Conway, Arkansas has a population of about 66,288. The city’s median household income is $58,461 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 41.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. There are 5 accredited criminal justice programs within 100 miles of Conway. In Arkansas, the top-earning criminal justice-related role is Judge or Magistrate at a median $192,910 annually (BLS, May 2024).
The five accredited institutions below are the closest options indexed in our directory that offer criminal justice programs. Distances are calculated from Conway city center.
| School | City | Distance | Tuition | Online |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Arkansas Community College-Morrilton | Morrilton, AR | 16.1 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
| University of Arkansas Grantham | LIttle Rock, AR | 21.9 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
| University of Arkansas-Pulaski Technical College | North Little Rock, AR | 22.3 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
| Shorter College | N Little Rock, AR | 24.1 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
| Philander Smith University | Little Rock, AR | 24.9 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Arkansas schools on the Arkansas criminal justice page.
Conway is part of the Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR metro area (BLS area code 30780). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Arkansas statewide.
| Occupation | Median Wage | Source | COL-Adjusted (US=100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Attorney | $81,680 | Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR | $91,365 |
| Judge or Magistrate | $192,910 | AR statewide | $215,783 |
| Police Supervisor | $77,290 | Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR | $86,454 |
| Detective or Criminal Investigator | $56,780 | Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR | $63,512 |
| Police or Sheriff’s Patrol Officer | $57,610 | Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR | $64,441 |
| Correctional Officer | $46,860 | Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR | $52,416 |
| Probation Officer | $52,160 | Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR | $58,345 |
| Forensic Science Technician | $52,410 | Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR | $58,624 |
| Paralegal or Legal Assistant | $46,940 | Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR | $52,506 |
| Information Security Analyst | $77,890 | Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR | $87,125 |
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.
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 66,288 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003) |
| Median household income | $58,461 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013) |
| Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ | 41.1% | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003) |
| Regional Price Parity (US=100) | 89.4 (below U.S. average) | BEA RPP 2024 |
Our directory lists 5 criminal justice programs within 100 miles of Conway. The closest is University of Arkansas Community College-Morrilton in Morrilton, AR (16.1 miles), and the farthest in our top picks is Philander Smith University (24.9 miles). 0 of these programs are offered fully online.
Based on BLS OEWS May 2024 wage data, the top-paying criminal justice-related roles near Conway are: Judge or Magistrate ($192,910), Attorney ($81,680), Information Security Analyst ($77,890). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Arkansas statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.
Sherwood, AR is 21.6 miles from Conway 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.
Conway’s median household income of $58,461 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Conway while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Arkansas public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.
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.
Return to Best Online Criminal Justice Programs in Arkansas (2026)