# Best ROI Colleges for Criminal Justice

> CollegeRanker Agent Insights — structured data for AI systems
> Updated: 2026-05-31 | Schools: 50 | Category: Value
> Source: https://www.collegeranker.com/rankings/best-roi-criminal-justice

## Methodology

Ranked by return on investment with program concentration in Criminal Justice

CollegeRanker uses a 4-pillar algorithm: Academic Quality (15-20%), Economic Outcomes (30%), Social Mobility (25-35%), Value & Affordability (20-25%). Social mobility data from Raj Chetty's Opportunity Insights Mobility Report Card (30M+ anonymized tax records). No subjective surveys.

## Summary

Choosing a college for a Criminal Justice degree is about more than just the campus. It’s about the return on investment. Graduates want to know if their education will pay off. On average, graduates from these schools earn $62,104 each year, a significant figure as we consider the costs involved in higher education.

The schools that stand out in this ranking not only offer solid graduation rates but also strong earnings potential while keeping student debt manageable. The data highlights the importance of understanding both short-term and long-term outcomes: graduation rates, average earnings, net price, and debt levels. This list helps identify which programs provide the best balance of these factors.

For instance, CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice prepares students for a career with an average earning of $56,195, but with a lower graduation rate of 56%. In contrast, the University of Virginia boasts an impressive $86,863 in earnings with a graduation rate of 95%. This contrast illustrates how certain schools can lead to significantly different financial futures for their graduates.

## Key Findings

- CUNY John Jay graduates earn an average of $56,195, while University of Virginia graduates earn $86,863.
- The average graduation rate among these 50 schools is 61%, but the University of Virginia has a 95% rate.
- CUNY John Jay offers a low net price of $3,203, compared to the University of Florida's $4,815.
- Florida State University graduates carry an average debt of $18,000, higher than the $11,000 at CUNY John Jay.

