Best Online Criminal Justice Programs in Bella Vista, AR (2026)

Bella Vista, Arkansas has a population of about 30,935. The city’s median household income is $85,932 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 37.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. There are 5 accredited criminal justice programs within 100 miles of Bella Vista, with tuition ranging from $9,748 to $28,772 per year. In Arkansas, the top-earning criminal justice-related role is Judge or Magistrate at a median $192,910 annually (BLS, May 2024).


Closest Criminal Justice Schools to Bella Vista

The five accredited institutions below are the closest options indexed in our directory that offer criminal justice programs. Distances are calculated from Bella Vista city center.

SchoolCityDistanceTuitionOnline
NorthWest Arkansas Community CollegeBentonville, AR9.4 miContact school for pricing
Crowder CollegeNeosho, MO24.6 miContact school for pricing
John Brown UniversitySiloam Springs, AR25.0 miContact school for pricing
University of ArkansasFayetteville, AR26.1 mi$9,748 - $28,772
Northeastern Oklahoma A&M CollegeMiami, OK43.5 miContact school for pricing

Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Arkansas schools on the Arkansas criminal justice page.


Criminal Justice Wages Near Bella Vista

Bella Vista is part of the Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR metro area (BLS area code 22220). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Arkansas statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Attorney$130,410Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR$142,681
Judge or Magistrate$192,910AR statewide$211,061
Police Supervisor$76,160Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR$83,326
Detective or Criminal Investigator$63,030Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR$68,961
Police or Sheriff’s Patrol Officer$53,130Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR$58,129
Correctional Officer$45,640Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR$49,934
Probation Officer$44,540Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR$48,731
Forensic Science Technician$46,210AR statewide$50,558
Paralegal or Legal Assistant$47,900Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR$52,407
Information Security Analyst$93,560AR statewide$102,363

Source: BLS, May 2024 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.


Bella Vista at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population30,935Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$85,932Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+37.8%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)91.4 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Bella Vista-Area Cities With Criminal Justice Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited criminal justice programs are near Bella Vista, AR?

Our directory lists 5 criminal justice programs within 100 miles of Bella Vista. The closest is NorthWest Arkansas Community College in Bentonville, AR (9.4 miles), and the farthest in our top picks is Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College (43.5 miles). 0 of these programs are offered fully online.

What are the highest-paying criminal justice roles near Bella Vista?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2024 wage data, the top-paying criminal justice-related roles near Bella Vista are: Judge or Magistrate ($192,910), Attorney ($130,410), Information Security Analyst ($93,560). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Arkansas statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Bentonville instead of Bella Vista?

Bentonville, AR is 7.9 miles from Bella Vista and has its own set of local criminal justice programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Bella Vista an affordable place to study criminal justice?

Bella Vista’s median household income of $85,932 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Bella Vista while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Arkansas 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.