2026 Best Value Criminology Schools in Florida
[Criminology](/majors/social-sciences/criminology/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 10 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for criminology students.
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2026 Best Value Criminology Schools in Florida
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in criminology, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Criminology Schools
Our analysis ranked University Of Florida Online the best value for a degree in criminology in Florida. University Of Florida Online is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Gainesville. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $3,876, while out-of-state students pay about $16,579. Criminology graduates carry a median of $19,500 in student loans. Soon after graduation, criminology degree recipients from University Of Florida Online generally make around $35,096. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 61%.
University Of Florida came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value criminology schools. Set in the city of Gainesville, University Of Florida is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $6,381, with out-of-state students paying around $28,659. Students borrow a median of $19,500 to complete the criminology program here. Criminology graduates of University Of Florida earn a median of $35,096 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $19,500 median debt. The acceptance rate is 24%.
A rank of #3 makes University Of South Florida Main Campus one of the best values for criminology. Set in the city of Tampa, University Of South Florida Main Campus is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $6,410, while out-of-state students pay about $17,324. Students borrow a median of $20,302 to complete the criminology program here. Criminology graduates of University Of South Florida Main Campus earn a median of $37,108 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 43% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in criminology will find it at Barry University, which ranked #4. Barry University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Miami. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $34,350. Typical student debt for criminology graduates is $27,000. Criminology graduates of Barry University earn a median of $44,015 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 77%.
A rank of #5 makes Florida Southern College one of the best values for criminology. Set in the city of Lakeland, Florida Southern College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $44,040. Criminology graduates carry a median of $26,000 in student loans. Criminology graduates of Florida Southern College earn a median of $39,713 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $26,000 median debt. Florida Southern College admits about 64% of applicants.
Flagler College St Augustine ranked #6 on our 2026 list of the best value criminology schools. Flagler College St Augustine is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Saint Augustine. In-state tuition and fees average $29,900. Students borrow a median of $25,625 to complete the criminology program here. Criminology graduates of Flagler College St Augustine earn a median of $29,240 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 81%.
The University Of Tampa earned the #7 position for value in criminology this year. The University Of Tampa is a large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Tampa. Students from in state pay about $34,408 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for criminology graduates is $25,000. Early-career criminology graduates make about $37,758. That is a strong return on a $25,000 median debt. Roughly 40% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Miami ranked #8 on our 2026 list of the best value criminology schools. Located in the suburb of Coral Gables, University Of Miami is a very large private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $62,616. Students borrow a median of $16,500 to complete the criminology program here. Criminology graduates of University Of Miami earn a median of $29,670 early in their careers. Set against $16,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Miami admits about 19% of applicants.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled 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 · 10 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 8 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.
