Best Criminology Schools Near Ridgeland, MS (2026)

Updated August 31, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Ridgeland, Mississippi has 5 accredited schools offering criminology programs. Ridgeland has a population of about 24,548. Median household income is $63,470 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 50.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Jackson, MS metro area, the top-earning criminology-related role is Detective and Criminal Investigator at a median $68,520 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Criminology Schools to Ridgeland

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer criminology programs near Ridgeland, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Ridgeland 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 Ridgeland. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

Ranked by BOC Score — U.S. Dept. of Education outcome data. Advertising never affects rankings.

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#1

Jackson State University

Jackson, MS 9.4 miles from Ridgeland
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
27.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 39%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $39,060
Avg net price $23,836/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 66%
  • Programs offered: 58

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Alcorn State University

Alcorn State, MS 69.4 miles from Ridgeland
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
45.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 49%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $36,421
Avg net price $13,265/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 78%
  • Programs offered: 32

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Mississippi Valley State University

Itta Bena, MS 76.3 miles from Ridgeland
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
36.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 35%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $31,919
Avg net price $9,686/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 65%
  • Programs offered: 25

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

University of Southern Mississippi

Hattiesburg, MS 89.5 miles from Ridgeland
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
39.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 53%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $44,140
Avg net price $21,708/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 71%
  • Programs offered: 103

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Delta State University

Cleveland, MS 97.5 miles from Ridgeland
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
45.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 52%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $41,991
Avg net price $13,540/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 70%
  • Programs offered: 46

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Mississippi State University

Mississippi State, MS 106.1 miles from Ridgeland
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
61.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 63%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $51,513
Avg net price $17,595/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 83%
  • Programs offered: 108

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Rust College

Holly Springs, MS 167.6 miles from Ridgeland
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
33.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 27%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $32,275
Avg net price $12,587/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 66%
  • Programs offered: 8

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Blue Mountain Christian University

Blue Mountain, MS 168.2 miles from Ridgeland
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
37.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 55%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $40,421
Avg net price $24,016/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 71%
  • Programs offered: 22

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Criminology Wages Near Ridgeland

Ridgeland is part of the Jackson, MS metro area (BLS area code 27140). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Mississippi statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
SociologistN/AMS statewide–
Detective and Criminal Investigator$68,520Jackson, MS$76,989
Probation Officer and Correctional Treatment Specialist$34,110Jackson, MS$38,326
Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officer$49,160Jackson, MS$55,236

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.

Ridgeland at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population24,548Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$63,470Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+50.4%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)89.0 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Ridgeland-Area Cities With Criminology Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited criminology schools are near Ridgeland, MS?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering criminology programs near Ridgeland. The closest is Jackson State University in Jackson, MS (9.4 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is University of Southern Mississippi (89.5 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying criminology roles near Ridgeland?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying criminology-related roles near Ridgeland are: Detective and Criminal Investigator ($68,520), Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officer ($49,160), Probation Officer and Correctional Treatment Specialist ($34,110). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Mississippi statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Madison instead of Ridgeland?

Madison, MS is 3.7 miles from Ridgeland and has its own set of local criminology programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Ridgeland an affordable place to study criminology?

Ridgeland’s median household income of $63,470 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Ridgeland while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Mississippi 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 Criminology Programs

Other Programs Available in Ridgeland

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

Data verified: August 31, 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.

Back to Best Criminology Schools in Mississippi (2026)