Best colleges for criminal justice in Louisiana
Louisiana State University-Alexandria ranks first in Louisiana for criminal justice value (#268 nationally, value score 39): graduates earn $52,560 4 years after the bachelor's degree, and the average net price is $12,105 a year.
Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition · Source: College Scorecard field of study, reporting year 2025 · 9 Louisiana colleges ranked · Updated November 4, 2026
Best criminal justice colleges in Louisiana
Louisiana State University-Alexandria ranks first in Louisiana for criminal justice value (#268 nationally, value score 39): graduates earn $52,560 4 years after the bachelor's degree, and the average net price is $12,105 a year. 9 Louisiana colleges qualify. At the median one, criminal justice graduates earn $45,393 and the average net price is $12,468 a year.
Source: U.S. College Scorecard field of study, 2025
What the data shows
Key findings
- 9 Louisiana colleges qualify. At the median one, criminal justice graduates earn $45,393 and the average net price is $12,468 a year.
- The lowest average net price among them is at McNeese State University: $11,228 a year.
- Median earnings
- $45,393
- National: $55,481
- Median net price
- $12,468
- National: $16,222
- Median federal debt
- $27,071
- criminal justice graduates
- Public colleges
- 9 of 9
- in this list
9 colleges
The Louisiana ranking
Ordered by the national value score; the national rank is shown with each college. Earnings are medians 4 years after the bachelor's degree.
- Rank in Louisiana 1
Louisiana State University-Alexandria
Alexandria, LA · Public · #268 nationally
39.0Value- Earnings
- $52,560
- Net price
- $12,105
- Federal debt
- $23,000
- Graduation rate
- 29%
- Rank in Louisiana 2
University of Louisiana at Lafayette
Lafayette, LA · Public · #314 nationally
31.8Value- Earnings
- $49,201
- Net price
- $14,924
- Federal debt
- $25,000
- Graduation rate
- 52%
- Earnings
- $46,223
- Net price
- $11,228
- Federal debt
- $27,768
- Graduation rate
- 47%
- Earnings
- $45,393
- Net price
- $12,468
- Federal debt
- $21,769
- Graduation rate
- 46%
- Earnings
- $43,699
- Net price
- $12,218
- Federal debt
- $28,875
- Graduation rate
- 51%
- Rank in Louisiana 6
Southern University at New Orleans
New Orleans, LA · Public · #342 nationally
26.1Value- Earnings
- $44,723
- Net price
- $12,086
- Federal debt
- Not reported
- Graduation rate
- 15%
- Rank in Louisiana 7
Northwestern State University of Louisiana
Natchitoches, LA · Public · #353 nationally
24.1Value- Earnings
- $44,267
- Net price
- $12,842
- Federal debt
- $26,975
- Graduation rate
- 44%
- Rank in Louisiana 8
Southern University and A & M College
Baton Rouge, LA · Public · #366 nationally
18.2Value- Earnings
- $49,609
- Net price
- $18,631
- Federal debt
- $27,167
- Graduation rate
- 28%
- Earnings
- $44,033
- Net price
- $16,988
- Federal debt
- $31,000
- Graduation rate
- 29%
Method: the same value score as the national criminal justice ranking (earnings, debt relative to earnings, average net price and graduation rate, each a national percentile). Data: College Scorecard, reporting year 2025; 2026–27 edition, verified Nov 2026.
Questions about criminal justice colleges in Louisiana
What are the best colleges for criminal justice in Louisiana?
By CollegesRef value score, the top 3 Louisiana colleges for criminal justice are Louisiana State University-Alexandria (value score 39), University of Louisiana at Lafayette (value score 31.8) and McNeese State University (value score 29.3). The score weighs graduate earnings, debt relative to earnings, average net price and graduation rate.
Which Louisiana college has the highest earnings for criminal justice graduates?
Louisiana State University-Alexandria: its criminal justice graduates have median earnings of $52,560 4 years after the bachelor's degree.
What is the most affordable criminal justice college in Louisiana on this list?
McNeese State University has the lowest average net price of the ranked Louisiana colleges, $11,228 a year after grants. A family's own price depends on income and aid.
How many Louisiana colleges are ranked for criminal justice?
9 Louisiana colleges have a criminal justice bachelor's program with enough graduates and reported earnings, plus a published net price and graduation rate. Ranks shown are national; the state rank is their order within Louisiana.