Best Criminal Justice Schools in New Mexico

Attending a New Mexico criminal justice program offers the chance to study in a unique environment in cities like Taos, Roswell, Las Cruces, Santa Fe, and Albuquerque. Prospective students can also take advantage of one of the many online criminal justice programs offered by New Mexico’s colleges and universities, such as Western New Mexico University. Continue reading to learn more about your options for earning a criminal justice degree in New Mexico.

Quick Facts

There are 24 schools offering criminal justice degrees in New Mexico (see below).¹
5 colleges and universities offer associate’s degrees in criminal justice.*¹
6 colleges and universities offer bachelor’s degrees in criminal justice.*¹
3 colleges and universities offer master’s or doctoral degrees in criminal justice.*¹
29 colleges and universities offer criminal justice degree programs online.*¹
No schools ranked in Kiplinger’s Best Values in Public Colleges in 2018.²
1 school ranked in College Factual’s Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Colleges in 2018.³
1 school ranked in Criminal Justice Degree Schools Best Online Bachelor’s Programs in 2018.⁴
1 school ranked in US News Best Online Graduate Criminal Justice Programs in 2018.⁵

*For not-for-profit colleges and universities with criminal justice degree programs.

Criminal Justice Degree Programs in New Mexico

New Mexico offers a variety of criminal justice degree programs to choose from, including undergraduate as well as graduate programs. While not all employers require a criminal justice degree for entry-level careers, having a degree can provide an advantage in the hiring process. The Albuquerque Police Department, for example, requires applicants who do not have military, government, or police work experience to meet minimum college credit requirements. The Santa Fe Police Department and the Roswell Police Department both offer education incentives. Many federal positions in New Mexico, including those with US Customs and Border Patrol, strongly prefer or require candidates to have a bachelor’s degree. Earning a degree can also help you qualify for promotion and may help you be more successful during on-the-job training.

Top-Ranked Schools with Criminal Justice Programs in New Mexico

College Factual’s Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Colleges 2018

New Mexico State University (#161)

Criminal Justice Degree Schools Best Online Bachelor’s Programs 2018

Eastern New Mexico University

US News Best Online Graduate Criminal Justice Programs 2018

New Mexico State University (#51-#67)

Profiles of Well-Known Schools in New Mexico

University of New Mexico: The Department of Sociology and Criminology at the University of New Mexico offers an undergraduate degree in Criminology for students wishing to work in law or corrections. Majors can pursue their own research interests through one of the seven affiliate institutes or centers including the Center on Alcohol Substance Abuse and Addictions as well as the Institute for the Study of Race and Social Justice. Over two dozen full-time and part-time faculty teach for the Department of Sociology and Criminology with many specializing in deviance, hate crimes, and comparative criminology. One of the most notable features of the department is the active participation of students and faculty in the Presentation Series, which is held twice a month in the Sociology Commons.

New Mexico State University: Having one of the oldest programs of its kind in the nation, the Department of Criminal Justice at New Mexico State University offers both a BCJ and an MCJ, both of which can be earned completely online. The faculty are nationally acclaimed professionals, five of whom have received the Patricia Christome and Donald C. Roush Awards for teaching excellence. The department actively participates in CAMP (College Assistance Migrant Program), a program helping farm workers attend college. Those enrolled in the Master of Criminal Justice program can pursue one of three different educational avenues: the Focused Coursework Option, the Project Option, or the Thesis Option.

