Key takeaways
- Arizona is a vibrant state with a growing economy, making it a great place for students and criminology professionals.
- Arizona colleges are ideal for in-demand criminology jobs, especially in cities like Phoenix and Tucson, with opportunities in corrections, forensic sciences, and more.
- When choosing a criminology college, consider factors like academic and career goals, campus life, faculty quality, and financial aid options.
- Northern Arizona University offers a criminology program focused on legal aspects of crime, with strong academic support and internship opportunities.
- The University of Arizona provides a diverse criminal justice degree with multiple specialization options.
- Grand Canyon University is a proprietary institute that offers flexible criminology programs with options for online and in-person classes.
- Arizona State University (ASU) offers a standalone criminology and criminal justice degree with a strong emphasis on practical learning.
Arizona is a vibrant state with versatile landscapes and a booming economy. It is for sure a great place to live as a student or criminology professional. So, if you are searching for Arizona colleges with good criminology programs, you have made the right choice to pursue higher education here. As a graduate with a criminology college degree, you can explore career options in law enforcement, legal industry, rehabilitation, and juvenile justice.
With this guide, explore the number of factors to consider during your college planning, and find a list of great Arizona colleges with good criminology programs.
Explore highly-ranked Arizona colleges with good criminology programs
Find below the list of colleges in Arizona for criminology.
Northern Arizona University
Some very serious and impactful job roles like advocates and legal advisors require a strong undergraduate degree that covers the legal aspect of crime and criminal behavior. Therefore, students who wish to pursue a criminology career path in the legal system should be very particular about the program they choose. In this case, the undergraduate program in criminology and criminal justice at Northern Arizona University is the best find.
This program is focused on preparing students for careers in the legal field, as well as making them aware and enlightened participants of society. Moreover, the program facilitates students in every way possible, making it easier for them to find internship opportunities and enjoy other academic support. You can continue higher education by easily exploring the graduate programs offered by this college.
Overall, it is a good Arizona college, known for its high acceptance rate of 80%, along with affordable tuition fees, good financial aid, and ideal location. It is located in Flagstaff, which is a hub for most of the employment opportunities in Arizona.
| Location:
Flagstaff, AZ |
GPA requirement:
3.7 |
Acceptance rate:
80% |
Tuition fee:
$11,352 for in-state, and $27,600 for out-of-state students. Price excludes housing allowance and other charges |
University of Arizona
In most cases, you will see that Arizona colleges and universities do not offer standalone criminology degrees that are specialized in any one field. Most of the time, criminology is offered as a concentration area within sociology undergraduate degrees. That is an excellent choice for people who would like to explore further opportunities and diverse career paths. You must have all the knowledge about a sociology degree before deciding.
However, for students who have made up their minds about studying criminology and pursuing a career in that field, a related degree is necessary. This is where the University of Arizona offers a solution to all your criminology questions.
Firstly, it offers a criminal justice degree, with multiple concentration areas that include the following:
- Psychology & Human Behavior
- Law, Policy & Social Justice
- Mathematics, Statistics & Data Science
- Social & Behavioral Sciences
Having this many great options for specialization and areas of focus is going to really help your professional growth. You can choose a specialization that aligns with your interests, career goals and has the best job prospects. This variety also makes the program really diverse, rich with information, and interdisciplinary.
Moreover, the college is located in Tucson, giving you easier access to many work opportunities. Additionally, it ensures a good campus life with easy access to urban areas with safety and all essentials easily accessible.
Lastly, the college has an acceptance rate of 87% with an average GPA requirement of 3.5. The Wildcats are a popular name in the Arizona college football landscape, with many other college sports teams that you can participate in.
| Location:
Tucson, AZ |
GPA requirement:
3.5 |
Acceptance rate:
87% |
Tuition fee:
$13,900 for in-state, and $42,300 for out-of-state students. Price excludes housing allowance and other charges |
Grand Canyon University
Looking for the best colleges for criminology is not easy. A big challenge for criminology enthusiasts is finding not only a good Arizona college but also ensuring that the program aligns with their tight schedules and other responsibilities. For this reason, we strongly recommend the Grand Canyon University.
This proprietary institution sees one of the biggest college enrollments every year. It offers a criminal justice degree for students looking for relevant undergrad programs to pursue a career in criminology. The program offers incredible flexibility for students, making them choose between physical and online classes so that they can manage full-time jobs and other academic endeavors as well.
Most impressively, GCU is known for offering undergraduate degrees, and graduate degrees, as well as an amazing variety of certifications and courses that students can opt for. These impactful training and certificates can help elevate your professional opportunities and give you a competitive edge in the market.
| Location:
Phoenix, AZ |
GPA requirement:
3.0 |
Acceptance rate:
83% |
Tuition fee:
$16,500 excluding fees, housing, and other charges |
Arizona State University
It’s inevitable to talk about Arizona State University when looking for Arizona colleges with good criminology programs. ASU is a popular public college located in Tempe. The college is a popular choice amongst criminology enthusiasts due to its standalone degree. The undergraduate bachelor’s degree in criminology and criminal justice focuses on policing, corrections, courts, security, investigations, and many other fields.
Moreover, the program focuses on many aspects of crimes and assesses it from different perspectives. You can learn the sociological, psychological, and biological implications of crime and criminal behaviors. Most notably, the institute emphasizes the importance of practical and hands-on learning more than learning from books and stories.
