2027 Best Value Criminology Schools in the Southwest Region
[Criminology](/majors/social-sciences/criminology/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong criminology education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2027 ranking, College Factual evaluated 15 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for criminology students.
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2027 Best Value Criminology Schools in the Southwest Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in criminology, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Criminology Schools
For return on investment in criminology, no school beat Central New Mexico Community College this year. Located in the city of Albuquerque, Central New Mexico Community College is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $2,060, compared with $8,684 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for criminology graduates is $10,112. Criminology graduates of Central New Mexico Community College earn a median of $28,987 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $10,112 median debt.
Students looking for strong value in criminology will find it at Paris Junior College, which ranked #2. Set in the town of Paris, Paris Junior College is a moderately-sized public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $2,700, compared with $5,700 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for criminology graduates is $8,846. Criminology graduates of Paris Junior College earn a median of $38,811 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $8,846 median debt.
Texas A And M University San Antonio is a great value for students pursuing a degree in criminology, landing the #3 spot this year. Set in the city of San Antonio, Texas A And M University San Antonio is a moderately-sized public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,654, compared with $23,255 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for criminology graduates is $22,771. Criminology graduates of Texas A And M University San Antonio earn a median of $45,681 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $22,771 median debt. Roughly 93% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Texas A And M University Commerce earned it the #4 place for criminology. Located in the town of Commerce, Texas A And M University Commerce is a large public university. Students from in state pay about $10,026 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $22,326. Students borrow a median of $23,796 to complete the criminology program here. Soon after graduation, criminology degree recipients from Texas A And M University Commerce generally make around $62,820. That is a strong return on a $23,796 median debt. Roughly 92% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #5 makes Northern Arizona University one of the best values for criminology. Northern Arizona University is a very large public school located in the city of Flagstaff. In-state tuition and fees average $12,619, while out-of-state students pay about $20,044. Typical student debt for criminology graduates is $20,000. Criminology graduates of Northern Arizona University earn a median of $37,214 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $20,000 median debt. Northern Arizona University admits about 90% of applicants.
The University Of Texas Of The Permian Basin placed #6 among the best values for criminology. Located in the city of Odessa, The University Of Texas Of The Permian Basin is a moderately-sized public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,607, with out-of-state students paying around $21,900. Criminology graduates carry a median of $20,052 in student loans. Early-career criminology graduates make about $60,503. Set against $20,052 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 95% of applicants are accepted.
Arizona State University earned the #7 position for value in criminology this year. Set in the city of Tempe, Arizona State University is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $12,223 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $33,139. Criminology graduates carry a median of $21,842 in student loans. Soon after graduation, criminology degree recipients from Arizona State University generally make around $55,876. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 90%.
Texas A And M University Kingsville earned the #8 position for value in criminology this year. Texas A And M University Kingsville is a moderately-sized public school located in the town of Kingsville. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,892, with out-of-state students paying around $25,746. Typical student debt for criminology graduates is $25,750. Early-career criminology graduates make about $34,938. Set against $25,750 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 91%.
The University Of Texas At Dallas came in at #9 for value in criminology this year. Set in the city of Richardson, The University Of Texas At Dallas is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $14,644, while out-of-state students pay about $40,144. Criminology graduates carry a median of $20,500 in student loans. Criminology graduates of The University Of Texas At Dallas earn a median of $40,603 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The University Of Texas At Dallas admits about 65% of applicants.
University Of Houston Clear Lake placed #10 among the best values for criminology. University Of Houston Clear Lake is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Houston. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $8,346, while out-of-state students pay about $22,290. Typical student debt for criminology graduates is $16,149. Criminology graduates of University Of Houston Clear Lake earn a median of $43,090 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $16,149 median debt. Roughly 90% of applicants are accepted.
Texas Tech University ranked #11 on our 2027 list of the best value criminology schools. Texas Tech University is a very large public school located in the city of Lubbock. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $11,852, while out-of-state students pay about $24,157. Typical student debt for criminology graduates is $24,271. Criminology graduates of Texas Tech University earn a median of $50,332 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Texas Tech University admits about 73% of applicants.
University Of St Thomas Texas earned the #12 position for value in criminology this year. Set in the city of Houston, University Of St Thomas Texas is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $34,634. Typical student debt for criminology graduates is $23,628. Criminology graduates of University Of St Thomas Texas earn a median of $58,265 early in their careers. Set against $23,628 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of St Thomas Texas admits about 90% of applicants.
Mcmurry University ranked #13 on our 2027 list of the best value criminology schools. Set in the city of Abilene, Mcmurry University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $32,100. Typical student debt for criminology graduates is $29,276. Soon after graduation, criminology degree recipients from Mcmurry University generally make around $41,609. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 57% of applicants are accepted.
St Marys University ranked #14 on our 2027 list of the best value criminology schools. Set in the city of San Antonio, St Marys University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $37,434. Criminology graduates carry a median of $25,125 in student loans. Soon after graduation, criminology degree recipients from St Marys University generally make around $33,978. That is a strong return on a $25,125 median debt. Roughly 98% of applicants are accepted.
Howard Payne University earned the #15 position for value in criminology this year. Located in the town of Brownwood, Howard Payne University is a small private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $34,982. Students borrow a median of $24,734 to complete the criminology program here. Criminology graduates of Howard Payne University earn a median of $45,660 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $24,734 median debt. Roughly 67% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 15 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 15 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.
