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2026 Best Value Criminology Schools in New York

10 Colleges in the United States
$22,851 Avg Student Debt
$61,393 Avg Median Earnings (10yr)
2026 Best Value Criminology Badge [Criminology](/majors/social-sciences/criminology/) 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 15 schools to find the best return on investment for criminology students.

What’s on this page:

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2026 Best Value Criminology Schools in New York

Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in criminology, balancing cost against outcomes.

Best Value Criminology Schools

1

Cuny John Jay College Of Criminal Justice tops our 2026 list of the best value criminology schools in New York. Cuny John Jay College Of Criminal Justice is a large public school located in the city of New York. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $7,470, while out-of-state students pay about $15,420. Students borrow a median of $11,000 to complete the criminology program here. Early-career criminology graduates make about $33,798. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Cuny John Jay College Of Criminal Justice admits about 57% of applicants.

2

Suny College At Old Westbury is a great value for students pursuing a degree in criminology, landing the #2 spot this year. Suny College At Old Westbury is a moderately-sized public school located in the suburb of Old Westbury. In-state tuition and fees average $8,372, while out-of-state students pay about $18,842. Criminology graduates carry a median of $17,800 in student loans. Early-career criminology graduates make about $38,764. That is a strong return on a $17,800 median debt. The acceptance rate is 84%.

3

Suny College Of Technology At Canton is a great value for students pursuing a degree in criminology, landing the #3 spot this year. Set in the town of Canton, Suny College Of Technology At Canton is a mid-sized public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $8,742, while out-of-state students pay about $15,769. Students borrow a median of $23,640 to complete the criminology program here. Early-career criminology graduates make about $46,515. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 92%.

4
Niagara University crest
Niagara University
Niagara University, NY

Niagara University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in criminology, landing the #4 spot this year. Set in the suburb of Niagara University, Niagara University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $39,345. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the criminology program here. Soon after graduation, criminology degree recipients from Niagara University generally make around $36,781. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 87%.

5

A rank of #5 makes Suny College At Cortland one of the best values for criminology. Suny College At Cortland is a moderately-sized public school located in the town of Cortland. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $8,874, with out-of-state students paying around $18,784. Students borrow a median of $21,500 to complete the criminology program here. Early-career criminology graduates make about $34,768. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 60%.

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6

University At Buffalo ranked #6 on our 2026 list of the best value criminology schools. University At Buffalo is a very large public school located in the suburb of Buffalo. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $10,936, compared with $31,536 for out-of-state students. Criminology graduates carry a median of $22,232 in student loans. Early-career criminology graduates make about $52,403. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University At Buffalo admits about 74% of applicants.

7
Le Moyne College crest
Le Moyne College
Syracuse, NY

Le Moyne College came in at #7 for value in criminology this year. Le Moyne College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Syracuse. Students from in state pay about $40,330 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the criminology program here. Early-career criminology graduates make about $57,229. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Le Moyne College admits about 83% of applicants.

8

St Johns University New York placed #8 among the best values for criminology. Set in the city of Queens, St Johns University New York is a very large private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $53,529. Typical student debt for criminology graduates is $25,521. Early-career criminology graduates make about $35,868. That is a strong return on a $25,521 median debt. The acceptance rate is 83%.

9
Saint Bonaventure University crest
Saint Bonaventure University
Saint Bonaventure, NY

Saint Bonaventure University earned the #9 position for value in criminology this year. Located in the town of Saint Bonaventure, Saint Bonaventure University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $41,735. Typical student debt for criminology graduates is $25,917. Criminology graduates of Saint Bonaventure University earn a median of $43,190 early in their careers. Set against $25,917 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Saint Bonaventure University admits about 82% of applicants.

10

Saint John Fisher College landed the #10 spot for criminology value this year. Located in the suburb of Rochester, Saint John Fisher College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $41,190. Criminology graduates carry a median of $24,750 in student loans. Criminology graduates of Saint John Fisher College earn a median of $33,623 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $24,750 median debt. Roughly 66% of applicants are accepted.

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11
Hofstra University crest
Hofstra University
Hempstead, NY

Hofstra University ranked #11 on our 2026 list of the best value criminology schools. Set in the suburb of Hempstead, Hofstra University is a large private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $57,660. Typical student debt for criminology graduates is $25,000. Criminology graduates of Hofstra University earn a median of $35,249 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $25,000 median debt. Roughly 68% of applicants are accepted.

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Notes and References

The ranking above is published 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 · 15 schools evaluated.

*Averages shown above reflect the top 10 ranked schools only.

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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