Best Criminology Programs in the South (2026)
Updated
Regional list from Best Criminology Programs in the United States
This page ranks the 38 Criminology programs in the South by median earnings of Criminology graduates four years after completing, highest first. University of Miami leads the list with median earnings of $70,461 for its graduates four years after completing.
Across the listed programs, the figure ranges from $70,461 to $31,482, with a median of $50,847. For 3 of the 38 listed programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one.
Public institutions account for 20 of the programs and private nonprofits for 18. University of Florida ranks 29th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. University of Florida posts the lowest average net price at $6,541.
The ranked list
| Rank | School | Program Earnings | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Miami · Coral Gables, FL | $70,461 | $37,244 | $15,978 | 18.9% |
| University of Miami reports $70,461 in median earnings of Criminology graduates four years after completing and an admission rate of 19%. | |||||
| 2 | University of Maryland-College Park · College Park, MD | $67,258 | $15,678 | $2,962 | 44.8% |
| Median earnings of $67,258 for its Criminology graduates four years after completing place University of Maryland-College Park 2nd on this list. | |||||
| 3 | University of Delaware · Newark, DE | $63,553 | $17,799 | $10,901 | 70.6% |
| University of Delaware posts an average net price of $17,799 and a median of $63,553 in earnings for its Criminology graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 4 | The University of Tampa · Tampa, FL | $60,742 | $36,211 | $30,011 | 40.3% |
| The University of Tampa admits 40% of applicants and its Criminology graduates earn a median of $60,742 four years after completing. | |||||
| 5 | Mount St. Mary's University · Emmitsburg, MD | $60,428 | $22,655 | $11,603 | 73.8% |
| Graduates across all fields who borrowed left with a median of $25,391 in federal loans at Mount St. Mary's University, where the Criminology program reports median earnings of $60,428 four years after completing. | |||||
| 6 | Oklahoma Wesleyan University · Bartlesville, OK | $59,143 | $28,358 | $25,011 | 66.2% |
| Oklahoma Wesleyan University ranks 1107th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions and its Criminology graduates earn a median of $59,143 four years after completing. | |||||
| 7 | Loyola University New Orleans · New Orleans, LA | $58,058 | $23,696 | $20,131 | 93.1% |
| Loyola University New Orleans reports median earnings of $58,058 for its Criminology graduates four years after completing, alongside an admission rate of 93%. | |||||
| 8 | University of Florida · Gainesville, FL | $57,953 | $6,541 | $1,982 | 24.2% |
| University of Florida carries an average net price of $6,541 and its Criminology graduates earn a median of $57,953 four years after completing. | |||||
| 9 | William Peace University · Raleigh, NC | $57,305 | $21,649 | $15,779 | 94.3% |
| William Peace University ranks 9th on this list, with a Criminology earnings cohort of 17 graduates and a median of $57,305 four years after completing. | |||||
| 10 | Old Dominion University · Norfolk, VA | $56,659 | $14,638 | $9,739 | 90.4% |
| Old Dominion University admits 90% of applicants and reports median earnings of $56,659 for its Criminology graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 11 | Saint Edward's University · Austin, TX | $56,224 | $25,578 | $20,799 | 81.4% |
| Saint Edward's University posts an average net price of $25,578, while its Criminology graduates earn a median of $56,224 four years after completing. | |||||
| 12 | North Carolina State University at Raleigh · Raleigh, NC | $55,303 | $17,303 | $6,382 | 41.7% |
| North Carolina State University at Raleigh ranks 99th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions and its Criminology graduates earn a median of $55,303 four years after completing. | |||||
| 13 | University of South Florida · Tampa, FL | $53,883 | $9,812 | $4,122 | 43.2% |
| University of South Florida reports median earnings of $53,883 for its Criminology graduates four years after completing, alongside an average net price of $9,812. | |||||
| 14 | Georgia Southern University · Statesboro, GA | $53,766 | $15,267 | $12,162 | 87.9% |
| Georgia Southern University ranks 14th on this list and shows an admission rate of 88%. | |||||
| 15 | Delaware State University · Dover, DE | $53,128 | $13,910 | $11,135 | 46.6% |
| Graduates across all fields who borrowed left with a median of $26,000 in federal loans at Delaware State University, a public university in Dover. | |||||
| 16 | Southern Wesleyan University · Central, SC | $52,534 | $15,464 | $14,084 | 99.5% |
| Southern Wesleyan University posts median earnings of $52,534 for its Criminology graduates four years after completing, with a cohort of 8 graduates in the earnings cohort. | |||||
| 17 | The University of Texas at Dallas · Richardson, TX | $52,244 | $18,267 | $12,814 | 65.1% |
| The University of Texas at Dallas sits at 74th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions and reports an average net price of $18,267. | |||||
| 18 | University of Houston-Clear Lake · Houston, TX | $52,087 | $15,563 | $7,330 | 90.5% |
| University of Houston-Clear Lake admits 91% of applicants and reports median earnings of $52,087 for its Criminology graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 19 | Barry University · Miami, FL | $51,180 | $22,613 | $20,804 | 77.2% |
| Barry University carries an average net price of $20,804 for families earning under $30,000 and ranks 19th on this list. | |||||
| 20 | University of North Carolina Wilmington · Wilmington, NC | $50,514 | $20,109 | $10,778 | 64.2% |
