2026 Best Value Criminology Schools in Maryland
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the criminology degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Criminology Schools
Leading the list is University Of Maryland College Park, our #1 best value for criminology in Maryland. Set in the suburb of College Park, University Of Maryland College Park is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $11,809 in tuition and fees, compared with $41,186 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $19,500 to complete the criminology program here. Criminology graduates of University Of Maryland College Park earn a median of $43,698 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of Maryland College Park admits about 45% of applicants.
Mount St Marys University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in criminology, landing the #2 spot this year. Located in the rural area of Emmitsburg, Mount St Marys University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $48,630. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the criminology program here. Soon after graduation, criminology degree recipients from Mount St Marys University generally make around $43,230. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. Roughly 74% of applicants are accepted.
Notes and References
The ranking above is published 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 · 4 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/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
