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2026 Best Value Criminology Schools in Kentucky

1 Colleges in the United States
$26,000 Avg Student Debt
$43,889 Avg Median Earnings (10yr)
2026 Best Value Criminology Badge [Criminology](/majors/social-sciences/criminology/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.

For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 1 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 Kentucky

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

Best Value Criminology Schools

1
Western Kentucky University crest
Western Kentucky University
Bowling Green, KY

Our analysis ranked Western Kentucky University the best value for a degree in criminology in Kentucky. Set in the city of Bowling Green, Western Kentucky University is a large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $11,652, while out-of-state students pay about $27,000. Typical student debt for criminology graduates is $26,000. Soon after graduation, criminology degree recipients from Western Kentucky University generally make around $32,370. That is a strong return on a $26,000 median debt. Roughly 94% of applicants are accepted.

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Notes and References

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 · 1 school evaluated.

*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 ranked schools only.

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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