Furthermore, a great thing about choosing ASU as a college with criminology majors is that it offers a criminology program online as well. The 100% online program is ideal for full-time employees and people residing out of state. ASU has an acceptance rate of 90% and an average GPA requirement of 3.5.
| Location:
Tempe, AZ |
GPA requirement:
3.5 |
Acceptance rate:
90% |
Tuition fee:
$11,308 for first-year in-state students. $31,450 for first-year out-of-state students. Prices exclude housing allowance and other charges |
How to choose the Arizona colleges with good criminology programs?
From major cities like Phoenix and Tucson to the phenomenal tourism industry and good quality of life, the state has a lot to offer. There is a growing job market for most industries and sectors in Arizona, and that is true for criminology as well. Other than an undergrad degree in criminology, you can also look for a more diverse field, such as sociology bachelor programs that offer criminology emphasis.
It is crucial to select a program that not only provides a solid academic foundation but also offers opportunities for practical experience and professional growth. Top colleges in Arizona, such as Northern Arizona University, the University of Arizona, and Arizona State University, offer distinct advantages that can help you succeed in your criminology career.
You can choose a college in Arizona based on many factors such as your academic and career goals, campus life, faculty quality, financial aid options, and other critical factors like cost of attendance and acceptance rates. These factors include cost analysis as well as essential aspects that are related to college life and your well-being. Here are the crucial considerations:
Program coursework
Firstly, the most important aspect of a college degree is its curriculum and coursework. Look into the specializations offered, and explore significant courses in the program curriculum such as courses in criminal law, criminological theory, forensic science, and research methods.
Campus life
Secondly, campus life is crucial for an enriching 4-years at college. Explore aspects such as clubs, student organizations, college sports, and honor societies that you can participate in. Campus facilities for professional opportunities also play an indispensable role in your career growth.
Faculty
Next, don’t miss out on the vitality of the faculty. These are teachers and professors who will be teaching you some of the most important lessons. Therefore, make sure they are highly qualified and have relevant academic and professional qualifications.
Financial aid options
To select a college for your criminology degree, explore and compare the financial aid options. There are various options, including scholarships, grants, government funds, work-study loans, and other options.
Cost of attendance
Along with financial aid, the cost of attendance is an essential evaluation. The cost includes many various expenses, such as housing expenses and transportation. Evaluate whether living on campus is more feasible for you or finding another accommodation. Compare the tuition fees of different colleges.
Acceptance rate
Moving on, if any student is struggling with lower high school grades and GPA, finding an Arizona college that is easier to get in is important. Therefore, check and compare different colleges and their acceptance rates, and pick one that better aligns with your qualifications.
Student-to-faculty ratio
Some students prefer personalized education with individual focus. Class participation and a chance to engage with the teachers is higher with a lower student-to-faculty ratio. Check and compare these ratios of different colleges.
Graduation rate
Lastly, assess and evaluate how easy it is to get through 4 years of education at a particular college. The higher graduation rate reflects the support and facilities that allow the majority of the students to finish college in due time.
Are there criminology jobs in Arizona?
The national average job growth rate was 2% in 2023. However, in Arizona, the job growth rate was significantly higher, going well over 3%. In addition to this, the national unemployment rate in 2023 was 3.6%, but in Arizona, this rate was 3.3%. Therefore, the overall job prospects and employment trends in Arizona have been steady and impressive for the past few years. It has maintained a good rate of job growth and employment opportunities for college graduates.
However, the most popular industries with the highest employment in Arizona are tech, healthcare, and STEM fields. There are also some opportunities in the tourism industry since Arizona is a rich and multicultural state with a lot of popularity. Arizona cities like Tucson, Flagstaff, and Phoenix are the hub of economic prosperity.
An industry like criminology is always going to have job demands. It deals with an important aspect of society, which is crime. Therefore, you do not have to worry about the industry becoming obsolete. However, there may be slow and steady changes and evolutions in the industry, due to changing societal, technological, and economic factors.
For example, cybersecurity-related jobs and skills are becoming a huge part of the criminology job market. Forensic sciences are becoming more complex, so specializations and higher education may be needed for these jobs. In addition to this, interdisciplinary jobs are also becoming more popular than before.
Overall, BLS reports a steady growth in criminology employment opportunities. Some reports also suggest that criminology jobs for fresh graduates and beyond offer excellent job satisfaction. Lastly, in Arizona, the highest demand for criminology jobs is in Phoenix and Tucson. The state is also a hub for high-paying jobs in corrections and forensic sciences.
Enroll in the best Arizona colleges for criminology
In conclusion, students do realize that selecting Arizona colleges with good criminology programs is a crucial stepping stone toward a successful academic and professional career. However, the choice is not easy, especially when there are so many amazing public colleges in Arizona offering unique advantages. Therefore, you must evaluate and compare all the colleges in Arizona on the basis of factors like cost, financial aid, faculty, campus life, and graduation rate.
The colleges highlighted in this guide—Northern Arizona University, University of Arizona, Grand Canyon University, and Arizona State University—are all excellent choices, each offering unique strengths in their criminology programs.
Arizona’s robust job market, particularly in cities like Phoenix and Tucson, further enhances the appeal of pursuing a criminology degree in the state. With a steady demand for criminology professionals and a range of opportunities in law enforcement, forensic science, and related fields, Arizona offers a promising landscape for graduates.