Best Corrections Schools Near Harlingen, TX (2026)

Harlingen, Texas is home to about 71,669 residents. Median household income is $55,891 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 21.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Texas, the top-earning corrections-related role is First-Line Supervisor of Correctional Officers at a median $62,590 annually (BLS, May 2025).


Closest Corrections Schools to Harlingen

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer corrections programs near Harlingen, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Harlingen city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.

How We Rank Schools

Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS). To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked against schools at the same credential level:

  • Graduation rate 30%
  • Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
  • Average net price (lower is better) 20%
  • Retention rate 15%
  • Fully online availability 10%

Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. On this page, schools are ordered by distance from Harlingen. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

#1

Coastal Bend College

Beeville, TX 155.1 miles from Harlingen BOC Score 33.6
  • 2 year
  • Accredited
Graduation rate 14%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $35,086
Avg net price $4,237/yr
Tuition
In‑state$2,916
Out‑of‑state$5,226
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 29

Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

San Antonio College

San Antonio, TX 230.2 miles from Harlingen BOC Score 42.3
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Graduation rate 24%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $39,711
Avg net price $4,585/yr
Tuition
In‑state$3,412
Out‑of‑state$9,952
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 46%
  • Programs offered: 42

Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Texas State University

San Marcos, TX 255.8 miles from Harlingen BOC Score 64.5
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 62%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $56,906
Avg net price $16,805/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 79%
  • Programs offered: 61

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Blinn College District

Brenham, TX 285.2 miles from Harlingen BOC Score 40.9
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Graduation rate 11%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $46,318
Avg net price $10,844/yr
Tuition
In‑state$4,890
Out‑of‑state$11,370
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 49

Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Austin Community College District

Austin, TX 285.7 miles from Harlingen BOC Score 49.6
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Graduation rate 19%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $43,177
Avg net price $6,390/yr
Tuition
In‑state$2,550
Out‑of‑state$10,590
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 92

Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Prairie View A & M University

Prairie View, TX 289.2 miles from Harlingen BOC Score 47.2
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 47%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $45,411
Avg net price $13,570/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 75%
  • Programs offered: 23

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Lamar State College-Orange

Orange, TX 351.4 miles from Harlingen BOC Score 53.6
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 34%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $36,587
Avg net price $1,655/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 31

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

McLennan Community College

Waco, TX 374.6 miles from Harlingen BOC Score 53.3
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 25%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $39,163
Avg net price $5,051/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 51

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Texas schools on the Texas corrections page.


Corrections Wages Near Harlingen

Harlingen is part of the Brownsville-Harlingen, TX metro area (BLS area code 15180). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Texas statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Correctional Officer and Jailer$33,670Brownsville-Harlingen, TX$39,151
Probation Officer and Correctional Treatment Specialist$45,500Brownsville-Harlingen, TX$52,907
First-Line Supervisor of Correctional Officers$62,590TX statewide$72,779
Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officer$56,820Brownsville-Harlingen, TX$66,070

Source: BLS, May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.


Harlingen at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population71,669Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$55,891Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+21.7%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)86.0 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Harlingen-Area Cities With Corrections Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

What are the highest-paying corrections roles near Harlingen?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying corrections-related roles near Harlingen are: First-Line Supervisor of Correctional Officers ($62,590), Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officer ($56,820), Probation Officer and Correctional Treatment Specialist ($45,500). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Texas statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in San Benito instead of Harlingen?

San Benito, TX is 5.4 miles from Harlingen and has its own set of local corrections programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Harlingen an affordable place to study corrections?

Harlingen’s median household income of $55,891 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Harlingen while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Texas public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.

How do I verify a program is accredited?

Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.


Learn More About Corrections Programs

Other Programs Available in Harlingen

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Harlingen:

Data verified: August 11, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.