2023 Best Value Criminal Justice & Corrections Associate Degree Schools
Identifying Quality Schools at More Affordable Prices
Finding the Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Associate Degree School for You
Criminal Justice & Corrections is one of the most popular majors in the nation, ranking 7th of all the majors we analyze. In 2020-2021, 113,121 degrees and certificates were awarded to students with this major.
With all the programs available today, it can be tough to choose which one is the best for you. As online education oppotunities continue to grow, you're not restricted to just schools in your local area anymore. Even some of the 'big name' schools are offering online courses. Also, there are a number of trade schools with offerings that you might find attractive.
To help you arm yourself with the information you need to make your decision, Course Advisor has developed this Best Value Criminal Justice & Corrections Associate Degree Schools ranking. This report analyzed 455 schools in the United States to see which ones offered the best value associate degree programs for criminal justice students. The goal was to highlight schools with more affordable prices than others offering similar quality experiences.
Our ranking of value is based on the quality of a program as defined in our per sticker price dollar. More specifically, we discount our quality score by the published tuition and fees charged by a school. This gives the cost per unit of quality for each college. The value is determined by how much quality your dollar buys.
In our regional and nationwide rankings, out-of-state tution and fees are used in our calculations. Average in-state tuition and fees are used for our statewide rankings.
Top 25 Best Schools for Affordable Quality for an Associate in Criminal Justice & Corrections
Our 2023 rankings named Southeast Community College Area the best value school in the United States for criminal justice and corrections students working on their associate degree. Southeast Community College is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Lincoln.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at Southeast Community College are $3,780 a year. The average amount in student loans that criminal justice majors at Southeast Community College take out while working on their Associate Degree is $17,331.
Southeast Community College also claimed a spot on our Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Associate Degree Schools list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools in this category.
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You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Columbia Southern University. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Best Value Criminal Justice & Corrections Associate Degree Schools list. Columbia Southern University is a large private for-profit school located in the fringe town of Orange Beach.
Columbia Southern University undergraduate students pay an average of $5,775 in tuition and fees each year. While working on their Associate Degree, criminal justice majors at Columbia Southern University accumulate an average of around $20,619 in student debt.
In addition to its best value ranking, and one of the reasons why the school is on the list, Columbia Southern University is ranked #3 for overall quality for criminal justice in the United States.
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The excellent associate degree programs at Amarillo College helped the school earn the #3 place on this year’s ranking of the best value criminal justice and corrections schools in the United States. Located in the midsize city of Amarillo, Amarillo College is a public school with a medium-sized student population.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Amarillo College are $4,704 per year. On average, criminal justice graduates from Amarillo College take out $20,507 in student loans while working on their Associate Degree.
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You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Alexandria Technical & Community College. The school came in at #4 on this year’s Best Value Criminal Justice & Corrections Associate Degree Schools list. Located in the town of Alexandria, ATCC is a public school with a small student population.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at ATCC are $5,910 a year. While working on their Associate Degree, criminal justice majors at ATCC accumulate an average of around $13,387 in student debt.
In addition to its great value ranking, ATCC is in the top 10% of all schools on our Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Associate Degree Schools list.
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You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Camden County College. The school came in at #5 on this year’s Best Value Criminal Justice & Corrections Associate Degree Schools list. Camden County College is a medium-sized public school located in the suburb of Blackwood.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at Camden County College are $3,744 a year. On average, criminal justice graduates from Camden County College take out $12,552 in student loans while working on their Associate Degree.
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With a ranking of #6, Northeast Community College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for criminal justice and corrections students working on their associate degree. Located in the remote town of Norfolk, Northeast is a public college with a medium-sized student population.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Northeast are $5,010 per year. After completing their Associate Degree, criminal justice graduates from Northeast carry an average student debtload of $14,313.
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North Hennepin Community College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for criminal justice and corrections students to get a associate degree. It came in at #7 on the list. Located in the suburb of Brooklyn Park, North Hennepin Community College is a public college with a moderately-sized student population.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at North Hennepin Community College are $4,882 per year.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, North Hennepin Community College also is in the top 10% of our Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Associate Degree Schools ranking.
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Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Criminal Justice & Corrections Associate Degree Schools ranking. Located in the town of Cloquet, Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College is a public college with a small student population.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College are $5,815 per year. The average amount in student loans that criminal justice majors at Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College take out while working on their Associate Degree is $18,689.
