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College Factual  by our College Data Analytics Team
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2026 Best Value Criminology Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region

7 Colleges in the United States
$23,769 Avg Student Debt
$60,148 Avg Median Earnings (10yr)
2026 Best Value Criminology Badge [Criminology](/majors/social-sciences/criminology/) 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 8 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 the Rocky Mountains Region

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

Best Value Criminology Schools

1

Utah State University earned the #1 spot for value among criminology schools in the Rocky Mountains Region. Utah State University is a very large public school located in the city of Logan. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $8,560, compared with $24,993 for out-of-state students. Criminology graduates carry a median of $16,191 in student loans. Early-career criminology graduates make about $50,348. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 92% of applicants are accepted.

2
University Of Utah crest
University Of Utah
Salt Lake City, UT

The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Utah earned it the #2 place for criminology. Located in the city of Salt Lake City, University Of Utah is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $9,620 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $30,860. Students borrow a median of $20,798 to complete the criminology program here. Early-career criminology graduates make about $60,527. That is a strong return on a $20,798 median debt. Roughly 86% of applicants are accepted.

3

Colorado State University Pueblo is a great value for students pursuing a degree in criminology, landing the #3 spot this year. Colorado State University Pueblo is a large public school located in the city of Pueblo. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,720, compared with $17,944 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for criminology graduates is $25,325. Criminology graduates of Colorado State University Pueblo earn a median of $49,098 early in their careers. Set against $25,325 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 95%.

4

Students looking for strong value in criminology will find it at University Of Idaho, which ranked #4. Located in the town of Moscow, University Of Idaho is a large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $9,084, compared with $28,320 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for criminology graduates is $23,844. Early-career criminology graduates make about $43,246. That is a strong return on a $23,844 median debt. The acceptance rate is 76%.

5
Fort Lewis College crest
Fort Lewis College
Durango, CO

Fort Lewis College came in at #5 on our 2026 list of the best value criminology schools. Located in the town of Durango, Fort Lewis College is a mid-sized public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,958, while out-of-state students pay about $21,526. Students borrow a median of $18,888 to complete the criminology program here. Early-career criminology graduates make about $30,676. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 77%.

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6
Regis University crest
Regis University
Denver, CO

Regis University ranked #6 on our 2026 list of the best value criminology schools. Regis University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Denver. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $28,140. Students borrow a median of $39,337 to complete the criminology program here. Criminology graduates of Regis University earn a median of $48,522 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 86%.

7

University Of Denver ranked #7 on our 2026 list of the best value criminology schools. Located in the city of Denver, University Of Denver is a large private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $61,398. Students borrow a median of $22,000 to complete the criminology program here. Criminology graduates of University Of Denver earn a median of $40,667 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $22,000 median debt. Roughly 78% of applicants are accepted.

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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 · 8 schools evaluated.

*Averages shown above reflect the top 7 ranked schools only.

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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