2026 Best Value Criminology Certificate Degree Schools
Looking for the best-value Criminology certificate degree programs in the United States? Our ranking highlights 249 institutions by value — the balance of cost and student outcomes, using our 2026 methodology. Each school below is scored on factors such as tuition, student debt, and post-graduation earnings to surface the strongest return on investment.
To help you make your decision, Course Advisor evaluated schools to compile this 2026 value ranking, drawing primarily on U.S. Department of Education data (IPEDS and College Scorecard). View our full ranking methodology.
Top 25 Best-Value Criminology Certificate Degree Schools in the United States
Here are the top-ranked schools for value:
Missouri State University Springfield tops our 2026 ranking of the best-value Criminology certificate degree schools in the United States. Set in Springfield, MO, Missouri State University Springfield is a public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,502, with out-of-state students paying around $18,770. The median Criminology program debt is $24,187. A decade after starting, students earn a median of $49,827. That is a strong return on a $24,187 median debt. The acceptance rate is 90%. Get the full Missouri State University Springfield report
University Of Wisconsin Milwaukee came in at #2 on this year's best-value Criminology ranking in the United States. Based in Milwaukee, WI, University Of Wisconsin Milwaukee is a public institution. Students from in state pay about $10,398 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $22,398. University Of Wisconsin Milwaukee Criminology students take on a median of $26,657 in debt. Graduates go on to earn a median of $54,990 ten years after entry. Set against $26,657 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 91%. Read the full report on University Of Wisconsin Milwaukee
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Wisconsin Madison earned it the #3 place in the United States. University Of Wisconsin Madison is a public school based in Madison, WI. Students from in state pay about $11,603 in tuition and fees, compared with $42,103 for out-of-state students. The median Criminology program debt is $21,813. Median earnings reach $73,792 ten years out. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of Wisconsin Madison has an acceptance rate of 45%. More on University Of Wisconsin Madison
Albright College came in at #4 on this year's best-value Criminology ranking in the United States. Read the full report on Albright College
A rank of #5 makes Northwest Missouri State University one of the best values in the United States. Read the full report on Northwest Missouri State University
Ohio State University Main Campus ranked #6 on our 2026 list of the best-value Criminology schools. Read more about Ohio State University Main Campus
Cuny Graduate School And University Center came in at #7 in this year's value ranking. Read the full report on Cuny Graduate School And University Center
Manchester College placed #8 among the best-value Criminology schools in the United States. Read more about Manchester College
Geneva College ranked #9 on our 2026 list of the best-value Criminology schools. Read more about Geneva College
Capital Community College placed #10 among the best-value Criminology schools in the United States. Get the full Capital Community College report
Clemson University landed the #11 spot for value in the United States this year. See the full Clemson University profile
Pontifical Catholic University Of Puerto Rico Mayaguez offered strong value this year, earning the #12 position. More on Pontifical Catholic University Of Puerto Rico Mayaguez
Crown College
Crown College ranked #13 on our 2026 list of the best-value Criminology schools. Read more about Crown College
Pennsylvania Western University offered strong value this year, earning the #14 position. Read the full report on Pennsylvania Western University
Texas A And M University San Antonio ranked #15 on our 2026 list of the best-value Criminology schools. See the full Texas A And M University San Antonio profile
Mount St Marys College landed the #16 spot for value in the United States this year. Read more about Mount St Marys College
Southern Illinois University Carbondale offered strong value this year, earning the #17 position. More on Southern Illinois University Carbondale
Briar Cliff University offered strong value this year, earning the #18 position. Read the full report on Briar Cliff University
Delaware State University placed #19 among the best-value Criminology schools in the United States. See the full Delaware State University profile
Indiana State University came in at #20 in this year's value ranking. See the full Indiana State University profile
The University Of Alabama ranked #21 on our 2026 list of the best-value Criminology schools. See the full The University Of Alabama profile
University Of Northern Iowa ranked #22 on our 2026 list of the best-value Criminology schools. Read the full report on University Of Northern Iowa