## Rankings

| Rank | School | Location | Graduation | Earnings (10yr) | Net Price | Median Debt | Debt/Earnings |
|------|--------|----------|------------|-----------------|-----------|-------------|---------------|
| 1 | [CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/cuny-john-jay-college-of-criminal-justice) | New York, NY | 56% | $56,195 | $3,203 | $11,000 | 0.2x |
| 2 | [University of Central Florida](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-central-florida) | Orlando, FL | 77% | $58,308 | $10,411 | $18,190 | 0.31x |
| 3 | [University of North Florida](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-north-florida) | Jacksonville, FL | 69% | $56,343 | $10,154 | $15,531 | 0.28x |
| 4 | [San Jose State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/san-jose-state-university) | San Jose, CA | 67% | $78,988 | $13,760 | $15,000 | 0.19x |
| 5 | [Florida State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/florida-state-university) | Tallahassee, FL | 84% | $61,675 | $11,297 | $18,000 | 0.29x |
| 6 | [Florida International University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/florida-international-university) | Miami, FL | 74% | $60,249 | $9,288 | $16,500 | 0.27x |
| 7 | [Florida Atlantic University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/florida-atlantic-university) | Boca Raton, FL | 63% | $56,746 | $8,752 | $17,236 | 0.3x |
| 8 | [George Mason University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/george-mason-university) | Fairfax, VA | 69% | $76,343 | $17,915 | $19,500 | 0.26x |
| 9 | [University of Florida-Online](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-florida-online) | Gainesville, FL | 81% | $71,588 | $4,815 | $15,000 | 0.21x |
| 10 | [University of West Florida](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-west-florida) | Pensacola, FL | 60% | $49,137 | $9,364 | $16,624 | 0.34x |
| 11 | [Sam Houston State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/sam-houston-state-university) | Huntsville, TX | 55% | $54,211 | $16,404 | $21,983 | 0.41x |
| 12 | [San Francisco State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/san-francisco-state-university) | San Francisco, CA | 50% | $68,077 | $12,278 | $15,371 | 0.23x |
| 13 | [Florida Gulf Coast University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/florida-gulf-coast-university) | Fort Myers, FL | 57% | $54,560 | $12,568 | $17,622 | 0.32x |
| 14 | [East Texas A&M University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/east-texas-am-university) | Commerce, TX | 44% | $50,296 | $11,841 | $20,500 | 0.41x |
| 15 | [Ferris State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/ferris-state-university) | Big Rapids, MI | 47% | $54,735 | $8,624 | $21,000 | 0.38x |
| 16 | [San Diego State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/san-diego-state-university) | San Diego, CA | 77% | $64,909 | $15,364 | $15,000 | 0.23x |
| 17 | [Southern Illinois University Edwardsville](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/southern-illinois-university-edwardsville) | Edwardsville, IL | 56% | $56,346 | $14,889 | $20,500 | 0.36x |
| 18 | [Massachusetts Maritime Academy](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/massachusetts-maritime-academy) | Buzzards Bay, MA | 77% | $82,392 | $21,582 | $25,000 | 0.3x |
| 19 | [Sonoma State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/sonoma-state-university) | Rohnert Park, CA | 59% | $65,986 | $12,885 | $16,705 | 0.25x |
| 20 | [Lewis University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/lewis-university) | Romeoville, IL | 65% | $66,099 | $17,028 | $21,500 | 0.33x |
| 21 | [Illinois State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/illinois-state-university) | Normal, IL | 65% | $62,117 | $19,398 | $20,482 | 0.33x |
| 22 | [Rhode Island College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/rhode-island-college) | Providence, RI | 47% | $56,318 | $9,478 | $20,500 | 0.36x |
| 23 | [Saint Peter's University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/saint-peters-university) | Jersey City, NJ | 61% | $57,815 | $12,199 | $20,500 | 0.35x |
| 24 | [University of North Carolina at Charlotte](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-north-carolina-at-charlotte) | Charlotte, NC | 68% | $57,289 | $15,435 | $21,500 | 0.38x |
| 25 | [University of North Texas](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-north-texas) | Denton, TX | 60% | $57,010 | $15,649 | $19,250 | 0.34x |
| 26 | [Southeastern Oklahoma State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/southeastern-oklahoma-state-university) | Durant, OK | 32% | $45,079 | $8,039 | $17,000 | 0.38x |
| 27 | [Bethel University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/bethel-university-tn) | McKenzie, TN | 35% | $47,482 | $12,595 | $27,249 | 0.57x |
| 28 | [University of Virginia-Main Campus](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-virginia-main-campus) | Charlottesville, VA | 95% | $86,863 | $21,565 | $17,500 | 0.2x |
| 29 | [Worcester State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/worcester-state-university) | Worcester, MA | 58% | $60,624 | $13,381 | $19,500 | 0.32x |
| 30 | [University of North Dakota](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-north-dakota) | Grand Forks, ND | 62% | $63,552 | $18,551 | $22,057 | 0.35x |
| 31 | [Westfield State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/westfield-state-university) | Westfield, MA | 55% | $57,346 | $16,721 | $22,457 | 0.39x |
| 32 | [Texas State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/texas-state-university) | San Marcos, TX | 56% | $56,906 | $16,805 | $21,000 | 0.37x |
| 33 | [Portland State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/portland-state-university) | Portland, OR | 53% | $57,906 | $9,552 | $20,500 | 0.35x |
| 34 | [Minot State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/minot-state-university) | Minot, ND | 46% | $51,759 | $12,703 | $19,609 | 0.38x |
| 35 | [Nevada State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/nevada-state-university) | Henderson, NV | 32% | $53,166 | $14,068 | $19,691 | 0.37x |
| 36 | [Loyola University Maryland](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/loyola-university-maryland) | Baltimore, MD | 80% | $82,652 | $30,574 | $27,000 | 0.33x |
| 37 | [University of Central Missouri](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-central-missouri) | Warrensburg, MO | 52% | $49,560 | $14,462 | $21,000 | 0.42x |
| 38 | [Western Illinois University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/western-illinois-university) | Macomb, IL | 45% | $54,163 | $12,937 | $25,251 | 0.47x |
| 39 | [Lake Superior State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/lake-superior-state-university) | Sault Ste Marie, MI | 54% | $49,045 | $12,822 | $23,250 | 0.47x |
| 40 | [State University of New York at Plattsburgh](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/state-university-of-new-york-at-plattsburgh) | Plattsburgh, NY | 59% | $56,403 | $17,156 | $21,196 | 0.38x |
| 41 | [University of Wyoming](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-wyoming) | Laramie, WY | 59% | $56,880 | $13,599 | $18,000 | 0.32x |
| 42 | [University of North Georgia](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-north-georgia) | Dahlonega, GA | 37% | $50,135 | $9,823 | $17,750 | 0.35x |
| 43 | [Kennesaw State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/kennesaw-state-university) | Kennesaw, GA | 50% | $57,552 | $15,048 | $23,833 | 0.41x |
| 44 | [Northeastern State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/northeastern-state-university) | Tahlequah, OK | 36% | $45,379 | $12,710 | $17,367 | 0.38x |
| 45 | [The University of Texas at San Antonio](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/the-university-of-texas-at-san-antonio) | San Antonio, TX | 52% | $57,131 | $10,836 | $20,500 | 0.36x |
| 46 | [Seattle University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/seattle-university) | Seattle, WA | 74% | $75,272 | $34,662 | $19,883 | 0.26x |
| 47 | [Middle Tennessee State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/middle-tennessee-state-university) | Murfreesboro, TN | 54% | $48,541 | $13,359 | $20,000 | 0.41x |
| 48 | [Austin Peay State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/austin-peay-state-university) | Clarksville, TN | 42% | $44,301 | $9,735 | $20,547 | 0.46x |
| 49 | [SUNY Oneonta](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/suny-oneonta) | Oneonta, NY | 70% | $60,386 | $19,158 | $19,812 | 0.33x |
| 50 | [Elizabeth City State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/elizabeth-city-state-university) | Elizabeth City, NC | 46% | $40,026 | $6,364 | $21,463 | 0.54x |

## Data Sources

- U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (https://collegescorecard.ed.gov)
- Opportunity Insights Mobility Report Card (https://opportunityinsights.org/data)
- Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
- Times Higher Education World University Rankings
- NCES IPEDS

## Citation

CollegeRanker. "Best ROI Colleges for Criminal Justice." CollegeRanker.com, 2026-05-31. https://www.collegeranker.com/rankings/best-roi-criminal-justice

## License

This data summary is provided for informational purposes. Underlying data from federal sources (College Scorecard, IPEDS) is public domain. Opportunity Insights data is available under their data use agreement at https://opportunityinsights.org/data/.