2026 Best Value Other Corrections & Criminal Justice Schools in the The Plains States Region

[Other Corrections & Criminal Justice](/majors/protective-security-safety-services/criminal-justice-and-corrections/corrections-and-criminal-justice-other/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong other corrections & criminal justice education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 7 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for other corrections & criminal justice students.
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2026 Best Value Other Corrections & Criminal Justice Schools in the The Plains States Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in other corrections & criminal justice, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Other Corrections & Criminal Justice Schools
Leading the list is Minot State University, our #1 best value for other corrections & criminal justice in the The Plains States Region. Minot State University is a mid-sized public school located in the city of Minot. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $8,702. Students borrow a median of $26,343 to complete the other corrections & criminal justice program here. Other Corrections & Criminal Justice graduates of Minot State University earn a median of $50,645 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Minot State University admits about 65% of applicants.
A rank of #2 makes Chadron State College one of the best values for other corrections & criminal justice. Chadron State College is a mid-sized public school located in the town of Chadron. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $8,294. Typical student debt for other corrections & criminal justice graduates is $20,250. Other Corrections & Criminal Justice graduates of Chadron State College earn a median of $32,454 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Emporia State University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in other corrections & criminal justice, landing the #3 spot this year. Set in the town of Emporia, Emporia State University is a moderately-sized public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $7,106, compared with $15,419 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for other corrections & criminal justice graduates is $23,480. Other Corrections & Criminal Justice graduates of Emporia State University earn a median of $35,970 early in their careers. Set against $23,480 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 98% of applicants are accepted.
Simpson College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in other corrections & criminal justice, landing the #4 spot this year. Located in the town of Indianola, Simpson College is a small private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $47,656. Other Corrections & Criminal Justice graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Other Corrections & Criminal Justice graduates of Simpson College earn a median of $42,862 early in their careers. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 86% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Kansas Wesleyan University earned it the #5 place for other corrections & criminal justice. Kansas Wesleyan University is a small private not-for-profit school located in the town of Salina. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $34,630. Typical student debt for other corrections & criminal justice graduates is $24,330. Early-career other corrections & criminal justice graduates make about $37,301. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Kansas Wesleyan University admits about 72% of applicants.
Bethany College Kansas ranked #6 on our 2026 list of the best value other corrections & criminal justice schools. Set in the rural area of Lindsborg, Bethany College Kansas is a small private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $33,000. Students borrow a median of $24,438 to complete the other corrections & criminal justice program here. Other Corrections & Criminal Justice graduates of Bethany College Kansas earn a median of $29,106 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $24,438 median debt. Bethany College Kansas admits about 56% of applicants.
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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 · 7 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 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.