Best Criminal Justice Colleges in Arkansas2026 Rankings
Arkansas is home to 13 accredited institutions offering Criminal Justice programs — from large public research universities to small private liberal arts colleges. This ranking evaluates each school on admission selectivity, four-year graduation rate, net price, and graduate earnings to surface the programs that deliver the strongest outcomes.
Among the schools listed here, University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff is the most selective, admitting 58% of applicants. Average in-state tuition across this group sits at $11,114, while out-of-state students can expect to pay around $16,043. Median early-career earnings for Criminal Justice graduates in this state average $38,814 per year, and the average four-year graduation rate among ranked programs is 41%.
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| # | College | Value Score | Admit Rate | Grad Rate | Net Price | Median Earnings | Student:Faculty | Majors Offered | Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Arkansas at Pine BluffPublic | Strong· 36 | 58% | 40% | $14,740 | $35,532 | 13:1 | 33 | 1,899 |
| 2 | University of Arkansas at Little RockPublic | Strong· 35 | 58% | 41% | $18,216 | $40,989 | 11:1 | 57 | 4,740 |
| 3 | Southern Arkansas University Main CampusPublic | Good· 33 | 67% | 47% | $15,686 | $28,541 | 16:1 | 33 | 2,865 |
| 4 | Williams Baptist UniversityPrivate | Good· 33 | 59% | 36% | $14,728 | $29,553 | 12:1 | 17 | 490 |
| 5 | University of ArkansasPublic | Good· 32 | 72% | 70% | $17,379 | $38,083 | 20:1 | 75 | 27,312 |
| 6 | Harding UniversityPrivate | Good· 32 | 100% | 71% | $18,528 | $38,818 | 16:1 | 70 | 3,323 |
| 7 | University of Arkansas-Fort SmithPublic | Good· 32 | 81% | 37% | $11,856 | $33,460 | 20:1 | 33 | 4,133 |
| 8 | Henderson State UniversityPublic | Good· 31 | 82% | 38% | $19,426 | $36,411 | 17:1 | 38 | 1,491 |
| 9 | Arkansas Tech UniversityPublic | Good· 30 | 96% | 49% | $12,549 | $35,207 | 18:1 | 50 | 5,993 |
| 10 | University of Arkansas at MonticelloPublic | Average· 26 | — | 43% | $14,976 | $38,405 | 12:1 | 30 | 1,868 |
| 11 | Philander Smith UniversityPrivate | Fair· 23 | — | 32% | $15,092 | $29,683 | 12:1 | 17 | 842 |
| 12 | University of Arkansas GranthamPublic | Weak· 21 | — | 24% | $10,971 | $50,520 | 20:1 | 17 | 3,202 |
| 13 | Arkansas Baptist CollegePrivate | Poor· 15 | — | 8% | $18,924 | — | 15:1 | 9 | 373 |