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BACHELOR'S DEGREE · NATIONAL DEGREE OUTCOMES

Is a bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice and Corrections worth it?

Compare cost, debt and earnings across 724 college programs with reportable data.

Based onObserved earnings + college priceEstimate10-year payoff
Estimated 10-year payoff
Negative payoff

−$162,012 over 10 years

National scenario across reporting bachelor's degree programs, using median year-4 earnings, their institutions’ average net prices and a typical 4-year duration.

27.6 yrsTime to earn back the modeled cost
−64%Estimated return after 10 years
$54,228Observed earnings · year 4
Not reachedHighest annual price before payoff reaches $0
Start with your decision

What do you need to compare?

PRICE SENSITIVITY

The price can change the verdict.

Hold observed earnings constant and see how the modeled ten-year payoff changes as annual price rises.

What stays fixed$54,228 observed annual earnings · 4 years of study · $45,000 alternative annual earnings · ten-year horizonThe marked price is the average college-wide net-price context across reporting institutions. This is a sensitivity test, not a tuition quote or earnings forecast.
WHAT THIS DEGREE PAYS

Outcomes at a glance

$54,228Typical earnings four years after completion
$52,514Average earnings five years after completion
$26,000Typical federal student debt
33thEarnings percentile among the same degree level
505Degrees awarded in 2024–25
708College programs reporting earnings

Degree counts come from the IPEDS Fall 2025 provisional release and cover 66 matched college records. Colleges without a match are not estimated.

A PRACTICAL READ

Four useful answers about Criminal Justice and Corrections

How much do Criminal Justice and Corrections bachelor's degree graduates earn?

The national median is $54,228 four years after completion across reportable bachelor's degree programs in this federal field.

How much federal debt do graduates have?

The median reported federal debt is $26,000. The figure excludes private loans and does not describe every graduate.

Does the college matter for Criminal Justice and Corrections?

Yes. The middle half of reporting programs ranges from $49,003 to $58,792 in observed year-4 earnings.

What careers are related to Criminal Justice and Corrections?

DegreeVerdict links this field to 12 displayed occupations using the official federal CIP–SOC crosswalk. Occupational wages are career context, not graduate salary promises.

COMPARE DEGREE LEVELS

More schooling changes both the cost and the outcome.

Compare the same field at each degree level with reportable data. These are separate groups of graduates, so the differences do not prove that an additional degree caused higher earnings.

OPEN PROFILE

Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma

Year-4 earnings
$56,070
Federal debt
$14,063
Programs in the comparison
187
178 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Associate's Degree

Year-4 earnings
$46,940
Federal debt
$14,250
Programs in the comparison
480
460 report earnings →CURRENT VIEW

Bachelor's Degree

Year-4 earnings
$54,228
Federal debt
$26,000
Programs in the comparison
724
708 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Post-baccalaureate Certificate

Year-4 earnings
$104,592
Federal debt
$20,182
Programs in the comparison
3
3 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Master's Degree

Year-4 earnings
$64,860
Federal debt
Not available
Programs in the comparison
119
119 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Doctoral Degree

Year-4 earnings
$96,102
Federal debt
Not available
Programs in the comparison
3
3 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Graduate/Professional Certificate

Year-4 earnings
$75,547
Federal debt
Not available
Programs in the comparison
3
3 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Non-Credential Program (Preparatory Coursework/Teacher Certification)

Year-4 earnings
$61,271
Federal debt
Not available
Programs in the comparison
5
5 report earnings →
COLLEGE-TO-COLLEGE RANGE

Where the middle half of programs lands

Year‑4 earnings differ by college. This band shows the 25th percentile, national median and 75th percentile among reporting programs.

Median
25th percentile$49,003National median$54,22875th percentile$58,792
708 programs report year‑4 earnings.
BEFORE YOU CHOOSE

Compare price, debt and earnings together

$58,79275th-percentile year-4 earnings among reporting programs
$26,000Median federal debt across programs that report it
82Programs with earnings in the top quarter and debt at or below the median
SHORTLIST BY QUESTION

Three useful places to start

Each choice answers a different question. These are observed signals, not an overall winner.

Highest observed earnings

Calumet College of Saint Joseph

$106,465 four years after completionWhiting, IN · inspect the full program →Lowest reported federal debt

Excelsior University

$14,875 among completer borrowersAlbany, NY · inspect the full program →Largest recent graduating class

University of Maryland Global Campus

349 reported awards in 2024–25Adelphi, MD · inspect the full program →
PRICE × EARNINGS MAP

Where colleges sit for this exact degree

Move left for a lower annual college-wide net price and up for higher observed year-4 earnings.

$81,768Observed year-4 earnings$69,601
$11,404Annual college-wide average net price$37,927
All reporting colleges Lower-price, higher-earnings quadrantAxes trim the outer 5% for readability; outliers remain pinned to the chart edge. Price is institution-wide context, not exact program tuition.
Build your shortlist

Choose colleges offering this exact degree

Start with the highest-earning reported programs below, or open the full directory to search every college.

30 shortlist matchesSelect up to four · 25 shown
Search every reporting program →
WHERE OUTCOMES ARE STRONGEST

See the spread, not just the national number.

