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2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for an Associate in the Southwest Region For Those Getting Aid

65 Ranked Colleges
3,711 Degrees Awarded
$6,100 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for an Associate in the Southwest Region For Those Getting Aid

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. 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 an Associate in the Southwest Region For Those Getting Aid” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

In 2019-2020, 113,581 criminal justice and corrections students received their degree, making the major the 6th most popular in the country. In 2017-2018, criminal justice and corrections graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $31,952 and had an average of $24,936 in loans still to pay off.

Across the Southwest region, there were 16,347 criminal justice and corrections graduates with average earnings and debt of $30,942 and $25,383 respectively. At the associate degree level specifically, there were 3,711 criminal justice and corrections graduates with average earnings and debt of $33,605 and $16,886 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for an Associate in the Southwest Region For Those Getting Aid” ranking, we looked at 65 colleges that offer a degree in criminal justice and corrections. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent criminal justice and corrections programs, but they also cost less that schools of similar quality.

Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the criminal justice and corrections program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for an Associate in the Southwest Region For Those Getting Aid” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. 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.

Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for an Associate in the Southwest Region For Those Getting Aid

The colleges and universities below are the best for southwest region associate degree criminal justice students with aid.

Top 25 Best Value Associate Degree Colleges for Criminal Justice & Corrections in the Southwest Region (With Aid)

#1

South Texas College

McAllen, Texas

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend South Texas College. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for an Associate in the Southwest Region For Those Getting Aid. McAllen, Texas is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associates’s criminal justice degrees to 383 students in 2019-2020.

South Texas College did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #2 on our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. It costs about $1,174 for southwest region associate degree criminal justice students with aid per year to attend South Texas College.

Full South Texas College Criminal Justice & Corrections Report

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Austin Community College District. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for an Associate in the Southwest Region For Those Getting Aid list. This large school is located in Austin, Texas, and it awarded 114 associates’s criminal justice degrees in 2019-2020.

Austin Community College District did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #6 on our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Austin Community College District is $6,861 for southwest region associate degree criminal justice students with aid.

Full Austin Community College District Criminal Justice & Corrections Report

#3

El Paso Community College

El Paso, Texas

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend El Paso Community College. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for an Associate in the Southwest Region For Those Getting Aid list. This large school is located in El Paso, Texas, and it awarded 275 associates’s criminal justice degrees in 2019-2020.

El Paso Community College also took the #15 spot in our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for El Paso Community College is $4,594 for southwest region associate degree criminal justice students with aid.

Read more about Criminal Justice & Corrections at El Paso Community College

#4

Amarillo College

Amarillo, Texas

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Amarillo College. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for an Associate in the Southwest Region For Those Getting Aid list. Amarillo College is a medium-sized public school situated in Amarillo, Texas. It awarded 57 associates’s criminal justice degrees in 2019-2020.

Amarillo College also took the #7 spot in our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Amarillo College is $5,578 for Southwest Region Associate Degree Criminal Justice students with aid.

Read full report on Criminal Justice & Corrections at Amarillo College

#5

South Plains College

Levelland, Texas

Out of the 65 schools in the Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for an Associate in the Southwest Region For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, South Plains College landed the #5 spot on the list. South Plains College is located in Levelland, Texas and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 52 associates’s criminal justice degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our southwest region associate degree criminal justice students with aid list, South Plains College has also earned the #9 rank in our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend South Plains College is $7,600 for Southwest Region Associate Degree Criminal Justice students with aid.

Read more about Criminal Justice & Corrections at South Plains College

Collin County Community College District did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for an Associate in the Southwest Region For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #6. Collin County Community College District is a public institution located in McKinney, Texas. The school has a large population, and it awarded 78 associates’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Collin County Community College District also made our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list, coming in at #8. The yearly cost to attend Collin County Community College District is $6,293 for Southwest Region Associate Degree Criminal Justice students with aid.

