2026 Best Value Criminal Justice Studies Schools in Kansas
[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. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 10 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 Kansas
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in criminal justice studies, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Criminal Justice Studies Schools
Fort Hays State University tops our 2026 list of the best value criminal justice studies schools in Kansas. Located in the town of Hays, Fort Hays State University is a large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $5,923, while out-of-state students pay about $17,741. Students borrow a median of $28,750 to complete the criminal justice studies program here. Criminal Justice Studies graduates of Fort Hays State University earn a median of $42,428 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 90%.
Students looking for strong value in criminal justice studies will find it at Wichita State University, which ranked #2. Wichita State University is a large public school located in the city of Wichita. Students from in state pay about $9,684 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $19,869. Criminal Justice Studies graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Criminal Justice Studies graduates of Wichita State University earn a median of $44,013 early in their careers. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 94% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in criminal justice studies will find it at Butler Community College, which ranked #3. Butler Community College is a moderately-sized public school located in the town of El Dorado. In-state tuition and fees average $3,541, compared with $6,271 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $16,670 to complete the criminal justice studies program here. Early-career criminal justice studies graduates make about $39,404. Set against $16,670 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Pittsburg State University came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best value criminal justice studies schools. Set in the town of Pittsburg, Pittsburg State University is a moderately-sized public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $8,400, while out-of-state students pay about $19,744. Typical student debt for criminal justice studies graduates is $24,843. Criminal Justice Studies graduates of Pittsburg State University earn a median of $50,003 early in their careers. Set against $24,843 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 89% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in criminal justice studies will find it at Friends University, which ranked #5. Set in the city of Wichita, Friends University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $34,192. Students borrow a median of $29,721 to complete the criminal justice studies program here. Early-career criminal justice studies graduates make about $34,522. Set against $29,721 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 55%.
Southwestern College placed #6 among the best values for criminal justice studies. Located in the town of Winfield, Southwestern College is a small private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $39,822. Typical student debt for criminal justice studies graduates is $26,874. Soon after graduation, criminal justice studies degree recipients from Southwestern College generally make around $60,820. Set against $26,874 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 76% of applicants are accepted.
More Criminal Justice Studies Rankings
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced 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 · 10 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 4 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.
