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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Criminal Justice in the Southwest Region

24 Ranked Colleges
2,339 Degrees Awarded
$18,400 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor's in the Southwest Region

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

In 2019-2020, 33,568 people earned their degree in criminal justice, making the major the 32nd most popular in the United States.

Across the Southwest region, there were 3,438 criminal justice graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 2,339 criminal justice graduates with average earnings and debt of $38,896 and $23,899 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region” ranking, we looked at 24 colleges that offer a degree in criminal justice. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great criminal justice programs and cost less that schools of similar quality.

To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as the cost to attend the school after aid is awarded and overall quality of the criminal justice program at the school. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

More Ways to Rank Criminal Justice Schools

Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

One of our other unique offerings is College Combat. This tool lets you build your own customized comparisons utilizing the factors that are most important to you. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.

Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region

The colleges and universities below are the best for southwest region bachelor’s degree criminal justice students.

Top 24 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Criminal Justice in the Southwest Region

#1 in overall quality

Out of the 24 schools in the Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Phoenix - Arizona landed the #1 spot on the list. Located in Tempe, Arizona, this large private for-profit school handed out 742 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s criminal justice students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our southwest region bachelor’s degree criminal justice students list, UOPX - Arizona has also earned the #1 rank in our “Best Criminal Justice Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UOPX - Arizona is $12,944 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Criminal Justice students.

Full UOPX - Arizona Criminal Justice Report

#5 in overall quality

Out of the 24 schools in the Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Arizona State University - Skysong landed the #2 spot on the list. ASU - Skysong is a large public school situated in Scottsdale, Arizona. It awarded 211 bachelors’s criminal justice degrees in 2019-2020.

ASU - Skysong also made our “Best Criminal Justice Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list, coming in at #5. It costs about $13,971 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Criminal Justice students per year to attend Arizona State University - Skysong.

Read more about Criminal Justice at Arizona State University - Skysong

#3 in overall quality

Out of the 24 schools in the Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region that were part of this year’s ranking, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley landed the #3 spot on the list. Located in Edinburg, Texas, this large public school awarded 424 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s criminal justice students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our southwest region bachelor’s degree criminal justice students list, UT Rio Grande Valley has also earned the #3 rank in our “Best Criminal Justice Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley is $4,514 for southwest region bachelor’s degree criminal justice students.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full UT Rio Grande Valley Criminal Justice Report

#6 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Texas A & M University - Central Texas. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region. This small school is located in Killeen, Texas, and it awarded 35 bachelors’s criminal justice degrees in 2019-2020.

Texas A & M University - Central Texas did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #6 on our “Best Criminal Justice Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list.

Read more about Criminal Justice at Texas A & M University - Central Texas

#16 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Phoenix - Texas. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region. UOPX - Texas is a small school located in Houston, Texas that handed out 5 bachelors’s criminal justice degrees in 2019-2020.

UOPX - Texas also made our “Best Criminal Justice Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list, coming in at #16. The yearly cost to attend UOPX - Texas is $12,237 for southwest region bachelor’s degree criminal justice students.

With a student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read more about Criminal Justice at UOPX - Texas

#6

Wayland Baptist University

Plainview, Texas
#4 in overall quality

Wayland Baptist University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region ranking, coming in at #6. Wayland Baptist University is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Plainview, Texas. It awarded 75 bachelors’s criminal justice degrees in 2019-2020.

Wayland Baptist University also made our “Best Criminal Justice Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list, coming in at #4. The yearly cost to attend Wayland Baptist University is $25,152 for southwest region bachelor’s degree criminal justice students.

The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read more about Criminal Justice at Wayland Baptist University

#7

Northeastern State University

Tahlequah, Oklahoma
#8 in overall quality

Northeastern State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region ranking, coming in at #7. NSU is a medium-sized school located in Tahlequah, Oklahoma that handed out 105 bachelors’s criminal justice degrees in 2019-2020.

NSU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #8 on our “Best Criminal Justice Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. It costs about $9,994 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Criminal Justice students per year to attend NSU.

Read more about Criminal Justice at NSU

#7 in overall quality

University of Central Oklahoma landed the #8 spot on the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region ranking. UCO is a fairly large public school situated in Edmond, Oklahoma. It awarded 29 bachelors’s criminal justice degrees in 2019-2020.

UCO not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #7 on our “Best Criminal Justice Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. It costs about $16,562 for southwest region bachelor’s degree criminal justice students per year to attend University of Central Oklahoma.

Full University of Central Oklahoma Criminal Justice Report

#9

East Central University

Ada, Oklahoma
#11 in overall quality

With a ranking of #9, East Central University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region list. East Central University is a small public school situated in Ada, Oklahoma. It awarded 18 bachelors’s criminal justice degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our southwest region bachelor’s degree criminal justice students list, ECU has also earned the #11 rank in our “Best Criminal Justice Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for East Central University is $10,334 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Criminal Justice students.

Read more about Criminal Justice at ECU

#2 in overall quality

With a ranking of #10, University of Oklahoma Norman Campus did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region list. Located in Norman, Oklahoma, this large public school awarded 58 degrees to qualified bachelors’s criminal justice students in 2019-2020.

University of Oklahoma did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #2 on our “Best Criminal Justice Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. It costs about $21,145 for southwest region bachelor’s degree criminal justice students per year to attend University of Oklahoma Norman Campus.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low student loan default rate of 4.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full University of Oklahoma Criminal Justice Report

#15 in overall quality

Strayer University - Texas ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region list. Strayer University - Texas is located in Austin, Texas and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 21 bachelors’s criminal justice degrees to qualified students.