Villanova University offered strong value this year, earning the #23 position. Get the full Villanova University report
Lakeland College
Lakeland College came in at #24 in this year's value ranking. Read the full report on Lakeland College
University Of The Southwest ranked #25 on our 2026 list of the best-value Criminology schools. Read more about University Of The Southwest
Rest of the Top 50 Best-Value Criminology Certificate Degree Schools in the United States
These schools rounded out the top of this year’s value ranking:
Immaculata University came in at #26 in this year's value ranking. See the full Immaculata University profile
Cleveland State University ranked #27 on our 2026 list of the best-value Criminology schools. Read the full report on Cleveland State University
Catholic University Of America ranked #28 on our 2026 list of the best-value Criminology schools. Get the full Catholic University Of America report
University Of Wisconsin Whitewater offered strong value this year, earning the #29 position. More on University Of Wisconsin Whitewater
The University Of Texas At Dallas landed the #30 spot for value in the United States this year. More on The University Of Texas At Dallas
Lee University
Lee University placed #31 among the best-value Criminology schools in the United States. Read the full report on Lee University
The University Of Tampa placed #32 among the best-value Criminology schools in the United States. Get the full The University Of Tampa report
California State University San Marcos came in at #33 in this year's value ranking. More on California State University San Marcos
Northern Illinois University placed #34 among the best-value Criminology schools in the United States. Read more about Northern Illinois University
Purdue University Global came in at #35 in this year's value ranking. Get the full Purdue University Global report
Florida Southern College landed the #36 spot for value in the United States this year. More on Florida Southern College
Maryville University Of Saint Louis ranked #37 on our 2026 list of the best-value Criminology schools. See the full Maryville University Of Saint Louis profile
University Of Maryland Eastern Shore ranked #38 on our 2026 list of the best-value Criminology schools. See the full University Of Maryland Eastern Shore profile
Adler School Of Professional Psychology came in at #39 in this year's value ranking. Read more about Adler School Of Professional Psychology
Hastings College
Hastings College ranked #40 on our 2026 list of the best-value Criminology schools. Read the full report on Hastings College
Azusa Pacific University ranked #41 on our 2026 list of the best-value Criminology schools. More on Azusa Pacific University
University Of Michigan Dearborn came in at #42 in this year's value ranking. Read more about University Of Michigan Dearborn
Davis And Elkins College offered strong value this year, earning the #43 position. More on Davis And Elkins College
Nebraska Wesleyan University came in at #44 in this year's value ranking. Read the full report on Nebraska Wesleyan University
Bloomfield College landed the #45 spot for value in the United States this year. See the full Bloomfield College profile
Saint Vincent College placed #46 among the best-value Criminology schools in the United States. Read the full report on Saint Vincent College
Olivet Nazarene University ranked #47 on our 2026 list of the best-value Criminology schools. Read more about Olivet Nazarene University
Western Kentucky University offered strong value this year, earning the #48 position. Read more about Western Kentucky University
Suny College At Old Westbury ranked #49 on our 2026 list of the best-value Criminology schools. Get the full Suny College At Old Westbury report
North Carolina State University At Raleigh offered strong value this year, earning the #50 position. Read the full report on North Carolina State University At Raleigh
Related Criminology Value Rankings
Compare value rankings at other degree levels:
- Best Value Criminology Schools (All Levels)
- Best Value Criminology Undergraduate Certificate Degree Schools
- Best Value Criminology Associate’s Degree Schools
- Best Value Criminology Bachelor’s Degree Schools
- Best Value Criminology Graduate Certificate Degree Schools
- Best Value Criminology Master’s Degree Schools
- Best Value Criminology Doctoral Degree Schools
Ranking Methodology & Notes
These rankings are produced by Course Advisor (DMS_RANKING_2023), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs 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 · Scope: Nation. *Averages shown above reflect the top 249 ranked schools only.
References
- Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) — National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education (core institutional data).
- College Scorecard — U.S. Department of Education (graduate earnings and outcomes data).
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