Notable Alumni from New Mexico Universities

Bernalillo County New Mexico Sheriff Dan Houston – University of Albuquerque
Santa Fe County New Mexico Sheriff Robert Garcia – Santa Fe Community College
Chaves County New Mexico Sheriff James R Coon – Eastern New Mexico University
Santa Fe New Mexico City Police Chief Raymond Rael – Santa Fe Community College
Las Cruces New Mexico City Police Chief Richard S Williams – New Mexico State University

Police Quote: “What I was told awhile back was to always know your audience. Both in and out of the station. As a person in uniform, you are always looked at, stared at, and commented about. So act like you are always on camera. Act professionally and respectfully and all will fall into place…Approximately 1% of the applicants make it through the academy and 30% of those make it through to a full career and healthy retirement. So you gotta ask yourself ‘Do you feel lucky?’ I have been with an outstanding department and never had a bad assignment.” -Matt Findlay

New Mexico Criminal Justice Careers

While a career in criminal justice offers many intrinsic benefits like serving the community and interesting work experience, the financial compensation is often competitive with other career fields. The average annual salary of police officers in New Mexico is $48,480 while first-line supervisors at police agencies in New Mexico earn an average of $74,230.^6,8 Correctional officers earn an average of $32,630 while detectives in New Mexico make an average of $75,170.^5,7 Those working in careers as paralegals and legal assistants earn an average annual salary of $41,840 in New Mexico.⁹ Law enforcement occupations in the state are commonly under the umbrella of the New Mexico Justice Network, an agency that includes the Department of Public Safety, Attorney General, District Attorney. and Public Defender offices, Sentencing Commission, and more.

New Mexico is a forward-looking state at the forefront in its focus on border protection and homeland security, creating excellent job opportunities in this sector. The New Mexico Border Authority is the only state agency of its kind in the nation, charged with oversight of international ports of entry. Acquiring a bachelor’s degree can qualify you for a border patrol job. You can also train as a first responder or in national security science to jump-start a career working in New Mexico’s Counterterrorism Unit, Advisory System Taskforce, or the Transportation Security Administration on the front line of defense against security threats and in the event of a disaster.

New Mexico Criminal Justice Salary and Jobs

Occupation	Number Employed	Average Annual Salary
Correctional Officers and Jailers	3,920	$32,630
First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives	550	$74,230
Detectives and Criminal Investigators	1,690	$75,170
Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officers	3,950	$48,480

Data from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics as of May 2015.^5,6,7,8

New Mexico’s Criminal Justice Employment Outlook

The unemployment rate for New Mexico in May 2016 was 6.2%, which was above the national average of 4.7%.¹⁰ The state’s unemployment peaked in October 2010 with 8%, and New Mexico’s 10-year low was 5.4% in November 2008.¹⁰ Government-related employment is a good indicator of criminal justice jobs in New Mexico. Projections Central includes the following criminal justice job estimates for the period through 2024:

Police and Sheriff Patrol: 150 annual openings; 46% in these positions report completing at least some college, with 24% holding an associate’s degree.^11,12
Correctional Officers: Not available; 37% in these positions report completing at least some college, with 15% holding a post-secondary certificate.^11,13
Detectives and Criminal Investigators: 50 annual openings; 37% in these positions report completing at least some college, with 21% holding an associate’s degree.^11,14
Security Guards: 100 annual openings; 4% in these positions report completing at least some college.^11,15
Paralegals and Legal Assistants: 30 annual openings; 86% in these positions report completing at least some college, with 30% holding an associate’s degree and 44% holding a bachelor’s degree.^11,16

Note that these positions are based on estimates of employment growth as well as replacements.

The Mercatus Center, a conservative think tank, rated and analyzed the long-term solvency of each state. After analyzing New Mexico’s budgeting, cash/tax collection, and pensions, the state was ranked 34th in the nation.¹⁷ This indicates that new employees should keep an eye on the state’s ability to pay out its employee pensions.

Copy and Paste the following HTML code to add this infographic to your site:<img src="https://2cka5v3o6m3z1nd8vc3innc1-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/new-mexico.png" alt="new mexico"/><br />Infographic by <a href="https://www.criminaljusticedegreeschools.com/criminal-justice-schools/new-mexico/">Criminal Justice Degree Schools</a>

Directory of Not-for-Profit New Mexico Universities Offering Campus-based and Online Criminal Justice Degrees

If you are interested in pursuing a degree in New Mexico, we recommend finding an accredited campus-based or online program for your associate’s, bachelor’s, or master’s degree in the growing field of criminal justice.

