded 36 associates’s criminal justice degrees in 2019-2020.
Normandale Community College also made our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #5. The estimated yearly cost for Normandale Community College is $12,620 for Plains States Region Associate Degree Criminal Justice students.
Full Normandale Community College Criminal Justice & Corrections Report
With a ranking of #7, Rochester Community and Technical College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region list. This medium-sized school is located in Rochester, Minnesota, and it awarded 32 associates’s criminal justice degrees in 2019-2020.
Rochester Community and Technical College also made our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #10. The yearly cost to attend Rochester Community and Technical College is $14,088 for Plains States Region Associate Degree Criminal Justice students.
Read full report on Criminal Justice & Corrections at Rochester Community and Technical College
With a ranking of #8, Southeast Community College Area did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region list. Southeast Community College Area is located in Lincoln, Nebraska and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 23 associates’s criminal justice degrees to qualified students.
Southeast Community College did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #11 on our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Southeast Community College is $9,059 for Plains States Region Associate Degree Criminal Justice students.
Full Southeast Community College Area Criminal Justice & Corrections Report
Lake Area Technical Institute landed the #9 spot on the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region ranking. Lake Area Technical Institute is a public institution located in Watertown, South Dakota. The school has a small population, and it awarded 12 associates’s degrees in 2019-2020.
LATI also took the #8 spot in our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for LATI is $12,939 for Plains States Region Associate Degree Criminal Justice students.
Read more about Criminal Justice & Corrections at Lake Area Technical Institute
Western Iowa Tech Community College landed the #10 spot on the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region ranking. Located in Sioux City, Iowa, this medium-sized public school handed out 17 degrees to qualified associates’s criminal justice students in 2019-2020.
Western Iowa Tech Community College not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #15 on our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Western Iowa Tech Community College is $7,201 for Plains States Region Associate Degree Criminal Justice students.
Read full report on Criminal Justice & Corrections at Western Iowa Tech Community College
Northeast Community College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #11. Northeast is located in Norfolk, Nebraska and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 33 associates’s criminal justice degrees to qualified students.
Northeast also took the #14 spot in our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Northeast Community College is $8,749 for Plains States Region Associate Degree Criminal Justice students.
Read full report on Criminal Justice & Corrections at Northeast Community College
Lake Region State College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #12. Lake Region State College is a small public school situated in Devils Lake, North Dakota. It awarded 6 associates’s criminal justice degrees in 2019-2020.
Lake Region State College also made our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #20. It costs about $9,564 for plains states region associate degree criminal justice students per year to attend Lake Region State College.
Read more about Criminal Justice & Corrections at Lake Region State College
With a ranking of #13, Central Lakes College - Brainerd did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region list. Located in Brainerd, Minnesota, this small public school awarded 13 degrees to qualified associates’s criminal justice students in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Central Lakes College, the school also landed the #21 spot in our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Central Lakes College is $12,514 for plains states region associate degree criminal justice students.
Full Central Lakes College - Brainerd Criminal Justice & Corrections Report
Southeast Technical College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #14. Sioux Falls, South Dakota is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associates’s criminal justice degrees to 14 students in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Southeast Tech, the school also landed the #17 spot in our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Southeast Tech is $14,633 for plains states region associate degree criminal justice students.
Read more about Criminal Justice & Corrections at Southeast Tech
Jefferson College came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region ranking. This small school is located in Hillsboro, Missouri, and it awarded 25 associates’s criminal justice degrees in 2019-2020.
JeffCo also took the #23 spot in our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $7,923 for plains states region associate degree criminal justice students per year to attend Jefferson College.
Western Dakota Technical Institute ranked #15 on this year’s Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region list. Western Dakota Technical Institute is a small school located in Rapid City, South Dakota that handed out 30 associates’s criminal justice degrees in 2019-2020.
Western Dakota Tech did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #9 on our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Western Dakota Tech is $14,388 for Plains States Region Associate Degree Criminal Justice students.
Read full report on Criminal Justice & Corrections at Western Dakota Tech
Park University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #17. Park University is a fairly large school located in Parkville, Missouri that handed out 30 associates’s criminal justice degrees in 2019-2020.
Park University not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #18 on our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Park University is $15,579 for plains states region associate degree criminal justice students.
With a ranking of #18, Des Moines Area Community College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region list. Des Moines Area Community College is located in Ankeny, Iowa and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 36 associates’s criminal justice degrees to qualified students.
In addition to being on our plains states region associate degree criminal justice students list, DMACC has also earned the #12 rank in our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Des Moines Area Community College is $10,076 for Plains States Region Associate Degree Criminal Justice students.
Minneapolis Community and Technical College came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region ranking. Minneapolis Community and Technical College is a public institution located in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 49 associates’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Minneapolis Community and Technical College also took the #19 spot in our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Minneapolis Community and Technical College is $12,376 for Plains States Region Associate Degree Criminal Justice students.
Read more about Criminal Justice & Corrections at Minneapolis Community and Technical College
Saint Louis Community College came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region ranking. Saint Louis Community College is a fairly large school located in Saint Louis, Missouri that handed out 27 associates’s criminal justice degrees in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for Saint Louis Community College is $6,796 for plains states region associate degree criminal justice students.
Read full report on Criminal Justice & Corrections at Saint Louis Community College
Hibbing Community College landed the #21 spot on the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region ranking. Hibbing Community College is a small public school situated in Hibbing, Minnesota. It awarded 12 associates’s criminal justice degrees in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for Hibbing Community College is $10,207 for plains states region associate degree criminal justice students.
Read full report on Criminal Justice & Corrections at Hibbing Community College
Iowa Central Community College ranked #22 on this year’s Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region list. Iowa Central Community College is located in Fort Dodge, Iowa and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 21 associates’s criminal justice degrees to qualified students.
It costs about $10,102 for plains states region associate degree criminal justice students per year to attend Iowa Central Community College.
Full Iowa Central Community College Criminal Justice & Corrections Report
Hawkeye Community College landed the #23 spot on the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region ranking. Hawkeye Community College is located in Waterloo, Iowa and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 22 associates’s criminal justice degrees to qualified students.
In addition to being on our plains states region associate degree criminal justice students list, Hawkeye Community College has also earned the #25 rank in our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Hawkeye Community College is $11,495 for plains states region associate degree criminal justice students.
Read more about Criminal Justice & Corrections at Hawkeye Community College
Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College ranked #24 on this year’s Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region list. This small school is located in Cloquet, Minnesota, and it awarded 24 associates’s criminal justice degrees in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College is $9,399 for Plains States Region Associate Degree Criminal Justice students.
Read full report on Criminal Justice & Corrections at Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College
Indian Hills Community College came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region ranking. Ottumwa, Iowa is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associates’s criminal justice degrees to 11 students in 2019-2020.
The yearly cost to attend Indian Hills Community College is $7,217 for Plains States Region Associate Degree Criminal Justice students.
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Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region
Criminal Justice & Corrections students in the Plains States Region
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Criminal Justice & Corrections students in the Plains States Region
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Criminal Justice & Corrections students with family income $48-$75k in the Plains States Region
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Criminal Justice & Corrections students in the Plains States Region
Most Popular Associate Degree Colleges for Criminal Justice & Corrections in the Plains States Region
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Criminal Justice & Corrections students getting aid in the Plains States Region
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Criminal Justice & Corrections students with family income $75-$110k in the Plains States Region
Best Value Associate Degree Colleges for Criminal Justice & Corrections in the Plains States Region
Criminal Justice & Corrections students in the Plains States Region
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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