2026 Best Value Criminal Justice Studies Schools in Arkansas
[Criminal Justice Studies](/majors/protective-security-safety-services/criminal-justice-and-corrections/criminal-justice-studies/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 22 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for criminal justice studies students.
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2026 Best Value Criminal Justice Studies Schools in Arkansas
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the criminal justice studies degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Criminal Justice Studies Schools
Leading the list is Phillips Community College Of The University Of Arkansas, our #1 best value for criminal justice studies in Arkansas. Phillips Community College Of The University Of Arkansas is a small public school located in the town of Helena. In-state tuition and fees average $3,380, with out-of-state students paying around $4,550. Criminal Justice Studies graduates carry a median of $5,500 in student loans. Soon after graduation, criminal justice studies degree recipients from Phillips Community College Of The University Of Arkansas generally make around $45,190. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Northwest Arkansas Community College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in criminal justice studies, landing the #2 spot this year. Northwest Arkansas Community College is a large public school located in the city of Bentonville. In-state tuition and fees average $3,342, while out-of-state students pay about $5,238. Criminal Justice Studies graduates carry a median of $12,479 in student loans. Early-career criminal justice studies graduates make about $40,671. That is a strong return on a $12,479 median debt.
A rank of #3 makes Arkansas State University Beebe one of the best values for criminal justice studies. Arkansas State University Beebe is a mid-sized public school located in the town of Beebe. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $3,336, compared with $5,232 for out-of-state students. Criminal Justice Studies graduates carry a median of $9,350 in student loans. Early-career criminal justice studies graduates make about $30,293. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Students looking for strong value in criminal justice studies will find it at Arkansas Tech University, which ranked #4. Arkansas Tech University is a large public school located in the town of Russellville. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $8,674, compared with $14,668 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $25,785 to complete the criminal justice studies program here. Soon after graduation, criminal justice studies degree recipients from Arkansas Tech University generally make around $35,642. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Arkansas Tech University admits about 96% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in criminal justice studies will find it at University Of Arkansas At Pine Bluff, which ranked #5. Located in the town of Pine Bluff, University Of Arkansas At Pine Bluff is a mid-sized public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,375, while out-of-state students pay about $17,955. Criminal Justice Studies graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Criminal Justice Studies graduates of University Of Arkansas At Pine Bluff earn a median of $35,532 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of Arkansas At Pine Bluff admits about 41% of applicants.
Grantham University came in at #6 for value in criminal justice studies this year. Grantham University is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of LIttle Rock. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $8,520. Students borrow a median of $32,697 to complete the criminal justice studies program here. Criminal Justice Studies graduates of Grantham University earn a median of $58,712 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $32,697 median debt.
Southern Arkansas University Main Campus came in at #7 for value in criminal justice studies this year. Located in the town of Magnolia, Southern Arkansas University Main Campus is a moderately-sized public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,960, compared with $15,690 for out-of-state students. Criminal Justice Studies graduates carry a median of $22,349 in student loans. Criminal Justice Studies graduates of Southern Arkansas University Main Campus earn a median of $28,541 early in their careers. Set against $22,349 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 75% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Arkansas At Little Rock landed the #8 spot for criminal justice studies value this year. Located in the city of Little Rock, University Of Arkansas At Little Rock is a large public university. Students from in state pay about $9,911 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $22,721. Typical student debt for criminal justice studies graduates is $30,026. Criminal Justice Studies graduates of University Of Arkansas At Little Rock earn a median of $40,989 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $30,026 median debt. University Of Arkansas At Little Rock admits about 59% of applicants.
University Of Arkansas earned the #9 position for value in criminal justice studies this year. Set in the city of Fayetteville, University Of Arkansas is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $10,104, while out-of-state students pay about $29,966. Typical student debt for criminal justice studies graduates is $25,385. Early-career criminal justice studies graduates make about $38,083. Set against $25,385 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 74%.
Harding University earned the #10 position for value in criminal justice studies this year. Located in the town of Searcy, Harding University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $25,962. Criminal Justice Studies graduates carry a median of $24,955 in student loans. Criminal Justice Studies graduates of Harding University earn a median of $38,818 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 70%.
More Criminal Justice Studies Rankings
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 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 · 22 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 7 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.