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With a ranking of #9, South Plains College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for criminal justice and corrections students working on their associate degree. South Plains College is a moderately-sized public school located in the distant town of Levelland.
South Plains College undergraduate students pay an average of $4,276 in tuition and fees each year. The average amount in student loans that criminal justice majors at South Plains College take out while working on their Associate Degree is $15,242.
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Normandale Community College ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value Criminal Justice & Corrections Associate Degree Schools list. Located in the small city of Bloomington, Normandale Community College is a public college with a moderately-sized student population.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Normandale Community College are $5,789 per year. On average, criminal justice graduates from Normandale Community College take out $19,161 in student loans while working on their Associate Degree.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Normandale Community College also is in the top 5% of our Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Associate Degree Schools ranking.
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Tyler Junior College ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Criminal Justice & Corrections Associate Degree Schools list. Tyler Junior College is a large public school located in the midsize city of Tyler.
Tyler Junior College undergraduate students pay an average of $4,440 in tuition and fees each year. The average amount in student loans that criminal justice majors at Tyler Junior College take out while working on their Associate Degree is $14,547.
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New Mexico State University - Grants came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Criminal Justice & Corrections Associate Degree Schools ranking. Located in the remote town of Grants, NMSU Grants is a public college with a small student population.
NMSU Grants undergraduate students pay an average of $4,104 in tuition and fees each year. After completing their Associate Degree, criminal justice graduates from NMSU Grants carry an average student debtload of $10,377.
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El Centro College landed the #13 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value associate degree criminal justice and corrections programs. El Centro College is a fairly large public school located in the city of Dallas.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at El Centro College are $6,000 per year. After completing their Associate Degree, criminal justice graduates from El Centro College carry an average student debtload of $16,446.
In addition to its great value ranking, El Centro College is in the top 5% of all schools on our Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Associate Degree Schools list.
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Southwest Wisconsin Technical College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for criminal justice and corrections students to get a associate degree. It came in at #15 on the list. Located in the rural area of Fennimore, Southwest Tech is a public school with a small student population.
Southwest Tech undergraduate students pay an average of $6,683 in tuition and fees each year. On average, criminal justice graduates from Southwest Tech take out $13,031 in student loans while working on their Associate Degree.
Southwest Tech excels when it comes to quality. It’s ranked in the top 5% of all schools on our Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Associate Degree Schools list.
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Lakeshore Technical College came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Criminal Justice & Corrections Associate Degree Schools ranking. LTC is a small public school located in the rural area of Cleveland.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at LTC are $6,056 a year. While working on their Associate Degree, criminal justice majors at LTC accumulate an average of around $7,736 in student debt.
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Mid-State Technical College ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value Criminal Justice & Corrections Associate Degree Schools list. Mid-State is a small public school located in the rural area of Wisconsin Rapids.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Mid-State are $6,351 per year. After completing their Associate Degree, criminal justice graduates from Mid-State carry an average student debtload of $11,940.
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With a ranking of #18, Metropolitan Community College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for criminal justice and corrections students working on their associate degree. MCC is a large public school located in the city of Omaha.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at MCC are $4,680 a year. Criminal Justice majors at MCC take out an average of $13,240 in student loans while working on their Associate Degree.
In addition to its great value ranking, MCC is in the top 10% of all schools on our Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Associate Degree Schools list.
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Eastern Gateway Community College came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Criminal Justice & Corrections Associate Degree Schools ranking. Eastern Gateway Community College is a very large public school located in the city of Steubenville.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at Eastern Gateway Community College are $8,022 a year. While working on their Associate Degree, criminal justice majors at Eastern Gateway Community College accumulate an average of around $9,160 in student debt.
Eastern Gateway Community College also claimed a spot on our Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Associate Degree Schools list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools in this category.
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Madison Area Technical College came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Criminal Justice & Corrections Associate Degree Schools ranking. Madison College is a large public school located in the large city of Madison.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Madison College are $6,769 per year. Criminal Justice majors at Madison College take out an average of $17,924 in student loans while working on their Associate Degree.
In addition to its great value ranking, Madison College is in the top 5% of all schools on our Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Associate Degree Schools list.
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Northcentral Technical College came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Criminal Justice & Corrections Associate Degree Schools ranking. Located in the small city of Wausau, North Central Technical College is a public college with a moderately-sized student population.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at North Central Technical College are $5,415 a year.