Read full report on Criminal Justice & Corrections at Collin County Community College District

#7

Del Mar College

Corpus Christi, Texas

Del Mar College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for an Associate in the Southwest Region For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #7. DMC is a fairly large public school situated in Corpus Christi, Texas. It awarded 46 associates’s criminal justice degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our southwest region associate degree criminal justice students with aid list, DMC has also earned the #10 rank in our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Del Mar College is $5,738 for Southwest Region Associate Degree Criminal Justice students with aid.

Read full report on Criminal Justice & Corrections at Del Mar College

#8

Rio Salado College

Tempe, Arizona

Rio Salado College ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for an Associate in the Southwest Region For Those Getting Aid list. Rio Salado College is a fairly large school located in Tempe, Arizona that handed out 109 associates’s criminal justice degrees in 2019-2020.

Rio Salado College did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #4 on our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. It costs about $9,320 for southwest region associate degree criminal justice students with aid per year to attend Rio Salado College.

Full Rio Salado College Criminal Justice & Corrections Report

#9

Lone Star College System

The Woodlands, Texas

Lone Star College System came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for an Associate in the Southwest Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. North Harris Montgomery is located in The Woodlands, Texas and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 131 associates’s criminal justice degrees to qualified students.

North Harris Montgomery also took the #3 spot in our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Lone Star College System is $8,016 for Southwest Region Associate Degree Criminal Justice students with aid.

Full North Harris Montgomery Criminal Justice & Corrections Report

#10

Pima Community College

Tucson, Arizona

With a ranking of #10, Pima Community College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for an Associate in the Southwest Region For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Tucson, Arizona, this fairly large public school handed out 62 degrees to qualified associates’s criminal justice students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Pima County Community College District, the school also landed the #24 spot in our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Pima County Community College District is $3,583 for Southwest Region Associate Degree Criminal Justice students with aid.

Read more about Criminal Justice & Corrections at Pima Community College

#11

Tarrant County College District

Fort Worth, Texas

Tarrant County College District landed the #11 spot on the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for an Associate in the Southwest Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Tarrant County College District is a large school located in Fort Worth, Texas that handed out 46 associates’s criminal justice degrees in 2019-2020.

Tarrant County College not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #16 on our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Tarrant County College District is $5,434 for Southwest Region Associate Degree Criminal Justice students with aid.

Full Tarrant County College District Criminal Justice & Corrections Report

McLennan Community College came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for an Associate in the Southwest Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Located in Waco, Texas, this medium-sized public school handed out 69 degrees to qualified associates’s criminal justice students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our southwest region associate degree criminal justice students with aid list, MCC has also earned the #14 rank in our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend MCC is $6,752 for southwest region associate degree criminal justice students with aid.

Full McLennan Community College Criminal Justice & Corrections Report

#14

Temple College

Temple, Texas

Temple College ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for an Associate in the Southwest Region For Those Getting Aid list. Temple, Texas is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associates’s criminal justice degrees to 23 students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Temple College is $5,300 for Southwest Region Associate Degree Criminal Justice students with aid.

Read more about Criminal Justice & Corrections at Temple College

#25 in overall quality

Lamar Institute of Technology ranked #15 on this year’s Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for an Associate in the Southwest Region For Those Getting Aid list. Beaumont, Texas is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associates’s criminal justice degrees to 13 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Lamar Institute of Technology, the school also landed the #25 spot in our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. It costs about $6,904 for southwest region associate degree criminal justice students with aid per year to attend Lamar Institute of Technology.

Read more about Criminal Justice & Corrections at Lamar Institute of Technology

#16

Redlands Community College

El Reno, Oklahoma

Redlands Community College came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for an Associate in the Southwest Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Redlands Community College is a small school located in El Reno, Oklahoma that handed out 20 associates’s criminal justice degrees in 2019-2020.

Redlands Community College did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #12 on our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Redlands Community College is $5,538 for Southwest Region Associate Degree Criminal Justice students with aid.

