Best Online Criminal Justice Programs in Arlington, TX (2026)

Arlington, Texas has a population of about 394,769. The city’s median household income is $73,519 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 33.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. There are 5 accredited criminal justice programs within 100 miles of Arlington. In the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX metro area, the top-earning criminal justice-related role is Attorney at a median $157,340 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2024).


Closest Criminal Justice Schools to Arlington

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

SchoolCityDistanceTuitionOnline
The University of Texas at ArlingtonArlington, TX2.3 miContact school for pricing
Texas Wesleyan UniversityFort Worth, TX9.3 miContact school for pricing
Dallas Baptist UniversityDallas, TX10.4 miContact school for pricing
Tarrant County College DistrictFort Worth, TX13.0 miContact school for pricing
Texas Christian UniversityFort Worth, TX13.7 miContact school for pricing

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


Criminal Justice Wages Near Arlington

Arlington is part of the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX metro area (BLS area code 19100). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Texas statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Attorney$157,340Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX$152,609
Judge or Magistrate$139,990TX statewide$135,781
Police Supervisor$121,470Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX$117,818
Detective or Criminal Investigator$84,980Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX$82,425
Police or Sheriff’s Patrol Officer$91,470Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX$88,720
Correctional Officer$58,290Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX$56,537
Probation Officer$62,140Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX$60,272
Forensic Science Technician$55,380Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX$53,715
Paralegal or Legal Assistant$60,900Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX$59,069
Information Security Analyst$131,280Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX$127,333

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.


Arlington at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population394,769Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$73,519Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+33.1%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)103.1 (above U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Arlington-Area Cities With Criminal Justice Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited criminal justice programs are near Arlington, TX?

Our directory lists 5 criminal justice programs within 100 miles of Arlington. The closest is The University of Texas at Arlington in Arlington, TX (2.3 miles), and the farthest in our top picks is Texas Christian University (13.7 miles). 0 of these programs are offered fully online.

What are the highest-paying criminal justice roles near Arlington?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2024 wage data, the top-paying criminal justice-related roles near Arlington are: Attorney ($157,340), Judge or Magistrate ($139,990), Information Security Analyst ($131,280). 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 Grand Prairie instead of Arlington?

Grand Prairie, TX is 6.1 miles from Arlington 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 Arlington an affordable place to study criminal justice?

Arlington’s median household income of $73,519 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Arlington 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.