2026 Best Value Criminology Schools in Arkansas
[Criminology](/majors/social-sciences/criminology/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 4 schools to find the best return on investment for criminology students.
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2026 Best Value Criminology Schools in Arkansas
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 Arkansas State University Main Campus this year. Arkansas State University Main Campus is a very large public school located in the city of Jonesboro. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $8,090, with out-of-state students paying around $14,522. Typical student debt for criminology graduates is $27,875. Soon after graduation, criminology degree recipients from Arkansas State University Main Campus generally make around $36,732. Set against $27,875 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Arkansas State University Main Campus admits about 82% of applicants.
University Of Central Arkansas is a great value for students pursuing a degree in criminology, landing the #2 spot this year. Set in the city of Conway, University Of Central Arkansas is a large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $10,523, compared with $18,023 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $20,078 to complete the criminology program here. Soon after graduation, criminology degree recipients from University Of Central Arkansas generally make around $38,453. Set against $20,078 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 90%.
More Criminology Rankings
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 4 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 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.
