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# Best Criminology Programs in the Midwest (2026)

Updated September 30, 2026

Part of [Best Social Sciences Colleges in the Midwest](/rankings/best-social-sciences-colleges-in-the-midwest/)

Regional list from [Best Criminology Programs in the United States](/rankings/best-criminology-programs/)

This page ranks the 29 Criminology programs in the Midwest by the median earnings of Criminology graduates four years after completing. University of St Thomas leads the list at $70,419, and the median across the listed schools is $55,265. Earnings range from $70,419 down to $28,212, a spread of $42,207.

The list is nearly evenly split between 15 public and 14 private nonprofit institutions. Ohio State University-Main Campus ranks 90th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions, the strongest showing on the page. Indiana State University posts the lowest average net price, at $10,873.

## The ranked list

29 schools in list order

| Rank | School | Program Earnings | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | University of St Thomas · Saint Paul, MN | $70,419 | $29,155 | $28,131 | 85.4% |
|  | University of St Thomas ranks 1st on this list, reporting $70,419 in median earnings for its Criminology graduates four years after completing. |
| 2 | Maryville University of Saint Louis · Saint Louis, MO | $66,612 | $22,066 | $16,528 | 95.1% |
|  | A private nonprofit university in Saint Louis, [Maryville University of Saint Louis](/school/maryville-university-of-saint-louis/majors/) posts an [average net price of $22,066](/school/maryville-university-of-saint-louis/cost/) and median earnings of $66,612 for its Criminology graduates four years after completing. |
| 3 | Valparaiso University · Valparaiso, IN | $63,772 | $18,578 | $11,043 | 89.4% |
|  | [Valparaiso University](/school/valparaiso-university/majors/) [admits 89% of applicants](/school/valparaiso-university/admissions/) and its Criminology graduates four years after completing earn a median of $63,772. |
| 4 | University of Wisconsin-Whitewater · Whitewater, WI | $63,365 | $14,158 | $8,440 | 85.7% |
|  | With 58 graduates in the earnings cohort, [University of Wisconsin-Whitewater](/school/university-of-wisconsin-whitewater/majors/) reports [median earnings of $63,365](/school/university-of-wisconsin-whitewater/outcomes/) for its Criminology graduates four years after completing and an average net price of $14,158. |
| 5 | University of Iowa · Iowa City, IA | $60,947 | $22,531 | $15,316 | 83.6% |
|  | [University of Iowa](/school/university-of-iowa/majors/)'s Criminology completers who borrowed had a [median federal debt of $21,500,](/school/university-of-iowa/cost/) and the program reports median earnings of $60,947 four years after completing. |
| 6 | Hamline University · Saint Paul, MN | $60,757 | $20,744 | $15,371 | 87.6% |
|  | [Hamline University](/school/hamline-university/majors/) reports [$60,757 in median earnings](/school/hamline-university/outcomes/) for its Criminology graduates four years after completing, alongside an average net price of $20,744. |
| 7 | University of Minnesota-Duluth · Duluth, MN | $59,754 | $18,743 | $7,256 | 88.8% |
|  | A public university in Duluth, [University of Minnesota-Duluth](/school/university-of-minnesota-duluth/majors/) posts an [average net price of $7,256](/school/university-of-minnesota-duluth/cost/) for families earning under $30,000 and median earnings of $59,754 for its Criminology graduates four years after completing. |
| 8 | Marquette University · Milwaukee, WI | $59,083 | $31,487 | $22,269 | 81.3% |
|  | [Marquette University](/school/marquette-university/majors/) ranks 8th on this list, with [median earnings of $59,083](/school/marquette-university/outcomes/) for its Criminology graduates four years after completing and an average net price of $31,487. |
| 9 | University of Minnesota-Twin Cities · Minneapolis, MN | $59,022 | $16,778 | $6,642 | 79.8% |
