by our College Data Analytics Team
[Criminology](/majors/social-sciences/criminology/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong criminology education at a price that pays off.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 4 schools to find the best return on investment for criminology students.
What’s on this page:
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in criminology, balancing cost against outcomes.
Leading the list is Capital Community College, our #1 best value for criminology in Connecticut. Set in the city of New Britain, Capital Community College is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $5,338 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $15,596. Typical student debt for criminology graduates is $12,059. Early-career criminology graduates make about $43,086. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Students looking for strong value in criminology 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, with out-of-state students paying around $16,550. Students borrow a median of $23,995 to complete the criminology program here. Soon after graduation, criminology degree recipients from Central Connecticut State University generally make around $40,713. Set against $23,995 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 73% of applicants are accepted.
Eastern Connecticut State University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in criminology, landing the #3 spot this year. Eastern Connecticut State University is a mid-sized public school located in the town of Willimantic. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $13,928, compared with $17,426 for out-of-state students. Criminology graduates carry a median of $25,000 in student loans. Early-career criminology graduates make about $39,705. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Eastern Connecticut State University admits about 83% of applicants.
University Of Hartford is a great value for students pursuing a degree in criminology, landing the #4 spot this year. Located in the city of West Hartford, University Of Hartford is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $49,075 in tuition and fees. Criminology graduates carry a median of $25,648 in student loans. Soon after graduation, criminology degree recipients from University Of Hartford generally make around $51,123. Set against $25,648 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Hartford admits about 96% of applicants.
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This ranking is produced 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 · 4 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 3 ranked schools only.
More about our data sources and methodologies.