2022 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Criminology (Income $0-$30k) in the Plains States Region

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Best Value Criminology Schools for a Master’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking is part of that endeavor.

Criminology is the 82nd most popular major in the country with 10,182 degrees awarded in 2019-2020. In 2017-2018, criminology graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $32,583 and had an average of $24,397 in loans still to pay off.

Across the Plains States region, there were 843 criminology graduates with average earnings and debt of $35,200 and $24,586 respectively. At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 56 criminology graduates with average earnings and debt of $53,438 and $39,783 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Criminology Schools for a Master’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking, we looked at 3 colleges that offer a degree in criminology. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality criminology 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 criminology program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

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 Criminology Schools for a Master’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

In addition to College Factual’s rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.

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

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Criminology Schools for a Master’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k.

Top 3 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Criminology (Income $0-$30k) in the Plains States Region

#1

Lindenwood University

Saint Charles, Missouri

#1 in overall quality

$9,550 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees

$42,682 Average Early-Career Earnings

Out of the 3 schools in the Best Value Criminology Schools for a Master’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Lindenwood University landed the #1 spot on the list. Lindenwood University is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Saint Charles, Missouri. It awarded 33 masters’s criminology degrees in 2019-2020.

Lindenwood University did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #1 on our “Best Criminology Master’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at Lindenwood University are $9,550, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read more about Criminology at Lindenwood University

#2

University of Missouri - St Louis

Saint Louis, Missouri

#3 in overall quality

$30,154 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees

$33,993 Average Early-Career Earnings

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Missouri - St Louis. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Criminology Schools for a Master’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Saint Louis, Missouri, this fairly large public school awarded 12 diplomas to qualified masters’s criminology students in 2019-2020.

UMSL did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #3 on our “Best Criminology Master’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Missouri - St Louis are $30,154, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Full University of Missouri - St Louis Criminology Report

#3

Missouri State University - Springfield

Springfield, Missouri

#2 in overall quality

$12,042 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees

Out of the 3 schools in the Best Value Criminology Schools for a Master’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Missouri State University - Springfield landed the #3 spot on the list. Missouri State is a large school located in Springfield, Missouri that handed out 11 masters’s criminology degrees in 2019-2020.

Missouri State also took the #2 spot in our “Best Criminology Master’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Missouri State University - Springfield are $12,042, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read more about Criminology at Missouri State University - Springfield

• Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Criminology (Income $0-$30k)

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.

Featured Social Science Schools

Request Info

Southern New Hampshire University You have goals. Southern New Hampshire University can help you get there. Whether you need a bachelor's degree to get into a career or want a master's degree to move up in your current career, SNHU has an online program for you. Find your degree from over 200 online programs ... Learn More >