Best value colleges for Criminal Justice in Tennessee.2026 Rankings
Choosing the right Criminal Justice program in Tennessee means weighing more than just name recognition. We analyzed 24 colleges across the state, scoring each on the metrics that matter most to long-term career success: graduation rates, post-graduation earnings, net cost, and academic rigor.
The data tells an interesting story: King University leads on selectivity (54% acceptance rate), but selectivity is only one dimension of quality. Across Tennessee's Criminal Justice programs, the typical in-state price is $19,509 and the average graduation rate is 44%. Graduates of these programs earn a median of $38,745 within one year of completing their degree.
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ranked by value score
| # | College | Value Score | Admit Rate | Grad Rate | Net Price | Median Earnings | Student:Faculty | Majors Offered | Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Le Moyne-Owen CollegePrivate | Strong· 36 | 97% | 25% | $9,198 | — | 9:1 | 25 | 571 |
| 2 | Lincoln Memorial UniversityPrivate | Strong· 36 | 59% | 54% | $19,591 | $54,326 | 9:1 | 35 | 1,487 |
| 3 | Strong· 36 | 59% | 44% | $14,610 | $41,284 | 12:1 | 39 | 832 | |
| 4 | Strong· 35 | 88% | 56% | $12,547 | $50,114 | 9:1 | 60 | 953 | |
| 5 | Lipscomb UniversityPrivate | Strong· 35 | 67% | 69% | $23,820 | $45,943 | 13:1 | 75 | 3,021 |
| 6 | Strong· 35 | 83% | 36% | $15,701 | $34,798 | 13:1 | 30 | 827 | |
| 7 | Strong· 34 | 68% | 54% | $12,840 | $37,952 | 17:1 | 72 | 16,115 | |
| 8 | Strong· 34 | 77% | 53% | $12,478 | $37,403 | 17:1 | 47 | 9,878 | |
| 9 | Freed-Hardeman UniversityPrivate | Good· 33 | 91% | 68% | $19,533 | $39,905 | 13:1 | 39 | 1,244 |
| 10 | King UniversityPrivate | Good· 33 | 54% | 46% | $21,500 | $33,580 | 12:1 | 42 | 975 |
| 11 | Good· 33 | 93% | 33% | $11,079 | $32,555 | 13:1 | 34 | 6,498 | |
| 12 | Good· 32 | 87% | 55% | $12,457 | $32,167 | 15:1 | 39 | 4,600 | |
| 13 | Good· 31 | 96% | 45% | $16,365 | $36,749 | 15:1 | 40 | 7,365 | |
| 14 | Trevecca Nazarene UniversityPrivate | Good· 31 | 70% | 55% | $12,303 | $43,262 | 22:1 | 51 | 1,697 |
| 15 | Cumberland UniversityPrivate | Good· 30 | 67% | 47% | $17,891 | $45,223 | 18:1 | 31 | 2,053 |
| 16 | University of MemphisPublic | Good· 30 | 93% | 49% | $15,357 | $35,900 | 17:1 | 50 | 13,645 |
| 17 | Average· 29 | 87% | 50% | $16,944 | $30,097 | 18:1 | 51 | 9,807 | |
| 18 | Tusculum UniversityPrivate | Average· 29 | 60% | 31% | $21,842 | $39,705 | 18:1 | 24 | 903 |
| 19 | Bethel UniversityPrivate | Average· 27 | 97% | 35% | $21,838 | $54,207 | 17:1 | 36 | 1,671 |
| 20 | Bryan College-DaytonPrivate | Average· 26 | — | 56% | $15,443 | $38,617 | 13:1 | 32 | 815 |
| 21 | Lane CollegePrivate | Weak· 18 | — | 17% | $23,608 | $35,917 | 17:1 | 16 | 822 |
| 22 | South CollegePrivate | Poor· 16 | — | 37% | $18,193 | $46,134 | 23:1 | 18 | 6,323 |
| 23 | Strayer University-TennesseePrivate | Very Poor· 7 | — | 0% | $23,838 | $43,405 | 39:1 | 9 | 2,670 |
| 24 | Very Poor· 6 | — | — | $26,285 | $31,793 | 29:1 | 1 | 391 |