1Calumet College of Saint Joseph$106,4652University of New Hampshire-Main Campus$81,7683University of New Hampshire College of Professional Studies Online$81,7684National University$81,2995Fisher College$80,1366George Washington University$80,0707Saint Mary's University of Minnesota$79,4648Quinnipiac University$79,0989Trinity Christian College$78,16510Northeastern University$77,477

Observed year-4 earnings · top displayed records are not a universal ranking

Career outlook

Jobs this degree may lead to

Federal education-to-career links identify related occupations. They do not imply that every graduate enters the same job.

Pay and projected demand

Related careers do not share one outlook

Bubble size = annual openings2025–35 national projection

Occupation wages describe workers in these jobs, not graduates of this degree. BLS projections are national estimates and do not guarantee hiring.

Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Teachers, Postsecondary$76,590 median wage13,150 jobs nationwide+1.5% projected growth through 2035 · 1,100 openings a yearTypical entry education: Doctoral or professional degree$45,000–$140,240 typical wage rangeFirst-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives$106,040 median wage154,610 jobs nationwide+3.3% projected growth through 2035 · 10,600 openings a yearTypical entry education: High school diploma or equivalent$63,350–$165,110 typical wage rangeDetectives and Criminal Investigators$93,790 median wage114,430 jobs nationwide+0.2% projected growth through 2035 · 7,800 openings a yearTypical entry education: High school diploma or equivalent$55,390–$160,540 typical wage rangePolice and Sheriff’s Patrol Officers$76,210 median wage670,520 jobs nationwide+3.5% projected growth through 2035 · 51,500 openings a yearTypical entry education: High school diploma or equivalent$47,510–$115,120 typical wage rangePrivate Detectives and Investigators$51,220 median wage35,580 jobs nationwide+5.5% projected growth through 2035 · 3,200 openings a yearTypical entry education: High school diploma or equivalent$36,740–$97,630 typical wage rangeFirst-Line Supervisors of Correctional Officers$77,970 median wage53,380 jobs nationwide-2.5% projected growth through 2035 · 3,700 openings a yearTypical entry education: High school diploma or equivalent$52,330–$127,780 typical wage rangeCorrectional Officers and Jailers$58,940 median wage380,500 jobs nationwide-7.4% projected growth through 2035 · 28,400 openings a yearTypical entry education: High school diploma or equivalent$42,760–$93,220 typical wage rangeManagers, All Other$141,900 median wage622,190 jobs nationwide+4.9% projected growth through 2035 · 100,900 openings a yearTypical entry education: Bachelor's degree$74,300–$238,270 typical wage rangeEmergency Management Directors$93,330 median wage13,500 jobs nationwide+3.9% projected growth through 2035 · 1,100 openings a yearTypical entry education: Bachelor's degree$54,210–$166,430 typical wage rangeFirst-Line Supervisors of Protective Service Workers, All Other$76,400 median wage20,690 jobs nationwide+1.9% projected growth through 2035 · 1,700 openings a yearTypical entry education: High school diploma or equivalent$41,110–$103,420 typical wage rangeLife, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All Other$62,280 median wage73,910 jobs nationwide+4.4% projected growth through 2035 · 11,200 openings a yearTypical entry education: Associate's degree$39,000–$102,690 typical wage rangeFirst-Line Supervisors of Security Workers$55,940 median wage81,480 jobs nationwide+3.7% projected growth through 2035 · 6,800 openings a yearTypical entry education: High school diploma or equivalent$37,300–$92,260 typical wage range

BLS May 2025 wages and 2025–35 projections. Career figures describe occupations, not graduates of a specific college.

COMPARE NEARBY FIELDS

Similar degrees in the same subject family

These alternatives share the same broad federal CIP family and credential level. Earnings and debt use the same definitions as this page.

Bachelor's Degree

Security Science and Technology

Year-4 earnings
$57,447
Federal debt
$25,432
49 reporting programs →Bachelor's Degree

Homeland Security

Year-4 earnings
$67,953
Federal debt
$23,450
37 reporting programs →Bachelor's Degree

Fire Protection

Year-4 earnings
$87,428
Federal debt
$22,723
21 reporting programs →Bachelor's Degree

Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting and Related Protective Services, Other

Year-4 earnings
$63,162
Federal debt
$24,111
15 reporting programs →
EXPLORE BY STATE

Where this degree has enough data to compare

State pages are published only when at least five operating colleges report year-4 earnings for this exact field and credential.

PA51 programs$55,216 average earningsTX45 programs$50,167 average earningsNY32 programs$57,299 average earningsOH29 programs$54,332 average earningsNC29 programs$51,029 average earningsGA29 programs$52,500 average earningsCA26 programs$56,708 average earningsFL25 programs$54,101 average earningsIL24 programs$58,800 average earningsIN22 programs$55,099 average earningsVA21 programs$56,031 average earningsNJ19 programs$58,045 average earnings

This page keeps the field and credential level fixed. Federal categories can still combine multiple catalog programs or concentrations. Automated ROI is limited to associate and bachelor’s degrees because institution-wide annual net price is not a reliable proxy for short certificate prices. ROI is an illustrative scenario, not a federal determination.