2026 Best Value Criminology Schools in Wisconsin
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in criminology, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Criminology Schools
For return on investment in criminology, no school beat University Of Wisconsin River Falls this year. Set in the town of River Falls, University Of Wisconsin River Falls is a moderately-sized public institution. Students from in state pay about $9,008 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $17,470. Criminology graduates carry a median of $24,750 in student loans. Early-career criminology graduates make about $45,113. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 82% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #2 makes University Of Wisconsin Whitewater one of the best values for criminology. University Of Wisconsin Whitewater is a large public school located in the town of Whitewater. In-state tuition and fees average $8,616, with out-of-state students paying around $18,716. Criminology graduates carry a median of $26,000 in student loans. Early-career criminology graduates make about $40,060. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 86% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Wisconsin Madison came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value criminology schools. Set in the city of Madison, University Of Wisconsin Madison is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $11,603, compared with $42,103 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for criminology graduates is $21,813. Early-career criminology graduates make about $59,877. That is a strong return on a $21,813 median debt. The acceptance rate is 45%.
Students looking for strong value in criminology will find it at University Of Wisconsin Stout, which ranked #4. Located in the town of Menomonie, University Of Wisconsin Stout is a moderately-sized public university. In-state tuition and fees average $10,701, with out-of-state students paying around $19,265. Criminology graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Criminology graduates of University Of Wisconsin Stout earn a median of $49,004 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 88%.
Lakeland College came in at #5 on our 2026 list of the best value criminology schools. Located in the rural area of Plymouth, Lakeland College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $33,396. Typical student debt for criminology graduates is $26,053. Soon after graduation, criminology degree recipients from Lakeland College generally make around $45,276. That is a strong return on a $26,053 median debt. Roughly 86% of applicants are accepted.
Marquette University ranked #6 on our 2026 list of the best value criminology schools. Located in the city of Milwaukee, Marquette University is a large private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $51,170. Students borrow a median of $25,000 to complete the criminology program here. Criminology graduates of Marquette University earn a median of $35,650 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $25,000 median debt. Roughly 81% of applicants are accepted.
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 · 7 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 4 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.