|  | [University of Minnesota-Twin Cities](/school/university-of-minnesota-twin-cities/majors/) reports 129 graduates in the earnings cohort and [median earnings of $59,022](/school/university-of-minnesota-twin-cities/outcomes/) for its Criminology graduates four years after completing. |
| 10 | Ohio State University-Main Campus · Columbus, OH | $58,865 | $17,339 | $4,885 | 60.6% |
|  | [Ohio State University-Main Campus](/school/ohio-state-university-main-campus/majors/) [ranks 90th on Azimuth's composite ranking](/school/ohio-state-university-main-campus/) among nonprofit four-year institutions and its Criminology graduates four years after completing earn a median of $58,865. |
| 11 | Mount St. Joseph University · Cincinnati, OH | $58,825 | $16,530 | $11,689 | 59.1% |
|  | Mount St. Joseph University admits 59% of applicants and graduates across all fields who borrowed left with a median of $26,827 in federal loans. |
| 12 | University of Wisconsin-Stout · Menomonie, WI | $57,529 | $17,490 | $10,966 | 87.7% |
|  | [University of Wisconsin-Stout](/school/university-of-wisconsin-stout/majors/) reports [median earnings of $57,529](/school/university-of-wisconsin-stout/outcomes/) for its Criminology graduates four years after completing and an average net price of $10,966 for families earning under $30,000. |
| 13 | National Louis University · Chicago, IL | $56,989 | $12,641 | $12,462 | 95.1% |
|  | [National Louis University](/school/national-louis-university/majors/) reports [median earnings of $56,989](/school/national-louis-university/outcomes/) for its Criminology graduates four years after completing, with 63 graduates in the earnings cohort. |
| 14 | Upper Iowa University · Fayette, IA | $56,767 | $20,942 | $17,715 | 96.5% |
|  | Upper Iowa University admits 96% of applicants and carries a median federal debt of $30,701 among Criminology completers who borrowed. |
| 15 | Lakeland University · Plymouth, WI | $55,265 | $24,212 | $22,453 | 86.3% |
|  | Lakeland University has an average net price of $24,212 and ranks 1056th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. |
| 16 | University of Northern Iowa · Cedar Falls, IA | $54,993 | $15,901 | $10,863 | 92.7% |
|  | [University of Northern Iowa](/school/university-of-northern-iowa/majors/) ranks 16th on this list, with [median earnings of $54,993](/school/university-of-northern-iowa/outcomes/) for its Criminology graduates four years after completing. |
| 17 | Southern Illinois University-Carbondale · Carbondale, IL | $52,916 | $13,297 | $9,415 | 86.9% |
|  | [Southern Illinois University-Carbondale](/school/southern-illinois-university-carbondale/majors/) shows an [average net price of $9,415](/school/southern-illinois-university-carbondale/cost/) for families earning under $30,000 and a median federal debt of $20,500 among Criminology completers who borrowed. |
| 18 | Dominican University · River Forest, IL | $52,775 | $11,745 | $9,759 | 90.3% |
|  | [Dominican University](/school/dominican-university/majors/) reports 23 graduates in the earnings cohort and [median earnings of $52,775](/school/dominican-university/outcomes/) for its Criminology graduates four years after completing. |
| 19 | Cleveland State University · Cleveland, OH | $52,713 | $14,764 | $11,958 | 91.3% |
|  | [Cleveland State University](/school/cleveland-state-university/majors/) [admits 91% of applicants](/school/cleveland-state-university/admissions/) and ranks 211th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. |
| 20 | Eastern Michigan University · Ypsilanti, MI | $52,535 | $15,407 | $13,250 | 79.6% |
|  | [Eastern Michigan University](/school/eastern-michigan-university/majors/) has an [average net price of $15,407](/school/eastern-michigan-university/cost/) and a median federal debt of $27,000 among Criminology completers who borrowed. |
| 21 | University of Missouri-St Louis · Saint Louis, MO | $52,331 | $15,071 | $13,031 | 62.7% |
|  | [University of Missouri-St Louis](/school/university-of-missouri-st-louis/majors/) reports [median earnings of $52,331](/school/university-of-missouri-st-louis/outcomes/) for its Criminology graduates four years after completing, with 85 graduates in the earnings cohort. |
