2026 Best Value Criminal Justice Studies Schools in Michigan
[Criminal Justice Studies](/majors/protective-security-safety-services/criminal-justice-and-corrections/criminal-justice-studies/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong criminal justice studies education at a price that pays off.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 16 schools to find the best return on investment for criminal justice studies students.
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2026 Best Value Criminal Justice Studies Schools in Michigan
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the criminal justice studies degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Criminal Justice Studies Schools
Our analysis ranked Washtenaw Community College the best value for a degree in criminal justice studies in Michigan. Washtenaw Community College is a very large public school located in the suburb of Ann Arbor. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $2,736, compared with $6,504 for out-of-state students. Criminal Justice Studies graduates carry a median of $28,059 in student loans. Early-career criminal justice studies graduates make about $67,732. Set against $28,059 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Macomb Community College earned it the #2 place for criminal justice studies. Macomb Community College is a very large public school located in the city of Warren. Students from in state pay about $3,660 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $8,370. Typical student debt for criminal justice studies graduates is $6,964. Criminal Justice Studies graduates of Macomb Community College earn a median of $38,758 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Southwestern Michigan College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in criminal justice studies, landing the #3 spot this year. Located in the rural area of Dowagiac, Southwestern Michigan College is a mid-sized public university. Students from in state pay about $6,417 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $8,394. Typical student debt for criminal justice studies graduates is $16,575. Early-career criminal justice studies graduates make about $43,153. Set against $16,575 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Bay De Noc Community College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in criminal justice studies, landing the #4 spot this year. Set in the town of Escanaba, Bay De Noc Community College is a mid-sized public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $6,214, with out-of-state students paying around $11,453. Students borrow a median of $17,625 to complete the criminal justice studies program here. Soon after graduation, criminal justice studies degree recipients from Bay De Noc Community College generally make around $39,075. Set against $17,625 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Saginaw Valley State University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in criminal justice studies, landing the #5 spot this year. Set in the suburb of University Center, Saginaw Valley State University is a moderately-sized public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $12,930, compared with $30,450 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for criminal justice studies graduates is $27,824. Criminal Justice Studies graduates of Saginaw Valley State University earn a median of $40,049 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $27,824 median debt. Saginaw Valley State University admits about 72% of applicants.
Wayne State University came in at #6 for value in criminal justice studies this year. Set in the city of Detroit, Wayne State University is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $16,159 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $34,650. Criminal Justice Studies graduates carry a median of $28,604 in student loans. Early-career criminal justice studies graduates make about $46,920. That is a strong return on a $28,604 median debt. The acceptance rate is 81%.
Central Michigan University placed #7 among the best values for criminal justice studies. Located in the town of Mount Pleasant, Central Michigan University is a large public university. Students from in state pay about $15,480 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for criminal justice studies graduates is $27,857. Early-career criminal justice studies graduates make about $50,688. Set against $27,857 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Central Michigan University admits about 90% of applicants.
University Of Detroit Mercy earned the #8 position for value in criminal justice studies this year. Set in the city of Detroit, University Of Detroit Mercy is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $32,946 in tuition and fees. Criminal Justice Studies graduates carry a median of $29,053 in student loans. Soon after graduation, criminal justice studies degree recipients from University Of Detroit Mercy generally make around $76,755. Set against $29,053 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Detroit Mercy admits about 75% of applicants.
Siena Heights University placed #9 among the best values for criminal justice studies. Set in the town of Adrian, Siena Heights University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $30,778. Typical student debt for criminal justice studies graduates is $22,250. Soon after graduation, criminal justice studies degree recipients from Siena Heights University generally make around $67,009. Set against $22,250 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 69%.
Northern Michigan University ranked #10 on our 2026 list of the best value criminal justice studies schools. Northern Michigan University is a moderately-sized public school located in the town of Marquette. In-state tuition and fees average $14,322, compared with $19,944 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $17,844 to complete the criminal justice studies program here. Soon after graduation, criminal justice studies degree recipients from Northern Michigan University generally make around $38,518. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Northern Michigan University admits about 84% of applicants.
Madonna University earned the #11 position for value in criminal justice studies this year. Located in the city of Livonia, Madonna University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $28,440. Typical student debt for criminal justice studies graduates is $19,771. Early-career criminal justice studies graduates make about $36,296. Set against $19,771 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 63% of applicants are accepted.
Western Michigan University earned the #12 position for value in criminal justice studies this year. Located in the city of Kalamazoo, Western Michigan University is a large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $15,987, with out-of-state students paying around $19,952. Criminal Justice Studies graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Criminal Justice Studies graduates of Western Michigan University earn a median of $39,614 early in their careers. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Western Michigan University admits about 85% of applicants.
Olivet College earned the #13 position for value in criminal justice studies this year. Olivet College is a small private not-for-profit school located in the rural area of Olivet. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $34,068. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the criminal justice studies program here. Early-career criminal justice studies graduates make about $48,328. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. The acceptance rate is 83%.
More Criminal Justice Studies Rankings
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Notes and References
This list is compiled 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 · 16 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 9 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.
