# Best Criminal Justice Colleges in Texas

> CollegeRanker Agent Insights — structured data for AI systems
> Updated: 2026-05-31 | Schools: 50 | Category: By State
> Source: https://www.collegeranker.com/rankings/best-criminal-justice-texas

## Methodology

Criminal Justice programs in Texas ranked by outcomes and program concentration

CollegeRanker uses a 4-pillar algorithm: Academic Quality (15-20%), Economic Outcomes (30%), Social Mobility (25-35%), Value & Affordability (20-25%). Social mobility data from Raj Chetty's Opportunity Insights Mobility Report Card (30M+ anonymized tax records). No subjective surveys.

## Rankings

| Rank | School | Location | Graduation | Earnings (10yr) | Net Price | Median Debt | Debt/Earnings |
|------|--------|----------|------------|-----------------|-----------|-------------|---------------|
| 1 | [Sam Houston State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/sam-houston-state-university) | Huntsville, TX | 55% | $54,211 | $16,404 | $21,983 | 0.41x |
| 2 | [East Texas A&M University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/east-texas-am-university) | Commerce, TX | 44% | $50,296 | $11,841 | $20,500 | 0.41x |
| 3 | [University of North Texas](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-north-texas) | Denton, TX | 60% | $57,010 | $15,649 | $19,250 | 0.34x |
| 4 | [Texas State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/texas-state-university) | San Marcos, TX | 56% | $56,906 | $16,805 | $21,000 | 0.37x |
| 5 | [Sul Ross State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/sul-ross-state-university) | Alpine, TX | 29% | $41,871 | $13,286 | $15,900 | 0.38x |
| 6 | [The University of Texas at El Paso](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/the-university-of-texas-at-el-paso) | El Paso, TX | 48% | $50,923 | $9,403 | $18,000 | 0.35x |
| 7 | [The University of Texas at San Antonio](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/the-university-of-texas-at-san-antonio) | San Antonio, TX | 52% | $57,131 | $10,836 | $20,500 | 0.36x |
| 8 | [Lamar University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/lamar-university) | Beaumont, TX | 37% | $49,652 | $9,366 | $21,250 | 0.43x |
| 9 | [Angelo State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/angelo-state-university) | San Angelo, TX | 42% | $50,116 | $15,091 | $20,000 | 0.4x |
| 10 | [Temple College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/temple-college) | Temple, TX | 29% | $38,678 | $10,682 | $12,813 | 0.33x |
| 11 | [Tarleton State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/tarleton-state-university) | Stephenville, TX | 50% | $53,040 | $20,783 | $19,606 | 0.37x |
| 12 | [North Central Texas College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/north-central-texas-college) | Gainesville, TX | 35% | $45,809 | $6,587 | $11,250 | 0.25x |
| 13 | [Odessa College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/odessa-college) | Odessa, TX | 32% | $42,026 | $6,368 | $7,750 | 0.18x |
| 14 | [College of the Mainland](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/college-of-the-mainland) | Texas City, TX | 30% | $39,639 | $1,342 | $5,960 | 0.15x |
| 15 | [Texas A & M International University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/texas-a-m-international-university) | Laredo, TX | 48% | $48,386 | $3,637 | $15,000 | 0.31x |
| 16 | [Amarillo College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/amarillo-college) | Amarillo, TX | 31% | $41,302 | $4,600 | $15,000 | 0.36x |
| 17 | [Texas Wesleyan University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/texas-wesleyan-university) | Fort Worth, TX | 32% | $54,053 | $24,066 | $23,125 | 0.43x |
| 18 | [Wayland Baptist University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/wayland-baptist-university) | Plainview, TX | 19% | $51,838 | $20,590 | $23,106 | 0.45x |
| 19 | [McLennan Community College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/mclennan-community-college) | Waco, TX | 37% | $39,163 | $5,051 | $10,500 | 0.27x |
| 20 | [Hill College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/hill-college) | Hillsboro, TX | 30% | $39,572 | $7,577 | $10,000 | 0.25x |
| 21 | [Abilene Christian University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/abilene-christian-university) | Abilene, TX | 60% | $55,736 | $26,182 | $24,250 | 0.44x |
| 22 | [South Plains College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/south-plains-college) | Levelland, TX | 27% | $41,276 | $6,791 | $10,500 | 0.25x |
| 23 | [Hardin-Simmons University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/hardin-simmons-university) | Abilene, TX | 48% | $54,771 | $19,555 | $24,711 | 0.45x |
| 24 | [Southwest Texas College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/southwest-texas-college) | Uvalde, TX | 32% | $35,563 | $7,372 | $6,200 | 0.17x |
| 25 | [Our Lady of the Lake University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/our-lady-of-the-lake-university) | San Antonio, TX | 44% | $48,675 | $16,442 | $24,999 | 0.51x |