Tip: If you don’t live near a campus-based school that offers a program of interest, consider an online degree or a university in an adjacent state (Arizona, Utah, Colorado, Oklahoma, or Texas).

Schools with Online and On-Campus Criminal Justice Programs

Note: Student Reviews are based on the experiences of a few individuals and it is unlikely that you will have similar results. Please review the “Data, Student Reviews and Other Information” section in our Terms of Use and Disclaimers.

Clovis Community College (Clovis)
Associate of Applied Science | Academy-Based Criminal Justice
Associate of Applied Science | Criminal Justice (online or on-campus)
Associate of Science | Behavioral Science (online or on-campus)
Certificate of Completion | Criminal Justice (online)

Eastern New Mexico University (Portales)
Associate of Arts | Criminal Justice
Bachelor of Science | Criminal Justice (online or on-campus)
Bachelor of Arts | Criminal Justice (online or on-campus)
Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences | Criminal Justice/Sociology Concentration (online or on-campus)

New Mexico State University (Carlsbad; Las Cruces)
Bachelor of Criminal Justice degree (online)
Bachelor of Science | Geography: Geographic Information Science and Technology
Master of Criminal Justice degree (online)
Minor | Forensic Science
Minor | Child Advocacy Studies
Minor | Geographic Information Science and Technology
Graduate Minor | Geographic Information Science and Technology

Student Review: “I have been in the criminal justice program for almost two full years. I thoroughly enjoy all of my classes. The professors provide great lectures and the class structure is great. Academic workload is hefty and I must devote almost all of my free time to study for the program. The amount of opportunities that await me upon graduation are what make me keep going. This is a well respected school and I plan to complete my degree as soon as possible.” – Student at New Mexico State University

New Mexico State University Dona Ana Community College (Las Cruces)
Associate | Criminal Justice (online or on-campus)
Associate of Applied Science | Corrections
Associate of Applied Science | Law Enforcement

University of the Southwest (Hobbs)
Bachelor of Science | Criminal Justice (online or on-campus)

Western New Mexico University (Silver City)
Associate of Science | Criminal Justice
Associate of Arts | Human Services
Associate of Applied Science | Computer Technology: Cyber Security
Bachelor of Applied Science | Criminal Justice: Corrections (online or on-campus)
Bachelor of Applied Science | Criminal Justice: Policing (online or on-campus)
Bachelor of Arts/ Science | Chemical Dependency
Bachelor Degree | Forest Wildlife/ Law Enforcement
Minor | Chemical Dependency
Minor | Criminal Justice
Minor | Digital Forensics
Certificate | Border Security Studies
Certificate | Detention Officer
Certificate | Digital Forensics
Certificate | Law Enforcement Training
Certificate | Private Security Officer

Schools with On-Campus Criminal Justice Programs Only

Central New Mexico Community College (Albuquerque)
Associate of Applied Science | Criminal Justice
Associate of Applied Science | Geographic Information Technology
Associate of Arts | Human Services
Associate of Arts | Criminology
Certificate of Completion | Geographical Information Systems
Certificate of Completion | Substance Abuse Counselor

Luna Community College (Las Vegas)
Associate of Arts | Criminal Justice
Certificate | Criminal Justice
Certificate | Corrections
Certificate | Law Enforcement

Mesalands Community College (Tucumcari)
Associate of Applied Science | Law Enforcement
Associate of Arts | Criminal Justice

Navajo Technical College (Crownpoint)
Associate of Applied Science | Law Advocate
Associate of Applied Science | Geographical Information Technology
Certificate | Geographical Information Technology

New Mexico Junior College (Hobbs)
Associate of Applied Science | Criminal Justice
Certificate | Corrections
Certificate | Criminal Justice

