2026 Best Value Criminal Justice & Police Science Schools in Virginia
[Criminal Justice & Police Science](/majors/protective-security-safety-services/criminal-justice-and-corrections/criminal-justice-and-police-science/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
College Factual analyzed 5 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value criminal justice & police science schools.
What’s on this page:
2026 Best Value Criminal Justice & Police Science Schools in Virginia
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the criminal justice & police science degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Criminal Justice & Police Science Schools
Our analysis ranked George Mason University the best value for a degree in criminal justice & police science in Virginia. Located in the suburb of Fairfax, George Mason University is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $14,220, compared with $38,688 for out-of-state students. Criminal Justice & Police Science graduates carry a median of $20,761 in student loans. Criminal Justice & Police Science graduates of George Mason University earn a median of $49,815 early in their careers. Set against $20,761 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 88%.
University Of Virginia Main Campus is a great value for students pursuing a degree in criminal justice & police science, landing the #2 spot this year. Set in the suburb of Charlottesville, University Of Virginia Main Campus is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $23,118, while out-of-state students pay about $61,591. Typical student debt for criminal justice & police science graduates is $18,627. Criminal Justice & Police Science graduates of University Of Virginia Main Campus earn a median of $69,126 early in their careers. Set against $18,627 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 17%.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced 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 · 5 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.
