Best colleges for Criminal Justice and Corrections in Texas
Ranked by graduate earnings
Texas A&M University - Central Texas, Texas Wesleyan University and Lamar University are the top bachelor's Criminal Justice and Corrections programs in Texas by graduate earnings. Texas A&M University - Central Texas leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $45,976, College Scorecard. Sam Houston State University, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley and University of Houston-Downtown award the most Criminal Justice and Corrections degrees in Texas: 908, 480 and 349 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 101 Texas colleges offer Criminal Justice and Corrections and award 8,823 degrees and certificates a year in all.
The Criminal Justice and Corrections program focuses on the various functions carried out by government agencies related to the punishment, treatment, and supervision of individuals convicted of crimes. This program is ideal for students…
Top 10 bachelor's programs, ranked by graduate earnings
Ranked by median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard. Programs with fewer than 20 graduates a year, a graduation rate under 30%, or online, degree-completion or graduate-only status rank after the rest.
| # | Institution | Starting salary (1 yr) | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Texas A&M University - Central Texas Killeen Public · Bachelor's degree | $45,976 | 43 | — | — | $24,750 |
| 2 | Texas Wesleyan University Fort Worth Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $44,328 | 24 | 32% | $21,036 | $26,000 |
| 3 | Lamar University Beaumont Public · Bachelor's degree | $43,707 | 196 | 37% | — | $31,000 |
| 4 | Tarleton State University Stephenville Public · Bachelor's degree | $43,186 | 190 | 48% | — | $23,250 |
| 5 | Texas Woman's University Denton Public · Bachelor's degree | $42,914 | 23 | 49% | — | $29,250 |
| 6 | University of Houston-Downtown Houston Public · Bachelor's degree | $42,122 | 349 | 33% | — | $22,757 |
| 7 | Midwestern State University Wichita Falls Public · Bachelor's degree | $40,719 | 27 | 43% | — | $25,668 |
| 8 | The University of Texas at Arlington Arlington Public · Bachelor's degree | $40,577 | 176 | 54% | — | $19,908 |
| 9 | Stephen F Austin State University Nacogdoches Public · Bachelor's degree | $40,308 | 28 | 53% | — | $23,250 |
| 10 | Hardin-Simmons University Abilene Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $39,445 | 22 | 46% | $19,285 | $28,000 |
Top 10 certificate and associate programs
Shorter credentials, ranked separately so they are not compared with four-year degrees. Ranked by median earnings one year after completion (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
| # | Institution | Starting salary (1 yr) | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Laredo College Laredo Public · Certificate | $72,049 | 43 | 30% | — | — |
| 2 | Lamar Institute of Technology Beaumont Public · Certificate | $71,733 | 86 | 31% | — | $15,318 |
| 3 | Galveston College Galveston Public · Certificate | $61,086 | 39 | 33% | — | — |
| 4 | College of the Mainland Texas City Public · Certificate | $48,704 | 34 | 31% | — | — |
| 5 | Southwest Texas College Uvalde Public · Certificate | $41,320 | 131 | 31% | — | $5,125 |
| 6 | Amarillo College Amarillo Public · Associate degree | $35,952 | 83 | 32% | — | $16,624 |
| 7 | Dallas College Dallas Public · Certificate | $35,569 | 324 | 32% | — | $11,457 |
| 8 | McLennan Community College Waco Public · Associate degree | $34,468 | 101 | 39% | — | $12,606 |
| 9 | Howard College Big Spring Public · Associate degree | $33,724 | 32 | 35% | — | $13,278 |
| 10 | Tarrant County College District Fort Worth Public · Associate degree | $32,315 | 141 | 34% | — | $16,262 |
Colleges awarding the most Criminal Justice and Corrections degrees in Texas
Top 10 by graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25 completions). Certificate and associate programs, online, degree-completion and graduate-only schools, and schools with a graduation rate under 30% are listed in full below.
| # | Institution | Graduates / yr | Starting salary (1 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sam Houston State University Huntsville Public | 908 | $37,792 |
| 2 | The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Edinburg Public | 480 | $32,899 |
| 3 | University of Houston-Downtown Houston Public | 349 | $42,122 |
| 4 | Texas State University San Marcos Public | 312 | $36,117 |
| 5 | University of North Texas Denton Public | 279 | $39,267 |
| 6 | The University of Texas at El Paso El Paso Public | 276 | $33,304 |
| 7 | Texas A & M International University Laredo Public | 258 | $30,739 |
| 8 | East Texas A&M University Commerce Public | 221 | $34,075 |
| 9 | The University of Texas at San Antonio San Antonio Public | 211 | $35,740 |
| 10 | Lamar University Beaumont Public | 196 | $43,707 |
ShowHide the other 91 Texas colleges offering Criminal Justice and Corrections
Career outlook
What this program leads to: Correctional Officers and Jailers (SOC 33-3012).
Top skills
What Correctional Officers and Jailers earn in Texas
Related careers
Common questions
Answers for students comparing Criminal Justice and Corrections programs in Texas.
Which Texas colleges award the most Criminal Justice and Corrections degrees?+
Sam Houston State University (908 graduates a year), The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (480 graduates a year) and University of Houston-Downtown (349 graduates a year) award the most Criminal Justice and Corrections degrees in Texas, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 101 Texas colleges offer Criminal Justice and Corrections.
What is the best college for Criminal Justice and Corrections in Texas?+
By graduate earnings, Texas A&M University - Central Texas leads among bachelor's Criminal Justice and Corrections programs in Texas, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $45,976, College Scorecard. Texas Wesleyan University and Lamar University follow. By degrees awarded, Sam Houston State University is the largest, with 908 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).
Which Criminal Justice and Corrections program in Texas has the highest-earning graduates?+
By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, Texas A&M University - Central Texas tops the list at $45,976. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.
How much do Correctional Officers and Jailers earn in Texas?+
The average annual wage for Correctional Officers and Jailers in Texas is $53,330 (median $52,670), across about 44,700 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
What is the focus of the Criminal Justice and Corrections program?+
The Criminal Justice and Corrections program focuses on the various functions carried out by government agencies related to the punishment, treatment, and supervision of individuals convicted of crimes. This program is ideal for students…
What skills will I develop in this program?+
You will develop active listening, monitoring, speaking, critical thinking, and related professional skills.
What is the job outlook for Correctional Officers and Jailers?+
The national job outlook is about -7.8% growth with around 30,100 annual openings (BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034).
What is the typical education requirement?+
A High school diploma or equivalent is the typical entry-level education for this field (BLS).
About the data on this page
Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.
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