Criminal Justice
Criminal Justice graduates earn an average annual wage of $112,103, making it one of the higher-paying degree fields. With 63,690 professionals in the field earning competitive wages, this degree offers strong career prospects.
Key Statistics
Institutions
Information about the types of higher education institutions that grant degrees in Criminal Justice and the types of students that study this field.
Tuition Costs for Common Institutions
$11,790 Median In-State Public
$30,962 Median Out of State Private
Tuition costs for Criminal Justice majors are, on average, $11,790 for in-state public colleges, and $30,962 for out of state private colleges.
Tuition costs comparison for Criminal Justice programs.
Degrees Awarded Over Time
1,407,476 Total Degrees Awarded in 2023
This chart shows the number of degrees awarded in Criminal Justice from 2015 to 2023.
Historical trend of degrees awarded in Criminal Justice.
Top 5 Schools by Enrollment
| # | School | State | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arizona State University Campus Immersion | AZ | 64,398 |
| 2 | Texas A&M University-College Station | TX | 59,099 |
| 3 | Ivy Tech Community College | IN | 54,926 |
| 4 | Ohio State University-Main Campus | OH | 44,617 |
| 5 | University of Arizona | AZ | 40,769 |
Schools with the largest enrollment offering Criminal Justice programs.
Top 5 Most Affordable Tuition
| # | School | State | Tuition |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Imperial Valley College | CA | $1,126 |
| 2 | Lassen Community College | CA | $1,144 |
| 3 | College of the Redwoods | CA | $1,147 |
| 4 | San Diego City College | CA | $1,150 |
| 5 | Allan Hancock College | CA | $1,156 |
Schools with the lowest tuition costs for Criminal Justice programs.
Top 5 Most Affordable Net Price
| # | School | State | Net Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | College of the Sequoias | CA | $29 |
| 2 | Central Carolina Community College | NC | $616 |
| 3 | Moorpark College | CA | $742 |
| 4 | Reedley College | CA | $1,584 |
| 5 | Imperial Valley College | CA | $1,697 |
Schools with the lowest net price (after financial aid) for Criminal Justice programs.
Graduation Rates
48.09% Median Graduation Rate (150% of normal time)
48.14% Average Graduation Rate
1,153 Institutions Reporting
34.92% - 60.62% Interquartile Range
Graduation/completion rates for Criminal Justice programs across institutions.
Employment
Information on the businesses and industries that employ Criminal Justice graduates and on wages and locations for those in the field.
Yearly Income for Common Jobs
$112,103 Average Wage in Workforce
The average salary for Criminal Justice majors is $112,103.
Average annual salaries of the most common occupations for Criminal Justice majors.
Occupations by Share
63,690 2023 Workforce
The number of Criminal Justice graduates in the workforce has been growing.
Various jobs filled by those with a major in Criminal Justice by share of the total number of graduates.
Return on Investment & Value
Financial analysis of Criminal Justice degree including debt, earnings, and return on investment metrics.
Financial Value Analysis
$13,532 Median Student Debt
$40,568 Median Annual Earnings (10 years after enrollment)
33.36% Debt-to-Earnings Ratio
3.3 years Estimated Payback Period (assuming 10% of income)
501.30% Return on Investment (10-year earnings vs 4-year cost)
This degree shows strong ROI, with 10-year earnings significantly exceeding the cost of education.
$67,466 Estimated Total Cost (4 years at median net price)
Financial value comparison for Criminal Justice degree.
Diversity
Demographic information for those who earn a degree in Criminal Justice in the United States.
Workforce Age
N/A Average Age in 2023
This chart shows distribution of ages for employees with a degree in Criminal Justice.
Age distribution for Criminal Justice degree holders in the workforce.
Gender Distribution
26,997 Total Degrees Awarded
11,686 Male (43.29%)
15,311 Female (56.71%)
Gender distribution of Criminal Justice degree recipients.
Race and Ethnicity Distribution
10,590 White (39.23%)
9,319 Hispanic or Latino (34.52%)
3,818 Black or African American (14.14%)
899 Two or More Races (3.33%)
805 Asian (2.98%)
Racial and ethnic distribution of Criminal Justice degree recipients.
Degrees Awarded
The most common degree types awarded to students graduating in Criminal Justice are Bachelors Degree, Masters Degree, and Associates Degree.
Distribution of degree types awarded in Criminal Justice.
Skills
Data on the critical and distinctive skills necessary for those working in the Criminal Justice field from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Required Skills
Criminal Justice majors need many skills, but most especially Critical Thinking, Active Listening, and Reading Comprehension.
Rating of how necessary various skills are for Criminal Justice majors.
Skills Bar Chart
This bar chart shows the same information as the radar chart, displaying the importance of each skill.
Skill importance ratings for Criminal Justice majors.
About
Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement Administration
In 2023, 1,407,476 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs in Criminal Justice.
CIP Code
43.0103 - Criminal Justice
Insights and Analysis
Exceptional Return on Investment: Criminal Justice offers an outstanding ROI of 501%, meaning graduates typically earn significantly more over 10 years than the total cost of their education. This makes it one of the most financially rewarding degree choices available.
High Earning Potential: Criminal Justice graduates earn an average annual wage of $112,103, placing them among the top earners in the workforce. This strong earning potential reflects both the demand for skills in this field and the value employers place on this degree.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology
Data for this profile is sourced from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard dataset, IPEDS completion data, and Bureau of Labor Statistics employment data.
All financial figures are adjusted for inflation and represent the most recent available data. Employment and wage data are from the most recent Census Bureau ACS PUMS estimates.