2026 Best Value Criminology Schools in New York
[Criminology](/majors/social-sciences/criminology/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 15 schools to find the best return on investment for criminology students.
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2026 Best Value Criminology Schools in New York
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in criminology, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Criminology Schools
Cuny John Jay College Of Criminal Justice tops our 2026 list of the best value criminology schools in New York. Cuny John Jay College Of Criminal Justice is a large public school located in the city of New York. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $7,470, while out-of-state students pay about $15,420. Students borrow a median of $11,000 to complete the criminology program here. Early-career criminology graduates make about $33,798. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Cuny John Jay College Of Criminal Justice admits about 57% of applicants.
Suny College At Old Westbury is a great value for students pursuing a degree in criminology, landing the #2 spot this year. Suny College At Old Westbury is a moderately-sized public school located in the suburb of Old Westbury. In-state tuition and fees average $8,372, while out-of-state students pay about $18,842. Criminology graduates carry a median of $17,800 in student loans. Early-career criminology graduates make about $38,764. That is a strong return on a $17,800 median debt. The acceptance rate is 84%.
Suny College Of Technology At Canton is a great value for students pursuing a degree in criminology, landing the #3 spot this year. Set in the town of Canton, Suny College Of Technology At Canton is a mid-sized public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $8,742, while out-of-state students pay about $15,769. Students borrow a median of $23,640 to complete the criminology program here. Early-career criminology graduates make about $46,515. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 92%.
Niagara University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in criminology, landing the #4 spot this year. Set in the suburb of Niagara University, Niagara University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $39,345. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the criminology program here. Soon after graduation, criminology degree recipients from Niagara University generally make around $36,781. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 87%.
A rank of #5 makes Suny College At Cortland one of the best values for criminology. Suny College At Cortland is a moderately-sized public school located in the town of Cortland. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $8,874, with out-of-state students paying around $18,784. Students borrow a median of $21,500 to complete the criminology program here. Early-career criminology graduates make about $34,768. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 60%.
University At Buffalo ranked #6 on our 2026 list of the best value criminology schools. University At Buffalo is a very large public school located in the suburb of Buffalo. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $10,936, compared with $31,536 for out-of-state students. Criminology graduates carry a median of $22,232 in student loans. Early-career criminology graduates make about $52,403. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University At Buffalo admits about 74% of applicants.
Le Moyne College came in at #7 for value in criminology this year. Le Moyne College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Syracuse. Students from in state pay about $40,330 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the criminology program here. Early-career criminology graduates make about $57,229. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Le Moyne College admits about 83% of applicants.
St Johns University New York placed #8 among the best values for criminology. Set in the city of Queens, St Johns University New York is a very large private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $53,529. Typical student debt for criminology graduates is $25,521. Early-career criminology graduates make about $35,868. That is a strong return on a $25,521 median debt. The acceptance rate is 83%.
Saint Bonaventure University earned the #9 position for value in criminology this year. Located in the town of Saint Bonaventure, Saint Bonaventure University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $41,735. Typical student debt for criminology graduates is $25,917. Criminology graduates of Saint Bonaventure University earn a median of $43,190 early in their careers. Set against $25,917 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Saint Bonaventure University admits about 82% of applicants.
Saint John Fisher College landed the #10 spot for criminology value this year. Located in the suburb of Rochester, Saint John Fisher College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $41,190. Criminology graduates carry a median of $24,750 in student loans. Criminology graduates of Saint John Fisher College earn a median of $33,623 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $24,750 median debt. Roughly 66% of applicants are accepted.
Hofstra University ranked #11 on our 2026 list of the best value criminology schools. Set in the suburb of Hempstead, Hofstra University is a large private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $57,660. Typical student debt for criminology graduates is $25,000. Criminology graduates of Hofstra University earn a median of $35,249 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $25,000 median debt. Roughly 68% of applicants are accepted.
More Criminology Rankings
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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 · 15 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 10 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.