Strayer University - Texas also made our “Best Criminal Justice Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list, coming in at #15. It costs about $25,902 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Criminal Justice students per year to attend Strayer University - Texas.

Read more about Criminal Justice at Strayer University - Texas

#13

Mid-America Christian University

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
#13 in overall quality

Mid-America Christian University came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region ranking. MACU is a private not-for-profit institution located in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The school has a small population, and it awarded 14 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

MACU also took the #13 spot in our “Best Criminal Justice Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend MACU is $20,746 for southwest region bachelor’s degree criminal justice students.

Read full report on Criminal Justice at MACU

#14

Wiley College

Marshall, Texas
#21 in overall quality

Wiley College ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region list. Located in Marshall, Texas, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 13 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s criminal justice students in 2019-2020.

Wiley College also took the #21 spot in our “Best Criminal Justice Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Wiley College is $17,666 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Criminal Justice students.

Read more about Criminal Justice at Wiley College

#9 in overall quality

Lubbock Christian University landed the #15 spot on the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region ranking. This small school is located in Lubbock, Texas, and it awarded 18 bachelors’s criminal justice degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at LCU, the school also landed the #9 spot in our “Best Criminal Justice Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Lubbock Christian University is $24,128 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Criminal Justice students.

Full Lubbock Christian University Criminal Justice Report

#16

Rogers State University

Claremore, Oklahoma
#19 in overall quality

Rogers State University ranked #16 on this year’s Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region list. Claremore, Oklahoma is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s criminal justice degrees to 13 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at RSU, the school also landed the #19 spot in our “Best Criminal Justice Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend RSU is $16,087 for southwest region bachelor’s degree criminal justice students.

Read more about Criminal Justice at Rogers State University

#17

DeVry University - Arizona

Phoenix, Arizona
#18 in overall quality

DeVry University - Arizona did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region ranking, coming in at #17. DeVry University - Arizona is a small school located in Phoenix, Arizona that handed out 1 bachelors’s criminal justice degrees in 2019-2020.

DeVry University - Arizona not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #18 on our “Best Criminal Justice Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. It costs about $28,531 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Criminal Justice students per year to attend DeVry University - Arizona.

The student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read more about Criminal Justice at DeVry University - Arizona

#18

Texas Southern University

Houston, Texas
#20 in overall quality

With a ranking of #18, Texas Southern University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region list. TSU is located in Houston, Texas and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 41 bachelors’s criminal justice degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at TSU, the school also landed the #20 spot in our “Best Criminal Justice Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend TSU is $19,430 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Criminal Justice students.

Full TSU Criminal Justice Report

#19

Texas College

Tyler, Texas
#22 in overall quality

Texas College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region ranking, coming in at #19. Texas College is a small school located in Tyler, Texas that handed out 18 bachelors’s criminal justice degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our southwest region bachelor’s degree criminal justice students list, TC has also earned the #22 rank in our “Best Criminal Justice Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for TC is $14,088 for southwest region bachelor’s degree criminal justice students.

Read full report on Criminal Justice at TC

#20

St. Mary's University

San Antonio, Texas
#10 in overall quality

St. Mary’s University ranked #20 on this year’s Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region list. St. Mary’s is a small school located in San Antonio, Texas that handed out 14 bachelors’s criminal justice degrees in 2019-2020.

St. Mary’s did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #10 on our “Best Criminal Justice Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. The yearly cost to attend St. Mary’s is $19,276 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Criminal Justice students.

Read full report on Criminal Justice at St. Mary’s University

#21

University of the Incarnate Word

San Antonio, Texas
#12 in overall quality

University of the Incarnate Word came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region ranking. UIW is located in San Antonio, Texas and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 33 bachelors’s criminal justice degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our southwest region bachelor’s degree criminal justice students list, UIW has also earned the #12 rank in our “Best Criminal Justice Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of the Incarnate Word is $24,784 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Criminal Justice students.

Full University of the Incarnate Word Criminal Justice Report

#14 in overall quality

Abilene Christian University came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region ranking. Abilene Christian is a private not-for-profit institution located in Abilene, Texas. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 11 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Abilene Christian did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #14 on our “Best Criminal Justice Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Abilene Christian University is $26,809 for southwest region bachelor’s degree criminal justice students.

Full Abilene Christian Criminal Justice Report

#23 in overall quality

With a ranking of #23, Remington College - Fort Worth Campus did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region list. Fort Worth, Texas is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s criminal justice degrees to 5 students in 2019-2020.

Remington College - Fort Worth Campus did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #23 on our “Best Criminal Justice Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Remington College - Fort Worth Campus is $21,204 for southwest region bachelor’s degree criminal justice students.

Full Remington College - Fort Worth Campus Criminal Justice Report

#24 in overall quality

With a ranking of #24, Remington College - Dallas Campus did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region list. Garland, Texas is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s criminal justice degrees to 5 students in 2019-2020.

Remington College - Dallas Campus also took the #24 spot in our “Best Criminal Justice Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Remington College - Dallas Campus is $20,082 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Criminal Justice students.

Read more about Criminal Justice at Remington College - Dallas Campus

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Notes and References

References

  • The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of our data about colleges.
  • Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
  • Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

  • *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
  • Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.

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