by our College Data Analytics Team
[Criminal Justice](/majors/protective-security-safety-services/criminal-justice-and-corrections/criminal-justice/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. 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 schools.
What’s on this page:
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in criminal justice, balancing cost against outcomes.
Charter Oak State College tops our 2026 list of the best value criminal justice schools in Connecticut. Located in the suburb of New Britain, Charter Oak State College is a mid-sized public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $8,506. Criminal Justice graduates carry a median of $23,000 in student loans. Criminal Justice graduates of Charter Oak State College earn a median of $68,956 early in their careers. Set against $23,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Students looking for strong value in criminal justice will find it at Central Connecticut State University, which ranked #2. Set in the suburb of New Britain, Central Connecticut State University is a large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $13,050, compared with $16,550 for out-of-state students. Criminal Justice graduates carry a median of $24,340 in student loans. Soon after graduation, criminal justice degree recipients from Central Connecticut State University generally make around $60,151. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 73%.
University Of New Haven came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value criminal justice schools. University Of New Haven is a large private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of West Haven. In-state tuition and fees average $47,332. Typical student debt for criminal justice graduates is $27,000. Criminal Justice graduates of University Of New Haven earn a median of $47,026 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. Roughly 60% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Sacred Heart University earned it the #4 place for criminal justice. Located in the suburb of Fairfield, Sacred Heart University is a large private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $50,404. Typical student debt for criminal justice graduates is $27,000. Soon after graduation, criminal justice degree recipients from Sacred Heart University generally make around $62,864. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. Sacred Heart University admits about 65% of applicants.
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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 · 5 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 ranked schools only.
More about our data sources and methodologies.