Affordability is important. BUT, be sure you look at the total price. Some private schools may meet the price of public schools once scholarships, all activity fees and room and board are figured in. You CAN negotiate! My kids went to Rice (Houston) and Trinity (San Antonio), two great schools for less than the price of major land grant universities in the mid-US.
ALSO !!! I caution against a pure law enforcement degree. I am in law enforcement and most of the state and local agencies require a college degree, but NOT a law enforcement major. The most boring people in law school were the pre-law majors. They knew almost nothing of interest. The truly capable students were the accountants, the engineers and the folks like nurses, and others with some experience in a different discipline.
Just something to think about. If after 10-years in the tough and not especially financially fruitful world of law enforcement your son wants to do something else, he needs some real options that the law enforcement degree would not help.
Just my opinions.
Oldplayer
Thanks for your post, good food for thought.