Best Online Criminal Justice Programs in Paragould, AR (2026)

Paragould, Arkansas has 5 accredited schools offering criminal justice programs, with tuition ranging from $7,754 to $22,823 per year for indexed programs. Paragould has a population of about 29,940. Median household income is $56,181 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 16.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Arkansas, the top-earning criminal justice-related role is Information Security Analyst at a median $103,490 annually (BLS, May 2025).


Closest Criminal Justice Schools to Paragould

The 5 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 5 schools in our directory that offer criminal justice programs near Paragould. Distances are calculated from Paragould city center.

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 Paragould. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

#1

Arkansas State University

Jonesboro, AR 17.1 miles from Paragould BOC Score51.5
Published tuition$7,754 - $22,823
Online programsYes

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#2

Williams Baptist University

Walnut Ridge, AR 24.8 miles from Paragould BOC Score34.1
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

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#3

Black River Technical College

Pocahontas, AR 27.5 miles from Paragould BOC Score55.3
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

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#4

Arkansas Northeastern College

Blytheville, AR 35.0 miles from Paragould BOC Score52.0
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

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#5

Arkansas State University-Newport

Newport, AR 47.4 miles from Paragould BOC Score57.3
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

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


Criminal Justice Wages Near Paragould

OccupationMedian Annual Wage (Arkansas, statewide)
Attorney$98,880
Judge or MagistrateN/A
Police Supervisor$62,290
Detective or Criminal Investigator$54,500
Police or Sheriff’s Patrol Officer$47,670
Correctional Officer$40,330
Probation Officer$51,180
Forensic Science Technician$44,670
Paralegal or Legal Assistant$47,420
Information Security Analyst$103,490

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.


Paragould at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population29,940Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$56,181Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+16.3%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)

Other Paragould-Area Cities With Criminal Justice Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited criminal justice schools are near Paragould, AR?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering criminal justice programs near Paragould. The closest is Arkansas State University in Jonesboro, AR (17.1 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Arkansas State University-Newport (47.4 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying criminal justice roles in Arkansas?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying criminal justice-related roles in Arkansas are: Information Security Analyst ($103,490), Attorney ($98,880), Police Supervisor ($62,290). Wages for Paragould workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Jonesboro instead of Paragould?

Jonesboro, AR is 18.7 miles from Paragould 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 Paragould an affordable place to study criminal justice?

Paragould’s median household income of $56,181 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Paragould 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.


Learn More About Criminal Justice Programs

Other Programs Available in Paragould

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

Data verified: June 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.