2026 Best Value Criminal Justice & Police Science Schools in Alabama
[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.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 13 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for criminal justice & police science students.
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2026 Best Value Criminal Justice & Police Science Schools in Alabama
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
Northeast Alabama Community College earned the #1 spot for value among criminal justice & police science schools in Alabama. Northeast Alabama Community College is a mid-sized public school located in the rural area of Rainsville. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $5,040, with out-of-state students paying around $8,910. Criminal Justice & Police Science graduates carry a median of $7,459 in student loans. Criminal Justice & Police Science graduates of Northeast Alabama Community College earn a median of $35,119 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $7,459 median debt.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at George C Wallace State Community College Dothan earned it the #2 place for criminal justice & police science. George C Wallace State Community College Dothan is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Dothan. In-state tuition and fees average $4,980, with out-of-state students paying around $8,850. Criminal Justice & Police Science graduates carry a median of $9,942 in student loans. Early-career criminal justice & police science graduates make about $34,762. Set against $9,942 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Students looking for strong value in criminal justice & police science will find it at Jefferson State Community College, which ranked #3. Located in the city of Birmingham, Jefferson State Community College is a large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $5,100, while out-of-state students pay about $8,970. Typical student debt for criminal justice & police science graduates is $15,083. Early-career criminal justice & police science graduates make about $42,861. That is a strong return on a $15,083 median debt.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at George C Wallace State Community College Hanceville earned it the #4 place for criminal justice & police science. Located in the rural area of Hanceville, George C Wallace State Community College Hanceville is a moderately-sized public university. In-state tuition and fees average $5,220, with out-of-state students paying around $9,090. Criminal Justice & Police Science graduates carry a median of $13,146 in student loans. Early-career criminal justice & police science graduates make about $35,238. That is a strong return on a $13,146 median debt.
Columbia Southern University came in at #5 on our 2026 list of the best value criminal justice & police science schools. Columbia Southern University is a very large private for-profit school located in the town of Orange Beach. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $6,224. Students borrow a median of $23,641 to complete the criminal justice & police science program here. Early-career criminal justice & police science graduates make about $60,232. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled 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 · 13 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.
