2026 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools in New Hampshire
[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.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 9 schools to find the best return on investment for criminal justice students.
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2026 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools in New Hampshire
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in criminal justice, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Criminal Justice Schools
Leading the list is Great Bay Community College, our #1 best value for criminal justice in New Hampshire. Great Bay Community College is a mid-sized public school located in the suburb of Portsmouth. Students from in state pay about $7,200 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $15,450. Criminal Justice graduates carry a median of $17,639 in student loans. Early-career criminal justice graduates make about $48,692. Set against $17,639 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Plymouth State University came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value criminal justice schools. Set in the town of Plymouth, Plymouth State University is a mid-sized public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $14,626, compared with $25,566 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for criminal justice graduates is $27,000. Early-career criminal justice graduates make about $45,528. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. The acceptance rate is 88%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Nhti Concords Community College earned it the #3 place for criminal justice. Set in the town of Concord, Nhti Concords Community College is a mid-sized public institution. Students from in state pay about $7,200 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $15,450. Students borrow a median of $12,000 to complete the criminal justice program here. Early-career criminal justice graduates make about $40,670. Set against $12,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Franklin Pierce University came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best value criminal justice schools. Located in the rural area of Rindge, Franklin Pierce University is a small private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $46,442 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for criminal justice graduates is $27,000. Soon after graduation, criminal justice degree recipients from Franklin Pierce University generally make around $39,031. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. Franklin Pierce University admits about 94% of applicants.
New England College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in criminal justice, landing the #5 spot this year. Located in the rural area of Henniker, New England College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $27,474. Typical student debt for criminal justice graduates is $27,000. Early-career criminal justice graduates make about $68,950. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. The acceptance rate is 92%.
More Criminal Justice 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 · 9 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 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.