New Mexico State University Alamogordo (Alamogordo)
Associate Degree | Criminal Justice
Associate Degree | Social Services

Student Review: “I really enjoyed the Criminal Justice program. When I first started, I was a little wary wondering if I was even going to pass a class with so much reading and writing. However, once I started I really got into it. There weren’t a lot of students in the class however, but being a community branch of the college there were maybe only a quarter of the students there compared to the main campus. I learned a lot about different court cases and legalities in the very first class I took. I remember the second class in Criminal Justice we had guest speakers from the crime scene unit of the town I lived in. They spoke about what they did and what they sometimes see. They had lots of pictures. I remember one that I will never forget: a man had a heart attack while smoking a cigarette and died. He dropped the cigarette and it lit his house on fire. The fire department and crime unit got there but he was already gone. The picture showed him on the couch with his face melted. It was really quite disturbing. The following semester we did a mock crime scene and I really enjoyed that. We documented everything that we saw and tried to solve the “case”. I think that was my most favorite of all.” – Student at New Mexico State University Alamogordo

New Mexico State University Grants (Grants)
Associate Degree | Criminal Justice
Associate Degree | Criminal Justice: Corrections
Bachelor Degree | Criminal Justice
Certificate | Corrections

Northern New Mexico College (Espanola)
Associate of Arts | Criminal Justice
Associate of Arts | Substance Abuse Counselor
Associate of Applied Science | Police Science
Bachelor of Integrated Studies | Crime and Justice Studies
Certificate | New Mexico Law Enforcement Academy

San Juan College (Hobbs)
Associate in Applied Science | Criminal Justice
Associate in Arts | Criminal Justice

University of New Mexico (Albuquerque, Los Lunas)
Associate of Arts | Criminology

University of New Mexico – Gallup Campus (Gallup)
Associate of Arts | Criminal Justice: Corrections
Associate of Arts | Criminal Justice: Law Enforcement
Associate of Arts | Human Services
Associate of Arts | Human Services: Substance Abuse
Certificate | Human Services

William Carey University (Ruidoso)
Bachelor of Science | Criminal Justice
Minor | Criminal Justice

References:
1. National Center for Education Statistics: https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/
2. Kiplinger’s Best Values in Public Colleges: https://www.kiplinger.com/tool/college/T014-S001-kiplinger-s-best-values-in-public-colleges/index.php
3. College Factual Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Colleges: https://www.collegefactual.com/majors/protective-security-safety-services/criminal-justice-and-corrections/rankings/top-ranked/
4. US News Best Online Graduate Criminal Justice Programs: https://www.usnews.com/education/online-education/criminal-justice/rankings
5. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2015 Occupational Employment and Wages, Correctional Officers and Jailers https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes333012.htm
6. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2015 Occupational Employment and Wages, First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives: https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes331012.htm
7. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2015 Occupational Employment and Wages, Detectives and Criminal Investigators: https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes333021.htm
8. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2015 Occupational Employment and Wages, Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officers: https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes333051.htm
9. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2015 Occupational Employment and Wages, Paralegals and Legal Assistants: https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes232011.htm
10. Y Charts 10 Year Unemployment Chart: http://https://ycharts.com/indicators/new_mexico_unemployment_rate
11. Projections Central Long Term Occupational Projections: http://www.projectionscentral.com/Projections/LongTerm
12. O*Net OnLine, Police Patrol Officers: https://www.onetonline.org/link/details/33-3051.01
13. O*Net OnLine, Correctional Officers and Jailers: https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/33-3012.00
14. O*Net OnLine, Police Detectives: https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/33-3021.01
15. O*Net OnLine, Security Guards: https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/33-9032.00
16. O*Net OnLine, Paralegals and Legal Assistants: https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/23-2011.00
17. Mercatus Center, George Mason University, Ranking the States by Fiscal Condition 2016 Edition: https://www.mercatus.org/statefiscalrankings

New Mexico Criminal Justice Schools