2027 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools in Arkansas
[Criminal Justice](/majors/protective-security-safety-services/criminal-justice-and-corrections/criminal-justice/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong criminal justice education at a price that pays off.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 11 schools to find the best return on investment for criminal justice students.
What’s on this page:
2027 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools in Arkansas
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the criminal justice degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Criminal Justice Schools
For return on investment in criminal justice, no school beat Phillips Community College Of The University Of Arkansas this year. Set in the town of Helena, Phillips Community College Of The University Of Arkansas is a small public institution. Students from in state pay about $3,380 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $4,550. Criminal Justice graduates carry a median of $5,500 in student loans. Early-career criminal justice graduates make about $45,190. That is a strong return on a $5,500 median debt.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Northwest Arkansas Community College earned it the #2 place for criminal justice. Set in the city of Bentonville, Northwest Arkansas Community College is a large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $3,342, with out-of-state students paying around $5,238. Students borrow a median of $12,479 to complete the criminal justice program here. Soon after graduation, criminal justice degree recipients from Northwest Arkansas Community College generally make around $40,671. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
East Arkansas Community College came in at #3 on our 2027 list of the best value criminal justice schools. Set in the town of Forrest City, East Arkansas Community College is a mid-sized public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $3,300, with out-of-state students paying around $4,380. Typical student debt for criminal justice graduates is $8,110. Soon after graduation, criminal justice degree recipients from East Arkansas Community College generally make around $42,134. That is a strong return on a $8,110 median debt.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Arkansas State University Newport earned it the #4 place for criminal justice. Set in the rural area of Newport, Arkansas State University Newport is a mid-sized public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $3,312, with out-of-state students paying around $4,752. Criminal Justice graduates carry a median of $10,925 in student loans. Soon after graduation, criminal justice degree recipients from Arkansas State University Newport generally make around $44,500. That is a strong return on a $10,925 median debt.
Southern Arkansas University Tech came in at #5 on our 2027 list of the best value criminal justice schools. Southern Arkansas University Tech is a small public school located in the rural area of Camden. In-state tuition and fees average $5,040, compared with $6,480 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for criminal justice graduates is $8,488. Soon after graduation, criminal justice degree recipients from Southern Arkansas University Tech generally make around $34,302. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Arkansas State University Mountain Home landed the #6 spot for criminal justice value this year. Arkansas State University Mountain Home is a small public school located in the town of Mountain Home. Students from in state pay about $3,312 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $4,776. Typical student debt for criminal justice graduates is $18,097. Early-career criminal justice graduates make about $39,011. That is a strong return on a $18,097 median debt.
University Of Arkansas Fort Smith landed the #7 spot for criminal justice value this year. Located in the city of Fort Smith, University Of Arkansas Fort Smith is a moderately-sized public university. Students from in state pay about $7,334 in tuition and fees, compared with $12,182 for out-of-state students. Criminal Justice graduates carry a median of $18,750 in student loans. Soon after graduation, criminal justice degree recipients from University Of Arkansas Fort Smith generally make around $33,460. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 80%.
University Of Arkansas At Pine Bluff earned the #8 position for value in criminal justice this year. Located in the town of Pine Bluff, University Of Arkansas At Pine Bluff is a mid-sized public university. In-state tuition and fees average $9,375, while out-of-state students pay about $17,955. Typical student debt for criminal justice graduates is $27,000. Criminal Justice graduates of University Of Arkansas At Pine Bluff earn a median of $35,490 early in their careers. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 41%.
Arkansas Tech University came in at #9 for value in criminal justice this year. Set in the town of Russellville, Arkansas Tech University is a large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $8,674, while out-of-state students pay about $14,668. Criminal Justice graduates carry a median of $25,785 in student loans. Early-career criminal justice graduates make about $35,642. Set against $25,785 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Arkansas Tech University admits about 96% of applicants.
National Park Community College came in at #10 for value in criminal justice this year. Located in the suburb of Hot Springs, National Park Community College is a mid-sized public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $5,600, with out-of-state students paying around $7,280. Students borrow a median of $14,162 to complete the criminal justice program here. Criminal Justice graduates of National Park Community College earn a median of $34,904 early in their careers. Set against $14,162 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
University Of Arkansas At Little Rock came in at #11 for value in criminal justice this year. Located in the city of Little Rock, University Of Arkansas At Little Rock is a large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,911, while out-of-state students pay about $22,721. Typical student debt for criminal justice graduates is $30,026. Criminal Justice graduates of University Of Arkansas At Little Rock earn a median of $47,170 early in their careers. Set against $30,026 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Arkansas At Little Rock admits about 59% of applicants.
More Criminal Justice Rankings
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 11 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 11 ranked schools only.
- 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).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