| University of North Carolina Wilmington reports median earnings of $50,514 for its Criminology graduates four years after completing, with a cohort of 100 graduates in the earnings cohort. | |||||
| 21 | Clemson University · Clemson, SC | $50,133 | $22,253 | $13,607 | 38.3% |
| Clemson University ranks 232nd on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions and shows an admission rate of 38%. | |||||
| 22 | University of West Georgia · Carrollton, GA | $50,048 | $12,786 | $10,339 | 51.6% |
| Graduates across all fields who borrowed left with a median of $23,970 in federal loans at University of West Georgia, which reports median earnings of $50,048 for its Criminology graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 23 | Florida Southern College · Lakeland, FL | $49,829 | $28,551 | $23,624 | 64.4% |
| Florida Southern College carries an average net price of $23,624 for families earning under $30,000 and posts median earnings of $49,829 for its Criminology graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 24 | Virginia Union University · Richmond, VA | $49,024 | $13,235 | $11,424 | 98.0% |
| Virginia Union University admits 98% of applicants and sits at 1008th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. | |||||
| 25 | Flagler College · Saint Augustine, FL | $48,913 | $30,525 | $21,733 | 80.8% |
| Flagler College, a private nonprofit university in Saint Augustine, reports median earnings of $48,913 for its Criminology graduates four years after completing, with 31 graduates in the earnings cohort. | |||||
| 26 | Mississippi State University · Mississippi State, MS | $48,805 | $17,595 | $14,332 | 77.6% |
| Graduates across all fields who borrowed at Mississippi State University left with a median of $22,142 in federal loans, and the school's Criminology completers earn a median of $48,805 four years after graduating. | |||||
| 27 | St. Mary's University · San Antonio, TX | $48,731 | $21,145 | $18,352 | 97.8% |
| St. Mary's University admits 98% of applicants and ranks 854th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. | |||||
| 28 | University of Lynchburg · Lynchburg, VA | $48,597 | $22,235 | $20,692 | 43.0% |
| With an admission rate of 43%, University of Lynchburg posts median earnings of $48,597 for its Criminology graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 29 | University of Central Arkansas · Conway, AR | $47,387 | $16,511 | $14,656 | 89.5% |
| University of Central Arkansas carries an average net price of $16,511 and reports $47,387 in median earnings for its Criminology graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 30 | Mary Baldwin University · Staunton, VA | $47,117 | $12,756 | $12,717 | Not reported |
| Mary Baldwin University shows an average net price of $12,717 for families earning under $30,000, alongside median earnings of $47,117 for its Criminology graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 31 | Arkansas State University · Jonesboro, AR | $46,293 | $12,366 | $10,098 | 82.3% |
| Arkansas State University ranks 300th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions and reports a median of $46,293 for its Criminology graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 32 | Johnson C Smith University · Charlotte, NC | $46,215 | $20,894 | $19,940 | 45.2% |
| Johnson C Smith University admits 45% of applicants, and its Criminology graduates earn a median of $46,215 four years after completing. | |||||
| 33 | Western Kentucky University · Bowling Green, KY | $45,124 | $10,990 | $7,087 | 93.9% |
| Graduates across all fields who borrowed at Western Kentucky University left with a median of $22,095 in federal loans, and the school's Criminology completers earn a median of $45,124 four years after graduating. | |||||
| 34 | Coker University · Hartsville, SC | $41,738 | $20,286 | $16,789 | 94.0% |
| Coker University reports median earnings of $41,738 for its Criminology graduates four years after completing, with 21 graduates in the earnings cohort. | |||||
| 35 | The University of Texas Permian Basin · Odessa, TX | $41,193 | $12,723 | $11,930 | 94.9% |
| The University of Texas Permian Basin carries an average net price of $12,723 and ranks 298th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. | |||||
| 36 | Texas A&M University-Kingsville · Kingsville, TX | $40,965 | $12,090 | $10,207 | 90.9% |
| Texas A&M University-Kingsville shows an average net price of $10,207 for families earning under $30,000, and its Criminology graduates earn a median of $40,965 four years after completing. | |||||
| 37 | Howard Payne University · Brownwood, TX | $32,563 | $23,627 | $24,043 | 67.4% |
| Howard Payne University, a private nonprofit university in Brownwood, reports median earnings of $32,563 for its Criminology graduates four years after completing, with 9 graduates in the earnings cohort. | |||||
| 38 | West Virginia University · Morgantown, WV | $31,482 | $15,634 | $9,450 | 89.0% |
| West Virginia University admits 89% of applicants and posts an average net price of $15,634 alongside median earnings of $31,482 for its Criminology graduates four years after completing. | |||||
How this list is ordered
Programs are ordered by the median earnings of their Criminology graduates four years after completing, highest first. Only programs with a reported earnings cohort in the South appear. The figure captures the median earnings of federally aided Criminology completers who were working and not enrolled, measured four years after completing. For 3 of the 38 listed programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one. The metric does not adjust for graduate school enrollment, cost, or who enrolls, and it is not a measure of teaching quality. University of Miami leads the list at $70,461, with University of Maryland-College Park trailing by $3,203 at $67,258.