Criminal Justice Schools in New Mexico

The Best Degrees, Careers and Resources for Criminal Justice Students

As the state’s interest in cracking down on crime begins to take precedence over economic concerns, criminal justice schools in New Mexico may play increasingly significant roles in producing qualified legal and protective service professionals statewide. However, students looking to find the right New Mexico criminal justice school for them may have a hard time figuring out where to begin their educational and professional pursuits. This guide provides numerous tools, lists and resources to help students find quality criminal justice schools in New Mexico and learn about the various criminal justice careers available to them.

DEGREE LEADERBOARD: BEST CRIMINAL JUSTICE SCHOOLS IN NEW MEXICO FOR 2017

OUR METHODOLOGY+

To be considered for this ranking, schools were required to meet the following criteria:

  • Accredited at the institutional level
  • Private nonprofit or public school
  • Minimum of 1 bachelor’s or master’s degree in subject area for 4-year schools
  • Minimum of 1 associate degree or certificate program in subject area for 2-year schools

Schools were then scored on factors such as:

  • Cost & Financial Aid
  • Number and variety of program offerings
  • Student-teacher ratios
  • Graduation rates (4-year schools only)
  • Placement and support services offered
  • Academic/Career counseling services
  • Employment services
  • Loan default rates

These factors were assembled for each school and rated using a peer-based-value (PBV) calculation. PBV compares the cost of a program to the cost of other programs with the same (or similar) qualitative score and cost. PBV denotes the overall value or “bang for your buck” of a college or degree program.

New Mexico is home to a variety of different schools where students can get a solid criminal justice education. It’s great to have options, but prospective students may have a hard time gauging the quality of the criminal justice schools on their lists. The list below ranks the best criminal justice schools in New Mexico based on a combination of factors, like tuition, acceptance rates, student-to-teacher ratio and total enrollment.

Sponsored Criminal Justice Programs

Explore programs of your interests with the high-quality standards and flexibility you need to take your career to the next level.

MOST POPULAR CRIMINAL JUSTICE CAREERS IN NEW MEXICO

There is a ton of variety within the criminal justice field, from supervising law enforcement officers to transcribing court hearings. Students looking to study criminal justice in New Mexico can take a look at the state’s most popular legal and protective services careers to help guide them down an educational and career path.

Police, Sheriff & Highway Patrol Officers

  • Total Employed in New Mexico4,460
  • Median Salary in New Mexico$50,420
  • Degree Level Required in New MexicoAcademy Program

Correctional Officer

  • Total Employed in New Mexico
    4,140
  • Median Salary in New Mexico
    $33,010
  • Degree Level Required in New Mexico
    Certification

Compliance Officer

  • Total Employed in New Mexico
    1,480
  • Median Salary in New Mexico
    $63,800
  • Degree Level Required in New Mexico
    Bachelor’s

Paralegal and Legal Assistant

  • Total Employed in New Mexico
    1,600
  • Median Salary in New Mexico
    $43,230
  • Degree Level Required in New Mexico
    Varies; up to Bachelor’s

Court, Municipal and License Clerks

  • Total Employed in New Mexico
    1,330
  • Median Salary in New Mexico
    $33,850
  • Degree Level Required in New Mexico
    Varies; up to Bachelor’s

Detectives and Criminal Investigators

  • Total Employed in New Mexico
    1,610
  • Median Salary in New Mexico
    $77,000
  • Degree Level Required in New Mexico
    Varies; up to Bachelor’s

Probation Officer

  • Total Employed in New Mexico
    780
  • Median Salary in New Mexico
    $42,000
  • Degree Level Required in New Mexico
    Bachelor’s

EMPLOYER PROFILE: WHERE TO GET HIRED WITH A CRIMINAL JUSTICE DEGREE IN NEW MEXICO

Students pursuing criminal justice careers aren’t limited to New Mexico’s metropolitan areas; both the state’s more populous cities are rural areas see high employment of those in the legal and protective services. The table below notes which parts of New Mexico employ the most criminal justice professionals and the average annual earnings for professionals in these regions.

  • Protective Services
    Potential Employers
    Central New Mexico Correctional Facility; Santa Fe Police Department; New Mexico Department of Game and Fish; Albuquerque Sheriff’s Department; Albuquerque Animal Services Department; Penn National Gaming; Bernalillo County Metropolitan Court; Las Cruces Public Schools; Roswell Recreation Department; Albuquerque International Airport
    Total Number of Employees in New Mexico: 23,750
  • Legal Occupations
    Potential Employers
    New Mexico Administrative Office of the Courts; Albuquerque Court of Appeals; Santa Fe Supreme Court; Modrall Sperling Law Firm; New Mexico Judicial Court System; Holland Services
    Total Number of Employees in New Mexico: 5,360

PROFESSIONAL RESOURCES FOR CRIMINAL JUSTICE IN NEW MEXICO

BUSINESS COMPLIANCE RESOURCES

CORRECTIONAL RESOURCES

COURT & JUDICIAL RESOURCES

LEGAL RESOURCES

LAW ENFORCEMENT RESOURCES

WILDLIFE & ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES