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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Criminology (Income $30-$48k)

143 Ranked Colleges
8,860 Degrees Awarded
$9,100 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Criminology Schools for a Bachelor's For Those Making $30-$48k

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Best Value Criminology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking - to help you make that decision.

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.

At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 8,860 criminology graduates with average earnings and debt of $38,303 and $24,501 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Criminology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking looked at 143 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in criminology. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent criminology programs, but they also 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 criminology program at the school. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

More Ways to Rank Criminology Schools

When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Best Value Criminology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k” list to help you make the college 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. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.

Best Value Criminology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Criminology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Criminology (Income $30-$48k)

#1

University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Out of the 143 schools in the Best Value Criminology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Pennsylvania landed the #1 spot on the list. This large school is located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 13 bachelors’s criminology degrees in 2019-2020.

UPenn did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #1 on our “Best Criminology Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for UPenn is $4,833 for Bachelor’s Degree Criminology students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, 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 1.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read more about Criminology at UPenn

#2

University of Florida

Gainesville, Florida

Out of the 143 schools in the Best Value Criminology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Florida landed the #2 spot on the list. UF is a large school located in Gainesville, Florida that handed out 154 bachelors’s criminology degrees in 2019-2020.

UF did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #10 on our “Best Criminology Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It costs about $4,069 for bachelor’s degree criminology students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of Florida.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.0%, 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 97%.

Read full report on Criminology at University of Florida

Out of the 143 schools in the Best Value Criminology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, John Jay College of Criminal Justice landed the #3 spot on the list. John Jay College of Criminal Justice is a public institution located in New York, New York. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 230 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our bachelor’s degree criminology students whose families make $30-$48k list, John Jay has also earned the #23 rank in our “Best Criminology Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $3,108 for Bachelor’s Degree Criminology students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend John Jay.

Read full report on Criminology at John Jay College of Criminal Justice

Out of the 143 schools in the Best Value Criminology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of South Florida - Main Campus landed the #4 spot on the list. Tampa, Florida is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s criminology degrees to 425 students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend University of South Florida - Main Campus is $5,616 for Bachelor’s Degree Criminology students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The student loan default rate at the school is 4.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Criminology at USF Tampa

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend California State University - Fresno. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Criminology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k. This large school is located in Fresno, California, and it awarded 430 bachelors’s criminology degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend California State University - Fresno is $3,731 for bachelor’s degree criminology students whose families make $30-$48k.

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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Criminology at Fresno State

University of California - Irvine did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Criminology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #6. Irvine, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s criminology degrees to 429 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our bachelor’s degree criminology students whose families make $30-$48k list, UC Irvine has also earned the #9 rank in our “Best Criminology Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UC Irvine is $10,373 for bachelor’s degree criminology students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low student loan default rate of 1.3% 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on Criminology at University of California - Irvine

#7

University of Maryland - College Park

College Park, Maryland

University of Maryland - College Park landed the #7 spot on the 2022 Best Value Criminology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. College Park, Maryland is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s criminology degrees to 353 students in 2019-2020.

UMCP not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #2 on our “Best Criminology Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for UMCP is $12,128 for Bachelor’s Degree Criminology students whose families make $30-$48k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%. The low student loan default rate of 2.4% 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%.

Full University of Maryland - College Park Criminology Report

Ohio State University - Main Campus came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Criminology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This large school is located in Columbus, Ohio, and it awarded 143 bachelors’s criminology degrees in 2019-2020.

Ohio State also made our “Best Criminology Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #13. The estimated yearly cost for Ohio State is $10,037 for bachelor’s degree criminology students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about Criminology at Ohio State

#9

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

Minneapolis, Minnesota

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Criminology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #9. Minneapolis, Minnesota is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s criminology degrees to 120 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UMN Twin Cities, the school also landed the #14 spot in our “Best Criminology Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UMN Twin Cities is $8,418 for Bachelor’s Degree Criminology students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%.

Read more about Criminology at UMN Twin Cities

#10

North Carolina State University

Raleigh, North Carolina

North Carolina State University came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Criminology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in Raleigh, North Carolina, this large public school awarded 46 degrees to qualified bachelors’s criminology students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at NC State, the school also landed the #12 spot in our “Best Criminology Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $9,887 for bachelor’s degree criminology students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend North Carolina State University.

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%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on Criminology at NC State

University of Minnesota - Duluth came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Criminology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. UMN Duluth is located in Duluth, Minnesota and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 62 bachelors’s criminology degrees to qualified students.

UMN Duluth also took the #15 spot in our “Best Criminology Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $7,992 for Bachelor’s Degree Criminology students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend UMN Duluth.

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%.

Read more about Criminology at UMN Duluth

#12

University of Wisconsin - River Falls

River Falls, Wisconsin
Top 25% in overall quality

University of Wisconsin - River Falls ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value Criminology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. UW - River Falls is located in River Falls, Wisconsin and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 24 bachelors’s criminology degrees to qualified students.