| 26 | [The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/the-university-of-texas-rio-grande-valley) | Edinburg, TX | 50% | $49,620 | $4,831 | $12,950 | 0.26x |
| 27 | [University of the Incarnate Word](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-the-incarnate-word) | San Antonio, TX | 51% | $56,733 | $22,775 | $27,000 | 0.48x |
| 28 | [Lamar Institute of Technology](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/lamar-institute-of-technology) | Beaumont, TX | 29% | $38,991 | $13,866 | $13,076 | 0.34x |
| 29 | [Weatherford College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/weatherford-college) | Weatherford, TX | 28% | $42,397 | $9,967 | $9,948 | 0.23x |
| 30 | [El Paso Community College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/el-paso-community-college) | El Paso, TX | 23% | $35,212 | $3,206 | $6,566 | 0.19x |
| 31 | [Tyler Junior College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/tyler-junior-college) | Tyler, TX | 27% | $38,140 | $10,206 | $11,995 | 0.31x |
| 32 | [Alvin Community College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/alvin-community-college) | Alvin, TX | 24% | $45,762 | $8,525 | $4,519 | 0.1x |
| 33 | [University of Houston-Downtown](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-houston-downtown) | Houston, TX | 33% | $53,551 | $10,542 | $18,750 | 0.35x |
| 34 | [San Antonio College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/san-antonio-college) | San Antonio, TX | 24% | $39,711 | $4,585 | $10,500 | 0.26x |
| 35 | [Texas Southern University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/texas-southern-university) | Houston, TX | 21% | $38,924 | $16,590 | $29,000 | 0.75x |
| 36 | [St. Mary's University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/st-marys-university) | San Antonio, TX | 60% | $56,955 | $21,145 | $25,563 | 0.45x |
| 37 | [Saint Edward's University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/saint-edwards-university) | Austin, TX | 63% | $58,826 | $25,578 | $24,803 | 0.42x |
| 38 | [Texas A&M University-Texarkana](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/texas-am-university-texarkana) | Texarkana, TX | 30% | $45,515 | $12,997 | $18,953 | 0.42x |
| 39 | [University of Houston-Victoria](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-houston-victoria) | Victoria, TX | 26% | $54,467 | $8,109 | $18,973 | 0.35x |
| 40 | [Prairie View A & M University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/prairie-view-a-m-university) | Prairie View, TX | 43% | $45,411 | $13,570 | $27,000 | 0.59x |
| 41 | [Texas A & M University-Corpus Christi](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/texas-a-m-university-corpus-christi) | Corpus Christi, TX | 37% | $51,865 | $15,225 | $23,000 | 0.44x |
| 42 | [Navarro College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/navarro-college) | Corsicana, TX | 23% | $38,716 | $14,820 | $11,000 | 0.28x |
| 43 | [Wiley University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/wiley-university) | Marshall, TX | 22% | $33,159 | $7,092 | $24,989 | 0.75x |
| 44 | [Texas Southmost College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/texas-southmost-college) | Brownsville, TX | 28% | $41,900 | $3,085 | $9,000 | 0.21x |
| 45 | [Jarvis Christian University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/jarvis-christian-university) | Hawkins, TX | 15% | $32,992 | $9,825 | $27,000 | 0.82x |
| 46 | [Howard College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/howard-college) | Big Spring, TX | 35% | $38,382 | $6,147 | $9,500 | 0.25x |
| 47 | [North American University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/north-american-university) | Stafford, TX | 29% | N/A | $18,721 | $4,925 | N/A |
| 48 | [Huston-Tillotson University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/huston-tillotson-university) | Austin, TX | 35% | $42,937 | $19,719 | $30,750 | 0.72x |
| 49 | [University of North Texas at Dallas](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-north-texas-at-dallas) | Dallas, TX | 43% | N/A | $6,420 | $18,606 | N/A |
| 50 | [Laredo College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/laredo-college) | Laredo, TX | 30% | $33,934 | $5,798 | $2,959 | 0.09x |

## Data Sources

- U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (https://collegescorecard.ed.gov)
- Opportunity Insights Mobility Report Card (https://opportunityinsights.org/data)
- Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
- Times Higher Education World University Rankings
- NCES IPEDS

## Citation

CollegeRanker. "Best Criminal Justice Colleges in Texas." CollegeRanker.com, 2026-05-31. https://www.collegeranker.com/rankings/best-criminal-justice-texas

## License

This data summary is provided for informational purposes. Underlying data from federal sources (College Scorecard, IPEDS) is public domain. Opportunity Insights data is available under their data use agreement at https://opportunityinsights.org/data/.