Read full report on Criminal Justice & Corrections at Redlands Community College

#17

Houston Community College

Houston, Texas

Houston Community College ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for an Associate in the Southwest Region For Those Getting Aid list. Houston Community College is a large school located in Houston, Texas that handed out 13 associates’s criminal justice degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Houston Community College is $5,272 for southwest region associate degree criminal justice students with aid.

Full Houston Community College Criminal Justice & Corrections Report

Oklahoma State University - Oklahoma City did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for an Associate in the Southwest Region For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #18. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associates’s criminal justice degrees to 31 students in 2019-2020.

OSU-OKC did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #21 on our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. The yearly cost to attend OSU-OKC is $6,753 for Southwest Region Associate Degree Criminal Justice students with aid.

Full OSU-OKC Criminal Justice & Corrections Report

#19

Northern Oklahoma College

Tonkawa, Oklahoma

Northern Oklahoma College came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for an Associate in the Southwest Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Tonkawa, Oklahoma is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associates’s criminal justice degrees to 34 students in 2019-2020.

Northern Oklahoma College not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #17 on our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. It costs about $7,474 for Southwest Region Associate Degree Criminal Justice students with aid per year to attend Northern Oklahoma College.

Read full report on Criminal Justice & Corrections at Northern Oklahoma College

#20

New Mexico State University - Dona Ana

Las Cruces, New Mexico

New Mexico State University - Dona Ana ranked #20 on this year’s Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for an Associate in the Southwest Region For Those Getting Aid list. Las Cruces, New Mexico is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associates’s criminal justice degrees to 76 students in 2019-2020.

It costs about $5,539 for Southwest Region Associate Degree Criminal Justice students with aid per year to attend NMSU Dona Ana.

Read more about Criminal Justice & Corrections at New Mexico State University - Dona Ana

With a ranking of #21, University of Phoenix - Arizona did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for an Associate in the Southwest Region For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Tempe, Arizona, this large private for-profit school handed out 487 diplomas to qualified associates’s criminal justice students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our southwest region associate degree criminal justice students with aid list, UOPX - Arizona has also earned the #1 rank in our “Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. It costs about $12,944 for southwest region associate degree criminal justice students with aid per year to attend University of Phoenix - Arizona.

Full UOPX - Arizona Criminal Justice & Corrections Report

#22

Grayson College

Denison, Texas

Grayson College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for an Associate in the Southwest Region For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #22. Denison, Texas is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associates’s criminal justice degrees to 13 students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Grayson College is $7,877 for Southwest Region Associate Degree Criminal Justice students with aid.

Read more about Criminal Justice & Corrections at Grayson College

#23

Central New Mexico Community College

Albuquerque, New Mexico

Central New Mexico Community College ranked #23 on this year’s Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for an Associate in the Southwest Region For Those Getting Aid list. This large school is located in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and it awarded 31 associates’s criminal justice degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Central New Mexico Community College is $3,429 for southwest region associate degree criminal justice students with aid.

Read more about Criminal Justice & Corrections at CNM

#23

Laredo College

Laredo, Texas

Laredo College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for an Associate in the Southwest Region For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #23. Laredo College is located in Laredo, Texas and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 31 associates’s criminal justice degrees to qualified students.

The yearly cost to attend Laredo College is $4,222 for Southwest Region Associate Degree Criminal Justice students with aid.

Read full report on Criminal Justice & Corrections at Laredo College

#25

San Antonio College

San Antonio, Texas

San Antonio College landed the #25 spot on the 2022 Best Value Criminal Justice Schools for an Associate in the Southwest Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. San Antonio College is located in San Antonio, Texas and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 37 associates’s criminal justice degrees to qualified students.

The estimated yearly cost for San Antonio College is $5,882 for Southwest Region Associate Degree Criminal Justice students with aid.

Read more about Criminal Justice & Corrections at San Antonio College

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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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