The estimated yearly cost for UW - River Falls is $10,124 for bachelor’s degree criminology students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Criminology at University of Wisconsin - River Falls

#13

Eastern Washington University

Cheney, Washington

Eastern Washington University ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value Criminology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. EWU is located in Cheney, Washington and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 88 bachelors’s criminology degrees to qualified students.

The estimated yearly cost for EWU is $8,821 for Bachelor’s Degree Criminology students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Criminology at Eastern Washington University

#14

SUNY Old Westbury

Old Westbury, New York

SUNY Old Westbury landed the #14 spot on the 2022 Best Value Criminology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in Old Westbury, New York, this medium-sized public school handed out 70 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s criminology students in 2019-2020.

It costs about $9,754 for Bachelor’s Degree Criminology students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend SUNY Old Westbury.

Full SUNY Old Westbury Criminology Report

#15

University of Wisconsin - Stout

Menomonie, Wisconsin

University of Wisconsin - Stout landed the #15 spot on the 2022 Best Value Criminology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. UW - Stout is a public institution located in Menomonie, Wisconsin. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 20 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UW - Stout did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #21 on our “Best Criminology Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend UW - Stout is $10,778 for bachelor’s degree criminology students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Criminology at UW - Stout

#16

University of Missouri - St Louis

Saint Louis, Missouri

University of Missouri - St Louis ranked #16 on this year’s Best Value Criminology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. Saint Louis, Missouri is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s criminology degrees to 86 students in 2019-2020.

It costs about $6,838 for Bachelor’s Degree Criminology students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of Missouri - St Louis.

Full University of Missouri - St Louis Criminology Report

#17

University of Wisconsin - Whitewater

Whitewater, Wisconsin

University of Wisconsin - Whitewater landed the #17 spot on the 2022 Best Value Criminology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Whitewater, Wisconsin is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s criminology degrees to 66 students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for UW - Whitewater is $12,156 for Bachelor’s Degree Criminology students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about Criminology at UW - Whitewater

The University of Texas of the Permian Basin ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value Criminology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. UT Permian Basin is located in Odessa, Texas and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 32 bachelors’s criminology degrees to qualified students.

The estimated yearly cost for The University of Texas of the Permian Basin is $10,221 for bachelor’s degree criminology students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about Criminology at The University of Texas of the Permian Basin

With a ranking of #19, California State University - San Marcos did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Criminology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. CSUSM is a public institution located in San Marcos, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 278 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for California State University - San Marcos is $10,347 for bachelor’s degree criminology students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Criminology at CSUSM

University of Nevada - Reno did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Criminology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #20. University of Nevada - Reno is a large school located in Reno, Nevada that handed out 163 bachelors’s criminology degrees in 2019-2020.

UNR excels when it comes to criminology quality. It’s in the top 20% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. It costs about $12,716 for Bachelor’s Degree Criminology students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of Nevada - Reno.

Full UNR Criminology Report

#21

University of Delaware

Newark, Delaware

University of Delaware ranked #21 on this year’s Best Value Criminology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. Newark, Delaware is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s criminology degrees to 132 students in 2019-2020.

UD also took the #7 spot in our “Best Criminology Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $12,236 for bachelor’s degree criminology students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of Delaware.

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 2.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Criminology at UD

#22

University of Southern Maine

Portland, Maine

University of Southern Maine came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Criminology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. University of Southern Maine is a medium-sized public school situated in Portland, Maine. It awarded 31 bachelors’s criminology degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend University of Southern Maine is $9,295 for bachelor’s degree criminology students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Criminology at University of Southern Maine

#23

West Virginia University

Morgantown, West Virginia

West Virginia University came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Criminology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. West Virginia University is located in Morgantown, West Virginia and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 138 bachelors’s criminology degrees to qualified students.

The yearly cost to attend WVU is $10,486 for bachelor’s degree criminology students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Criminology at WVU

#24

University of Northern Iowa

Cedar Falls, Iowa

University of Northern Iowa landed the #24 spot on the 2022 Best Value Criminology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in Cedar Falls, Iowa, this medium-sized public school awarded 50 degrees to qualified bachelors’s criminology students in 2019-2020.

UNI did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #22 on our “Best Criminology Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for UNI is $12,495 for bachelor’s degree criminology students whose families make $30-$48k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Criminology at University of Northern Iowa

The University of Texas at Dallas ranked #25 on this year’s Best Value Criminology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. Richardson, Texas is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s criminology degrees to 57 students in 2019-2020.

It costs about $11,745 for Bachelor’s Degree Criminology students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend The University of Texas at Dallas.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%. The low student loan default rate of 4.9% 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 full report on Criminology at The University of Texas at Dallas

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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