Best Value Criminal Justice and Corrections Colleges in Minnesota

Herzing University-Minneapolis stands out among Minnesota's criminal justice programs by producing graduates earning $58,943 annually while maintaining a net price of just $15,205. This impressive return on investment reflects strong demand for criminal justice professionals in Minnesota's Twin Cities, where Target's corporate security division and major healthcare systems like UnitedHealth Group require extensive loss prevention and compliance expertise. The state's 18 criminal justice programs show remarkable cost variation, with net prices ranging from $10,117 at Saint Cloud State to $25,140 at University of Northwestern-St Paul. Public universities dominate the affordable options, with seven schools offering net costs below $19,000. Minnesota's criminal justice job market benefits from the state's major corporations and healthcare infrastructure, creating varied career paths beyond traditional law enforcement roles.

Programs

$10,874 – $27,324

Net Price Range

$42,796

Avg. Program Earnings

54.2%

Avg. Graduation Rate

18 Criminal Justice and Corrections Programs

Program rankings
#	School	Net Price	Program Earnings	In-State Tuition	Graduation Rate	Acceptance Rate
1	Herzing University-Minneapolis St. Louis Park, Minnesota	$15,205	$58,943	$13,420	73.5%	94.3%
2	Saint Cloud State University Saint Cloud, Minnesota	$14,485	$43,426	$10,117	46.9%	95.3%
3	Southwest Minnesota State University Marshall, Minnesota	$14,760	$39,729	$10,304	44.1%	91.6%
4	Concordia University-Saint Paul Saint Paul, Minnesota	$17,566	$46,087	$25,000	58.8%	69.1%
5	Bemidji State University Bemidji, Minnesota	$17,050	$41,789	$10,164	53.4%	77.5%
6	Saint Mary's University of Minnesota Winona, Minnesota	$21,034	$49,631	$43,160	67.7%	96.8%
7	Capella University Minneapolis, Minnesota	$18,305	$42,712	$14,436	33.3%
8	Minnesota State University-Mankato Mankato, Minnesota	$18,609	$42,682	$9,490	54.1%	70.7%
9	Metropolitan State University Saint Paul, Minnesota	$19,181	$43,485	$9,780	38.4%	81.7%
10	Winona State University Winona, Minnesota	$18,148	$41,058	$10,498	60.9%	73.8%
11	Minnesota State University Moorhead Moorhead, Minnesota	$17,816	$36,166	$10,336	54.6%	56.6%
12	Hamline University Saint Paul, Minnesota	$21,385	$39,369	$48,311	57.7%	80.6%
13	Rasmussen University-Minnesota St. Cloud, Minnesota	$19,071	$35,060	$10,899	53.2%
14	University of Northwestern-St Paul Saint Paul, Minnesota	$25,140	$39,009	$36,830	68.4%	92.5%
15	Oak Hills Christian College Bemidji, Minnesota	$24,674		$18,910	30.8%
16	University of Minnesota-Crookston Crookston, Minnesota	$10,874		$13,120	49.7%	57.2%
17	Crown College Saint Bonifacius, Minnesota	$27,324		$30,200	64.3%	66.6%
18	St Catherine University Saint Paul, Minnesota	$21,563		$49,758	65.1%	92.5%

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes Herzing University-Minneapolis worth its higher private school costs?

Herzing graduates earn $58,943 annually, nearly $15,500 more than the next highest earners from Saint Mary's University at $49,631. The school maintains a 73.5% graduation rate with relatively low debt of $19,310. Despite being private, Herzing's net price of $15,205 remains competitive with many public options.

How do Minnesota's public universities compare for criminal justice value?

Saint Cloud State offers the lowest net price at $14,485 while producing graduates earning $43,426 annually. Minnesota State University-Mankato provides solid value with $42,682 graduate earnings at an $18,609 net cost. Public schools generally offer in-state tuition around $10,000, making them accessible options with decent earning potential.

Is the graduation rate gap significant between expensive and affordable programs?

Private schools show notably higher completion rates, with Saint Mary's at 67.7% and Concordia at 58.8% compared to public averages around 50%. However, Saint Cloud State achieves a respectable 46.9% graduation rate at just $14,485 net cost. The correlation between price and completion isn't absolute, as some affordable options maintain solid success rates.

Where do Minnesota criminal justice graduates find the best career opportunities?

The Twin Cities area offers varied opportunities beyond traditional policing, including corporate security roles at Target and fraud investigation positions with UnitedHealth Group. Minnesota's major healthcare systems require compliance officers and security personnel. State government agencies and federal offices in Minneapolis provide additional career paths with competitive salaries matching the $35,000 to $58,000 range seen in graduate earnings data.

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Net price reflects the average cost after grants and scholarships for first-time, full-time students. See our methodology for details.