2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Southwest Region for Criminal Justice for a Bachelor’s
19
Ranked Colleges
2,459
Degrees Awarded
$23,000
Avg Cost*
When pursuing a degree in today’s world, veterans have many different options to choose from. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Most Veteran Friendly in the Southwest Region for Criminal Justice for a Bachelor’s” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.
In 2020-2021, 32,891 people earned their degree in criminal justice, making the major the 27th most popular in the United States.
Across the Southwest region, there were 3,424 criminal justice graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 2,459 criminal justice graduates with average earnings and debt of $40,112 and $26,227 respectively.
This year’s “Most Veteran Friendly in the Southwest Region for Criminal Justice for a Bachelor’s” ranking analyzed 19 colleges that offered a degree in criminal justice. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great criminal justice programs and a strong support system for veterans and active service members.
When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the criminal justice program at the school, veteran affordability, and veteran satisfaction. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.
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 “Most Veteran Friendly in the Southwest Region for Criminal Justice for a Bachelor’s” 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. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head! If you don’t have time right now, you can bookmark it for later.
Most Veteran Friendly in the Southwest Region for Criminal Justice for a Bachelor’s
The colleges and universities below are the best for southwest region bachelor’s degree vets studying criminal justice.
Top 19 Best Criminal Justice Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Veterans in the Southwest Region
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Oklahoma Norman Campus. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Southwest Region for Criminal Justice for a Bachelor’s list. University of Oklahoma Norman Campus is a large public school situated in Norman, Oklahoma. It awarded 43 bachelors’s criminal justice degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at University of Oklahoma, the school also landed the #5 spot in our “Best Criminal Justice Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking.Of the 27,772 students enrolled at University of Oklahoma, 12 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 10 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $3,720. To help with additional expenses, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Full University of Oklahoma Norman Campus Veteran Student Life Report
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Texas A & M University - Central Texas. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Southwest Region for Criminal Justice for a Bachelor’s list. Texas A & M University - Central Texas is a small school located in Killeen, Texas that handed out 24 bachelors’s criminal justice degrees in 2020-2021.
Texas A & M University - Central Texas 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.Our most recent data shows that 1,101 of the 2,339 students enrolled at Texas A & M University - Central Texas were GI Bill® students, of which 516 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $5,003. To help with additional expenses, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Texas A & M University - Central Texas offers credit for military training for eligible students.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full Texas A & M University - Central Texas Veteran Student Life Report
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Central Oklahoma. The school came in at #3 for the Most Veteran Friendly in the Southwest Region for Criminal Justice for a Bachelor’s. University of Central Oklahoma is a fairly large school located in Edmond, Oklahoma that handed out 23 bachelors’s criminal justice degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UCO, the school also landed the #6 spot in our “Best Criminal Justice Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking.Of the 14,132 students enrolled at UCO, 934 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 428 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $6,062. To help with additional expenses, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
[Read full report on veteran student life at University of Central Oklahoma]](/colleges/university-of-central-oklahoma/student-life/veterans/)
Out of the 19 schools in the Most Veteran Friendly in the Southwest Region for Criminal Justice for a Bachelor’s that were part of this year’s ranking, Tarleton State University landed the #4 spot on the list. Tarleton State University is a fairly large school located in Stephenville, Texas that handed out 11 bachelors’s criminal justice degrees in 2020-2021.
Tarleton 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.According to our most recent data, Tarleton supports 14,016 students, and 755 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 317 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $4,304. During this same period, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
Read More…
Out of the 19 schools in the Most Veteran Friendly in the Southwest Region for Criminal Justice for a Bachelor’s that were part of this year’s ranking, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley landed the #5 spot on the list. The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley is located in Edinburg, Texas and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 518 bachelors’s criminal justice degrees to qualified students.
UT Rio Grande Valley also took the #3 spot in our “Best Criminal Justice Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking.Of the 32,441 students enrolled at UT Rio Grande Valley, 871 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 302 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $4,560. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. UT Rio Grande Valley does offer credit for military training for eligible students.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full UT Rio Grande Valley Veteran Student Life Report
With a ranking of #6, University of Phoenix - Arizona did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Southwest Region for Criminal Justice for a Bachelor’s list. Tempe, Arizona is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private for-profit school handed out bachelors’s criminal justice degrees to 735 students in 2020-2021.
UOPX - Arizona not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #1 on our “Best Criminal Justice Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list.Our most recent data shows that 135 of the 89,763 students enrolled at UOPX - Arizona were GI Bill® students, of which 157 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $6,437. In addition to receiving other benefits, 1 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
Full University of Phoenix - Arizona Veteran Student Life Report
University of the Incarnate Word landed the #7 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Southwest Region for Criminal Justice for a Bachelor’s ranking. University of the Incarnate Word is a private not-for-profit institution located in San Antonio, Texas. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 28 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UIW, the school also landed the #10 spot in our “Best Criminal Justice Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 1,174 of the 7,917 students enrolled at University of the Incarnate Word were GI Bill® students, of which 761 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $10,131. To help with additional expenses, 87 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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%.
[Read full report on veteran student life at UIW]](/colleges/university-of-the-incarnate-word/student-life/veterans/)
With a ranking of #8, St. Mary’s University did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Southwest Region for Criminal Justice for a Bachelor’s list. St. Mary’s University is located in San Antonio, Texas and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 18 bachelors’s criminal justice degrees to qualified students.
St. Mary’s did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #11 on our “Best Criminal Justice Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list.According to our most recent data, St. Mary’s supports 3,458 students, and 264 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 174 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $24,459. To help with additional expenses, 74 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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 St. Mary’s University Veteran Student Life Report
Northeastern State University landed the #9 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Southwest Region for Criminal Justice for a Bachelor’s ranking. Tahlequah, Oklahoma is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s criminal justice degrees to 93 students in 2020-2021.