| 22 | Indiana State University · Terre Haute, IN | $51,991 | $10,873 | $6,455 | 80.8% |
|  | [Indiana State University](/school/indiana-state-university/majors/) [admits 81% of applicants](/school/indiana-state-university/admissions/) and shows an average net price of $6,455 for families earning under $30,000. |
| 23 | University of Wisconsin-River Falls · River Falls, WI | $51,586 | $14,054 | $8,472 | 81.7% |
|  | [University of Wisconsin-River Falls](/school/university-of-wisconsin-river-falls/majors/) ranks 23rd on this list, with a [median federal debt of $20,625](/school/university-of-wisconsin-river-falls/cost/) among Criminology completers who borrowed. |
| 24 | Concordia University-Chicago · River Forest, IL | $50,897 | $18,436 | $16,795 | 92.8% |
|  | Concordia University-Chicago reports median earnings of $50,897 for its Criminology graduates four years after completing, alongside a school-wide median federal debt of $23,000 across all of its borrowers who completed. |
| 25 | Missouri State University-Springfield · Springfield, MO | $49,053 | $17,613 | $13,718 | 90.5% |
|  | [Missouri State University-Springfield](/school/missouri-state-university-springfield/majors/) reports [median earnings of $49,053](/school/missouri-state-university-springfield/outcomes/) for its Criminology graduates four years after completing, with a cohort of 116 graduates in the earnings cohort. |
| 26 | Capital University · Columbus, OH | $49,041 | $22,576 | $19,062 | 70.2% |
|  | A private nonprofit university in Columbus, [Capital University](/school/capital-university/majors/) [admits 70% of applicants](/school/capital-university/admissions/) and carries an average net price of $22,576. |
| 27 | Wright State University-Main Campus · Dayton, OH | $46,939 | $15,415 | $11,952 | 96.3% |
|  | [Wright State University-Main Campus](/school/wright-state-university-main-campus/majors/) ranks 27th on this list and shows an [average net price of $11,952](/school/wright-state-university-main-campus/cost/) for families earning under $30,000. |
| 28 | University of Saint Mary · Leavenworth, KS | $40,281 | $22,519 | $21,899 | 86.6% |
|  | University of Saint Mary reports median earnings of $40,281 for its Criminology graduates four years after completing, and the school ranks 547th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. |
| 29 | Benedictine College · Atchison, KS | $28,212 | $27,891 | $22,032 | 98.1% |
|  | Benedictine College reports median earnings of $28,212 for its Criminology graduates four years after completing, alongside an admission rate of 98%. |

## How this list is ordered

Programs are ordered by the median earnings of their Criminology graduates four years after completing, highest first. Only programs with a reported earnings cohort in the Midwest appear. The figure captures federally aided completers who were working and not enrolled four years after finishing. For 2 of the 29 listed programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one. The metric does not adjust for graduate school enrollment, cost, or who enrolls, and it is not a measure of teaching quality. The gap between first-ranked University of St Thomas and second-ranked Maryville University of Saint Louis is $3,807, while the spread from the top of the list to the bottom reaches $42,207.

## Related rankings

-   [Best Criminology Programs in the United States](/rankings/best-criminology-programs/)
-   [Best Colleges in the Midwest](/rankings/best-colleges-in-the-midwest/)
-   [Top Criminology Programs in the Northeast by Earnings](/rankings/best-criminology-programs-in-the-northeast/)
-   [Best Criminology Programs in the West](/rankings/best-criminology-programs-in-the-west/)
-   [Best Criminology Programs in the South](/rankings/best-criminology-programs-in-the-south/)
-   [Best Social Sciences Colleges in the Midwest](/rankings/best-social-sciences-colleges-in-the-midwest/)