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2024 Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Schools in the Southwest Region

89 Colleges in the Southwest Region
16,306 Criminal Justice Degrees Awarded
$34,694 Avg Early-Career Salary
Criminal Justice & Corrections is of the hottest degree programs in the United States, coming in as the #7 most popular major in the country. This makes choosing the right school a hard decision.

College Factual reviewed 89 schools in the Southwest Region to determine which ones were the best for degree seekers in the field of criminal justice & corrections. Combined, these schools handed out 16,306 degrees in criminal justice & corrections to qualified students.

What's on this page: * Degree-Level Rankings

Choosing a Great Criminal Justice & Corrections School

Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Schools in the Southwest Region The criminal justice program you select can have a big impact on your future. That's why we developed our collection of Best Schools for Criminal Justice & Corrections rankings. We derive our Best Overall Criminal Justice & Corrections School rankings by rolling up our degree-level rankings after weighting them by the number of degrees awarded at each school.

In order to find the schools that are the best fit for you, you may want to filter to one of the degree levels below.

Criminal Justice & Corrections Rankings by Degree Level

Associate Degrees in Criminal Justice
Bachelor's Degrees in Criminal Justice
Master's Degrees in Criminal Justice
Doctor's Degrees in Criminal Justice

Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we've developed a number of rankings, including this Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Schools in the Southwest Region list, to help you choose the best school for you. You can also filter this list by location to find schools closer to you.

In addition to College Factual's rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don't forget it.

More information on how we come up with our rankings can be found here: College Factual's Data Methodology.


 

Best Schools for Criminal Justice & Corrections in the Southwest Region

Although we recommend filtering by degree level first, you can view the list below to see which schools give the educational experience for the criminal justice degree levels they offer. Only those schools that rank in the top 15% of all the schools we analyze get awarded with a place on this list.

13 Top Southwest Region Schools in Criminal Justice

1
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
414 Criminal Justice Degrees Awarded
5.6% Growth in Graduates

Arizona State University - Tempe is one of the finest schools in the United States for getting a degree in criminal justice & corrections. Located in the city of Tempe, ASU - Tempe is a public university with a very large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #119 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means ASU - Tempe is a great university overall.

There were approximately 414 criminal justice & corrections students who graduated with this degree at ASU - Tempe in the most recent data year. Criminal Justice & Corrections degree recipients from Arizona State University - Tempe get an earnings boost of about $10,699 above the typical earnings of criminal justice & corrections majors.

More information about a degree in criminal justice & corrections from Arizona State University - Tempe

2
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
1,554 Criminal Justice Degrees Awarded
$37,653 Median Starting Salary

It's hard to beat University of Phoenix - Arizona if you wish to pursue a degree in criminal justice & corrections. Located in the city of Phoenix, UOPX - Arizona is a private for-profit university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #113 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means UOPX - Arizona is a great university overall.

There were approximately 1554 criminal justice & corrections students who graduated with this degree at UOPX - Arizona in the most recent data year. Criminal Justice & Corrections degree recipients from University of Phoenix - Arizona receive an earnings boost of about $2,959 above the typical earnings of criminal justice & corrections majors.

More information about a degree in criminal justice & corrections from University of Phoenix - Arizona

3
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
444 Criminal Justice Degrees Awarded
2.5% Growth in Graduates

Every student pursuing a degree in criminal justice & corrections needs to check out Arizona State University - Skysong. ASU - Skysong is a fairly large public university located in the midsize city of Scottsdale. A Best Colleges rank of #314 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means ASU - Skysong is a great university overall.

There were about 444 criminal justice & corrections students who graduated with this degree at ASU - Skysong in the most recent data year. Degree recipients from the criminal justice & corrections major at Arizona State University - Skysong make $10,699 more than the standard graduate with the same degree when they enter the workforce.

More information about a degree in criminal justice & corrections from Arizona State University - Skysong

4
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
1,031 Criminal Justice Degrees Awarded
4.7% Growth in Graduates

It is hard to beat Sam Houston State University if you want to pursue a degree in criminal justice & corrections. SHSU is a fairly large public university located in the town of Huntsville. This university ranks 27th out of 115 schools for overall quality in the state of Texas.

There were roughly 1031 criminal justice & corrections students who graduated with this degree at SHSU in the most recent data year. Degree recipients from the criminal justice & corrections program at Sam Houston State University earn $7,651 more than the standard college graduate in this field shortly after graduation.

More information about a degree in criminal justice & corrections from Sam Houston State University

5
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
67 Criminal Justice Degrees Awarded
$38,562 Median Starting Salary

TCU is a large private not-for-profit university located in the large city of Fort Worth. A Best Colleges rank of #80 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means TCU is a great university overall.

There were about 67 criminal justice & corrections students who graduated with this degree at TCU in the most recent year we have data available. Criminal Justice & Corrections degree recipients from Texas Christian University receive an earnings boost of around $3,868 above the typical income of criminal justice & corrections graduates.

More information about a degree in criminal justice & corrections from Texas Christian University

6
Texas State crest
Texas State University
San Marcos, TX
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
365 Criminal Justice Degrees Awarded
10.1% Growth in Graduates

Texas State is a very large public university located in the small city of San Marcos. A Best Colleges rank of #397 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means Texas State is a great university overall.

There were approximately 365 criminal justice & corrections students who graduated with this degree at Texas State in the most recent year we have data available. Graduates who receive their degree from the criminal justice program make about $32,894 in their early career salary.

