2026 Best Value Criminology Schools in Michigan
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in criminology, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Criminology Schools
University Of Michigan Dearborn earned the #1 spot for value among criminology schools in Michigan. University Of Michigan Dearborn is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Dearborn. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $15,640, compared with $32,896 for out-of-state students. Criminology graduates carry a median of $26,516 in student loans. Criminology graduates of University Of Michigan Dearborn earn a median of $62,536 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 56%.
Students looking for strong value in criminology will find it at Eastern Michigan University, which ranked #2. Eastern Michigan University is a large public school located in the suburb of Ypsilanti. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $16,990. Criminology graduates carry a median of $29,000 in student loans. Criminology graduates of Eastern Michigan University earn a median of $36,891 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $29,000 median debt. Eastern Michigan University admits about 80% of applicants.
Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 3 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 ranked schools only.
- 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).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
[Criminology](/majors/social-sciences/criminology/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