NSU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #9 on our “Best Criminal Justice Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list.According to our most recent data, NSU supports 7,349 students, and 304 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 118 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $3,801. During this same period, 1 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full Northeastern State University Veteran Student Life Report
Wayland Baptist University came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly in the Southwest Region for Criminal Justice for a Bachelor’s ranking. Plainview, 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 76 students in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our southwest region bachelor’s degree vets studying criminal justice list, Wayland Baptist University has also earned the #4 rank in our “Best Criminal Justice Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking.According to our most recent data, Wayland Baptist University supports 4,062 students, and 2 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 4 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $6,578. During this same period, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
The impressive undergraduate 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…
Lubbock Christian University ranked #11 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly in the Southwest Region for Criminal Justice for a Bachelor’s list. This small school is located in Lubbock, Texas, and it awarded 14 bachelors’s criminal justice degrees in 2020-2021.
LCU also took the #16 spot in our “Best Criminal Justice Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking.According to our most recent data, LCU supports 1,664 students, and 52 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 29 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $11,382. During this same period, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
Full LCU Veteran Student Life Report
Strayer University - Texas landed the #12 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Southwest Region for Criminal Justice for a Bachelor’s ranking. Strayer University - Texas is a private for-profit institution located in Austin, Texas. The school has a small population, and it awarded 26 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Strayer University - Texas also made our “Best Criminal Justice Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list, coming in at #14.Among the 3,401 students enrolled at Strayer University - Texas, 20 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 23 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $4,804. During this same period, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
Full Strayer University - Texas Veteran Student Life Report
Texas Southern University came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly in the Southwest Region for Criminal Justice for a Bachelor’s ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Houston, Texas, and it awarded 53 bachelors’s criminal justice degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our southwest region bachelor’s degree vets studying criminal justice list, TSU has also earned the #12 rank in our “Best Criminal Justice Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking.Among the 7,015 students enrolled at Texas Southern University, 441 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 179 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $7,426. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Texas Southern University offers credit for military training for eligible students.
[Read full report on veteran student life at Texas Southern University]](/colleges/texas-southern-university/student-life/veterans/)
Rogers State University came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly in the Southwest Region for Criminal Justice for a Bachelor’s ranking. Located in Claremore, Oklahoma, this small public school awarded 20 degrees to qualified bachelors’s criminal justice students in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our southwest region bachelor’s degree vets studying criminal justice list, RSU has also earned the #13 rank in our “Best Criminal Justice Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking.According to our most recent data, RSU supports 3,400 students, and 205 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 73 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $3,667. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. RSU offers credit for military training for eligible students.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
[Read full report on veteran student life at RSU]](/colleges/rogers-state-university/student-life/veterans/)
Wiley College landed the #15 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Southwest Region for Criminal Justice for a Bachelor’s ranking. Located in Marshall, Texas, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 6 degrees to qualified bachelors’s criminal justice students in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Wiley College, the school also landed the #15 spot in our “Best Criminal Justice Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking.According to our most recent data, Wiley College supports 615 students, and 23 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 9 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $9,709. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Wiley College does offer credit for military training for eligible students.
Read More…
With a ranking of #16, East Central University did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Southwest Region for Criminal Justice for a Bachelor’s list. Located in Ada, Oklahoma, this small public school handed out 9 degrees to qualified bachelors’s criminal justice students in 2020-2021.
ECU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #17 on our “Best Criminal Justice Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list.According to our most recent data, ECU supports 3,608 students, and 185 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 52 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $3,245. To help with additional expenses, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
Read More…
University of Phoenix - Texas came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly in the Southwest Region for Criminal Justice for a Bachelor’s ranking. UOPX - Texas is a small school located in Houston, Texas that handed out 3 bachelors’s criminal justice degrees in 2020-2021.
UOPX - Texas not only placed well in this ranking. It is also # on our “Best Criminal Justice Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list.Our most recent data shows that 2 of the 273 students enrolled at UOPX - Texas were GI Bill® students, of which 3 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $3,472. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. UOPX - Texas offers credit for military training for eligible students.
The undergraduate 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 full report on veteran student life at UOPX - Texas]](/colleges/university-of-phoenix-texas/student-life/veterans/)
With a ranking of #18, Texas College did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Southwest Region for Criminal Justice for a Bachelor’s list. Texas College is located in Tyler, Texas and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 18 bachelors’s criminal justice degrees to qualified students.
TC 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.According to our most recent data, Texas College supports 764 students, and 13 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 1 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $897. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
[Read full report on veteran student life at Texas College]](/colleges/texas-college/student-life/veterans/)
Remington College - Fort Worth Campus came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly in the Southwest Region for Criminal Justice for a Bachelor’s ranking. Remington College - Fort Worth Campus is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Fort Worth, Texas. It awarded 8 bachelors’s criminal justice degrees in 2020-2021.
Remington College - Fort Worth Campus also made our “Best Criminal Justice Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list, coming in at #19.Of the 372 students enrolled at Remington College - Fort Worth Campus, 80 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 77 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $10,813. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program.
[Read full report on veteran student life at Remington College - Fort Worth Campus]](/colleges/remington-college-fort-worth-campus/student-life/veterans/)
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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).
- Veteran-specific data can be found at the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs.
- 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
- *Avg Salary and Avg 4-Year Grad Rate are for the top schools only.
- **GI Bill® student total includes all chapters of the GI Bill® program (e.g., Post-9/11, Montgomery GI Bill, Reserve Education Assistance Program, and Veteran Readiness and Employment)
- 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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