More information about a degree in criminal justice & corrections from Texas State University

7
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
544 Criminal Justice Degrees Awarded
19.9% Growth in Graduates

UT Rio Grande Valley is a very large public university located in the medium-sized city of Edinburg. A Best Colleges rank of #458 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means UT Rio Grande Valley is a great university overall.

There were roughly 544 criminal justice & corrections students who graduated with this degree at UT Rio Grande Valley in the most recent data year. Students who graduate with their degree from the criminal justice program state that they receive average early career wages of $30,182.

More information about a degree in criminal justice & corrections from The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley

8
Graduate Certificate Highest Degree Type
49 Criminal Justice Degrees Awarded
$48,204 Median Starting Salary

University of Oklahoma is a fairly large public university located in the midsize suburb of Norman. A Best Colleges rank of #140 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means University of Oklahoma is a great university overall.

There were about 49 criminal justice & corrections students who graduated with this degree at University of Oklahoma in the most recent data year. Criminal Justice & Corrections degree recipients from University of Oklahoma Norman Campus get an earnings boost of around $13,510 over the typical income of criminal justice & corrections majors.

More information about a degree in criminal justice & corrections from University of Oklahoma Norman Campus

9
El Centro College crest
El Centro College
Dallas, TX
Associate Degree Highest Degree Type
324 Criminal Justice Degrees Awarded
$31,932 Median Starting Salary

Located in the city of Dallas, El Centro College is a public college with a very large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #362 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means El Centro College is a great college overall.

There were about 324 criminal justice & corrections students who graduated with this degree at El Centro College in the most recent data year. After graduating, criminal justice degree recipients generally earn an average of $31,932 in the first five years of their career.

More information about a degree in criminal justice & corrections from El Centro College

10
Blinn College crest
Blinn College
Brenham, TX
Associate Degree Highest Degree Type
121 Criminal Justice Degrees Awarded
43.8% Growth in Graduates

Blinn College is a fairly large public college located in the town of Brenham. This college ranks 44th out of 115 schools for overall quality in the state of Texas.

There were about 121 criminal justice & corrections students who graduated with this degree at Blinn College in the most recent data year. Degree recipients from the criminal justice & corrections major at Blinn College earn $2,078 more than the standard graduate with the same degree shortly after graduation.

More information about a degree in criminal justice & corrections from Blinn College

11
Associate Degree Highest Degree Type
358 Criminal Justice Degrees Awarded
$34,888 Median Starting Salary

Located in the medium-sized city of McAllen, South Texas College is a public college with a very large student population. This college ranks 29th out of 115 schools for overall quality in the state of Texas.

There were roughly 358 criminal justice & corrections students who graduated with this degree at South Texas College in the most recent year we have data available. Students who graduate with their degree from the criminal justice program report average early career income of $34,888.

More information about a degree in criminal justice & corrections from South Texas College

12
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
104 Criminal Justice Degrees Awarded
$55,876 Median Starting Salary

Located in the town of Plainview, Wayland Baptist University is a private not-for-profit university with a small student population. A Best Colleges rank of #476 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means Wayland Baptist University is a great university overall.

There were approximately 104 criminal justice & corrections students who graduated with this degree at Wayland Baptist University in the most recent year we have data available. Degree recipients from the criminal justice & corrections degree program at Wayland Baptist University earn $21,182 more than the typical college grad with the same degree when they enter the workforce.

More information about a degree in criminal justice & corrections from Wayland Baptist University

13
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
269 Criminal Justice Degrees Awarded
$45,802 Median Starting Salary

Located in the large city of Houston, UH Downtown is a public university with a large student population. This university ranks 45th out of 115 schools for overall quality in the state of Texas.

There were roughly 269 criminal justice & corrections students who graduated with this degree at UH Downtown in the most recent data year. Degree recipients from the criminal justice & corrections program at University of Houston - Downtown get $11,108 more than the average college grad with the same degree when they enter the workforce.

More information about a degree in criminal justice & corrections from University of Houston - Downtown

Honorable Mentions

Here are some additional great schools for Criminal Justice & Corrections students in the Southwest Region that almost earned our Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Schools in the Southwest Region award.

Rank College Location
14 University of North Texas Denton, TX
15 University of Central Oklahoma Edmond, OK
16 Grand Canyon University Phoenix, AZ
17 Tarleton State University Stephenville, TX
18 American InterContinental University - Online Chandler, AZ
19 McLennan Community College Waco, TX
20 Arizona Western College Yuma, AZ
21 Prairie View A & M University Prairie View, TX
22 Amarillo College Amarillo, TX

Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Colleges by State

Explore the best criminal justice & corrections colleges for a specific state in the Southwest Region .

State Colleges Degrees Awarded
Texas 317 7,609
Arizona 287 3,321
Oklahoma 257 649
New Mexico 219 571

View All Rankings >

One of 4 majors within the Homeland Security, Law Enforcement & Firefighting area of study, Criminal Justice & Corrections has other similar majors worth exploring.

Criminal Justice Concentrations

Major Annual Graduates
Criminal Justice Studies 6,952
Criminal Justice & Police Science 3,470
Criminal Justice 3,424
Corrections 1,281
Other Corrections & Criminal Justice 753
Criminal Justice and Corrections, General 214
Securities Services Administration/Management 122
Juvenile Corrections 69
Protective Services Operations 13
Corrections Administration 7

View All Criminal Justice Concentrations >

Majors Similar to Criminal Justice

Related Major Annual Graduates
Fire Protection 1,477
Security Science and Technology 916
Homeland Security 782
Other Homeland Security 12

View All Criminal Justice Related Majors >

Notes and References

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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