In addition to its great value ranking, North Central Technical College is in the top 20% of all schools on our Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Associate Degree Schools list.
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Inver Hills Community College ranked #22 on this year’s Best Value Criminal Justice & Corrections Associate Degree Schools list. IHCC is a small public school located in the large suburb of Inver Grove Heights.
IHCC undergraduate students pay an average of $5,809 in tuition and fees each year. On average, criminal justice graduates from IHCC take out $23,094 in student loans while working on their Associate Degree.
IHCC also claimed a spot on our Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Associate Degree Schools list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools in this category.
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With a ranking of #23, Century College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for criminal justice and corrections students working on their associate degree. Located in the large suburb of White Bear Lake, Century College is a public college with a medium-sized student population.
Century College undergraduate students pay an average of $5,907 in tuition and fees each year. The average amount in student loans that criminal justice majors at Century College take out while working on their Associate Degree is $29,681.
On top of its placing in our value ranking, Century College also did well on our Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Associate Degree Schools list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools reviewed in this analysis.
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Western Technical College came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Criminal Justice & Corrections Associate Degree Schools ranking. Western Technical College is a small public school located in the small city of La Crosse.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Western Technical College are $6,687 per year. After completing their Associate Degree, criminal justice graduates from Western Technical College carry an average student debtload of $15,185.
In addition to its great value ranking, Western Technical College is in the top 10% of all schools on our Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Associate Degree Schools list.
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Waukesha County Technical College landed the #25 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value associate degree criminal justice and corrections programs. WCTC is a moderately-sized public school located in the suburb of Pewaukee.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at WCTC are $6,603 a year. The average amount in student loans that criminal justice majors at WCTC take out while working on their Associate Degree is $20,143.
WCTC excels when it comes to quality. It’s ranked in the top 15% of all schools on our Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Associate Degree Schools list.
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Remaining Award Winners
This list shows the rest of the schools awarded a Best Value Criminal Justice & Corrections Associate Degree Schools badge. Showing in this list means the college was ranked in the top 15% of the 455 different United States criminal justice and corrections schools we analyzed.
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 51 | Jefferson College | Hillsboro, MO |
| 52 | South Texas College | McAllen, TX |
| 53 | Gwinnett Technical College | Lawrenceville, GA |
| 54 | North Georgia Technical College | Clarkesville, GA |
| 55 | Southwestern Illinois College | Belleville, IL |
| 56 | Spokane Community College | Spokane, WA |
| 57 | Golden West College | Huntington Beach, CA |
| 57 | Northeast Wisconsin Technical College | Green Bay, WI |
| 59 | Blackhawk Technical College | Janesville, WI |
| 60 | Rowan College of South Jersey Gloucester Campus | Sewell, NJ |
| 61 | New Mexico State University - Alamogordo | Alamogordo, NM |
| 62 | Hawkeye Community College | Waterloo, IA |
| 63 | Southeast Technical College | Sioux Falls, SD |
| 64 | Santa Rosa Junior College | Santa Rosa, CA |
| 65 | Baton Rouge Community College | Baton Rouge, LA |
| 66 | Raritan Valley Community College | Branchburg, NJ |
| 67 | Wharton County Junior College | Wharton, TX |
| 68 | Jefferson Community College | Watertown, NY |
Additional Noteworthy Schools
Here are some additional great value schools for Criminal Justice & Corrections students seeking value that almost earned our Best Value Criminal Justice & Corrections Associate Degree Schools award.
Criminal Justice & Corrections by Region
View the Best Value Criminal Justice & Corrections Associate Degree Schools for a specific region near you.
| Region |
|---|
| Southeast |
| New England |
| Rocky Mountains |
| Plains States |
| Middle Atlantic |
| Far Western US |
| Southwest |
| Great Lakes |
More Criminal Justice & Corrections Rankings
Criminal Justice & Corrections Related Majors for Criminal Justice
One of 4 majors within the area of study, criminal justice and corrections has other similar majors worth exploring.
Most Popular Majors Related to Criminal Justice
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Fire Protection | 13,766 |
| Homeland Security | 7,140 |
| Security Science and Technology | 6,888 |
| Other Homeland Security | 1,695 |
Notes and References
*These averages are for the top 25 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 the rest 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.
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