2026 Best Value Criminal Justice & Police Science Schools in Massachusetts

[Criminal Justice & Police Science](/majors/protective-security-safety-services/criminal-justice-and-corrections/criminal-justice-and-police-science/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong criminal justice & police science education at a price that pays off.
College Factual analyzed 9 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value criminal justice & police science schools.
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2026 Best Value Criminal Justice & Police Science Schools in Massachusetts
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in criminal justice & police science, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Criminal Justice & Police Science Schools
For return on investment in criminal justice & police science, no school beat Northern Essex Community College this year. Set in the suburb of Haverhill, Northern Essex Community College is a moderately-sized public institution. Students from in state pay about $6,732 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $12,516. Typical student debt for criminal justice & police science graduates is $7,432. Soon after graduation, criminal justice & police science degree recipients from Northern Essex Community College generally make around $39,426. Set against $7,432 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
A rank of #2 makes Bunker Hill Community College one of the best values for criminal justice & police science. Located in the city of Boston, Bunker Hill Community College is a large public university. Students from in state pay about $6,168 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $11,112. Students borrow a median of $5,500 to complete the criminal justice & police science program here. Soon after graduation, criminal justice & police science degree recipients from Bunker Hill Community College generally make around $47,573. Set against $5,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Students looking for strong value in criminal justice & police science will find it at Massasoit Community College, which ranked #3. Set in the suburb of Brockton, Massasoit Community College is a moderately-sized public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $5,376, while out-of-state students pay about $10,320. Typical student debt for criminal justice & police science graduates is $10,875. Early-career criminal justice & police science graduates make about $36,927. That is a strong return on a $10,875 median debt.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Quinsigamond Community College earned it the #4 place for criminal justice & police science. Set in the city of Worcester, Quinsigamond Community College is a moderately-sized public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $6,262, compared with $11,206 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for criminal justice & police science graduates is $16,768. Early-career criminal justice & police science graduates make about $40,039. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Students looking for strong value in criminal justice & police science will find it at Springfield Technical Community College, which ranked #5. Located in the city of Springfield, Springfield Technical Community College is a moderately-sized public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $5,904, with out-of-state students paying around $11,112. Typical student debt for criminal justice & police science graduates is $7,500. Early-career criminal justice & police science graduates make about $37,044. That is a strong return on a $7,500 median debt.
Cape Cod Community College came in at #6 for value in criminal justice & police science this year. Cape Cod Community College is a mid-sized public school located in the city of West Barnstable. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $6,000, while out-of-state students pay about $10,944. Criminal Justice & Police Science graduates carry a median of $14,669 in student loans. Early-career criminal justice & police science graduates make about $47,939. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Fitchburg State University ranked #7 on our 2026 list of the best value criminal justice & police science schools. Fitchburg State University is a moderately-sized public school located in the suburb of Fitchburg. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $11,346, compared with $17,426 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for criminal justice & police science graduates is $26,000. Criminal Justice & Police Science graduates of Fitchburg State University earn a median of $43,418 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 87%.
Suffolk University earned the #8 position for value in criminal justice & police science this year. Located in the city of Boston, Suffolk University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $47,550 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $26,670 to complete the criminal justice & police science program here. Soon after graduation, criminal justice & police science degree recipients from Suffolk University generally make around $50,806. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 82%.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 9 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 6 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.