Criminology: earnings, debt, and careers
CIP 45.04. Official graduate outcomes from the U.S. Department of Education across 388 programs, and the careers this field is linked to.
Graduate earnings by credential level
| Credential | Programs | Graduates (recent year) | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Typical program median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate certificate | 10 | 250 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Associate's degree | 14 | 241 | $41,236 | $44,936 | $12,000 3 programs |
| Bachelor's degree | 241 | 9,003 | $42,035 | $55,556 | $23,869 139 programs |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 1 | 0 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Master's degree | 91 | 792 | $55,834 | $67,647 | Data unavailable |
| Doctoral degree | 20 | 43 | $79,385 | $84,153 | Data unavailable |
| Professional degree (JD, MD, and similar) | 1 | 13 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Graduate certificate | 10 | 23 | $53,846 | $70,346 | Data unavailable |
National earnings are published by the Department of Education for each field and credential level Verified data. Typical program median debt is ConnectPrep's calculation: the median across programs of each program's median federal debt Calculated estimate. It covers federal loans only.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, Most Recent Field of Study Data. Varies by measure; see measure definitions. Published October 15, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Associate's degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Purdue University Global IN · Public · 93 graduates measured | $41,325 | $44,516 | $30,500 |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Bachelor's degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Pennsylvania PA · Private, nonprofit · 16 graduates measured | $68,385 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Azusa Pacific University CA · Private, nonprofit · 18 graduates measured | $55,720 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Lasell University MA · Private, nonprofit · 35 graduates measured | $51,979 | $56,766 | $27,000 |
| University of Wisconsin-Stout WI · Public · 25 graduates measured | $51,968 | $57,529 | $23,869 |
| Emmanuel College MA · Private, nonprofit · 20 graduates measured | $50,815 | $67,814 | $27,000 |
| University of Wisconsin-River Falls WI · Public · 49 graduates measured | $50,732 | $51,586 | $20,848 |
| Upper Iowa University IA · Private, nonprofit · 51 graduates measured | $49,911 | $56,767 | $34,432 |
| Mount Saint Mary's University CA · Private, nonprofit · 21 graduates measured | $49,904 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Avila University MO · Private, nonprofit · 16 graduates measured | $48,036 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Stonehill College MA · Private, nonprofit · 64 graduates measured | $47,102 | $64,957 | $25,000 |
| The University of Texas at Dallas TX · Public · 51 graduates measured | $47,007 | $52,244 | $18,250 |
| Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia PA · Private, nonprofit · 34 graduates measured | $46,955 | $55,924 | $27,000 |
| Washington State University WA · Public · 167 graduates measured | $46,942 | Data unavailable | $19,715 |
| University of Northern Iowa IA · Public · 60 graduates measured | $46,550 | $54,993 | $16,855 |
| University of Wisconsin-Whitewater WI · Public · 81 graduates measured | $46,314 | $63,365 | $23,081 |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Master's degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lasell University MA · Private, nonprofit · 91 graduates measured | $133,507 | $115,809 | Data unavailable |
| East Texas A&M University TX · Public · 22 graduates measured | $72,711 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| University of South Florida FL · Public · 46 graduates measured | $64,389 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia PA · Private, nonprofit · 134 graduates measured | $59,317 | $70,474 | Data unavailable |
| University of California-Irvine CA · Public · 53 graduates measured | $57,958 | $83,175 | Data unavailable |
| Regis University CO · Private, nonprofit · 44 graduates measured | $57,296 | $63,202 | Data unavailable |
| St. John's University-New York NY · Private, nonprofit · 40 graduates measured | $55,985 | $83,065 | Data unavailable |
| University at Albany NY · Public · 55 graduates measured | $54,524 | $71,183 | Data unavailable |
| The University of Tampa FL · Private, nonprofit · 17 graduates measured | $54,391 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Bowling Green State University-Main Campus OH · Public · 46 graduates measured | $53,670 | $70,674 | Data unavailable |
| The University of Alabama AL · Public · 19 graduates measured | $51,051 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Indiana University of Pennsylvania PA · Public · 49 graduates measured | $49,813 | $58,603 | Data unavailable |
| Stockton University NJ · Public · 21 graduates measured | $49,522 | $57,437 | Data unavailable |
| Missouri State University-Springfield MO · Public · 17 graduates measured | $48,614 | $65,307 | Data unavailable |
| Saint Vincent College PA · Private, nonprofit · 19 graduates measured | $42,530 | $61,908 | Data unavailable |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Careers linked to Criminology
| Occupation | Median wage, all workers | Change 2025 to 2035 | Typical entry education |
|---|---|---|---|
| Managers, all other | $141,900 | +4.9% | Bachelor's degree |
| Psychologists, all other | $110,840 | +2.3% | Master's degree |
| Sociologists | $106,030 | +3.8% | Master's degree |
| Life, physical, and social science technicians, all other | $62,280 | +4.4% | Associate's degree |
| Criminal justice and law enforcement teachers, postsecondary | $76,590 | +1.5% | Doctoral or professional degree |
Occupations mapped to this field in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. Occupation wages describe all workers, not recent graduates.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics and U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 Crosswalk. CIP 2020 and SOC 2018 taxonomies. Published April 30, 2020. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, National. May 2025 reference period. Published April 30, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, Table 1.2: Occupational projections, 2025-35, and worker characteristics, 2025. Base year 2025, projected year 2035. Published August 27, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Detailed CIP codes in this field (1)
- 45.0401 Criminology