Criminology: is it worth it?
A 0–100 score blending this major’s national earnings, ROI and typical debt. How it’s scored.
National picture across 114 college programs, at a typical net price.
The payoff is roughly break-even — the degree recovers its cost, but slowly.
What Criminology pays
Career outlook for Criminology graduates
The job market for the occupations Criminology graduates typically enter, projected through 2034 — from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. This is the demand side, complementing the IRS-verified graduate earnings above.
Top jobs for this major
| Occupation | U.S. jobs | Growth to 2034 | Median pay | Typical entry |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Managers, all other | 1,333,700 | +4.5% | $136,550 | Bachelor's degree |
| Life, physical, and social science technicians, all other | 83,200 | +3.5% | $60,130 | Associate's degree |
| Psychologists, all other | 55,300 | +4.3% | $117,580 | Master's degree |
| Criminal justice and law enforcement teachers, postsecondary | 16,200 | +2.0% | $71,470 | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Sociologists | 3,400 | +3.6% | $101,690 | Master's degree |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections (2024–34) & the NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk. Occupation pay is the national median wage for the role — not the same as graduate earnings, which we draw from IRS records.
Criminology vs similar majors
How Criminology stacks up against the closest fields in Social Sciences on pay, debt, ROI and the DR Rating. The best figure in each row is highlighted.
| Criminology Social Sciences · this major | Economics | International Relations and National Security Studies | Urban Studies/Affairs | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DR Rating | 34 F | 88 A | 74 B | 64 C |
| ROI verdict | Break-even | Strong return | Strong return | Strong return |
| Median earnings (5 yr) | $55,235 | $84,830 | $72,857 | $66,845 |
| Median earnings (1 yr) | $37,700 | $55,377 | $47,208 | $45,013 |
| ROI vs cost | +27% | +400% | +239% | +173% |
| Typical debt | $23,064 | $21,120 | $28,128 | $21,781 |
| Colleges offering it | 114 | 371 | 145 | 33 |
Criminology earnings over time
National median earnings one year after graduating, by cohort year — the consistent measure available across the federal data’s history.
Best colleges for Criminology
Ranked by the ROI of this major at each college — its graduate earnings against the cost.
| # | College | Credential | Earnings (5 yr) | Median debt | 10-yr ROI | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice New York, NY | Associate's | $56,457 | $8,600 | +1,101% | Strong return |
| 2 | University of Florida-Online Gainesville, FL | Associate's | $61,030 | $15,224 | +956% | Strong return |
| 3 | Central New Mexico Community College Albuquerque, NM | Certificate | $49,689 | — | +915% | Strong return |
| 4 | University of Florida Gainesville, FL | Associate's | $61,030 | $15,224 | +761% | Strong return |
| 5 | Paris Junior College Paris, TX | Certificate | $51,424 | — | +735% | Strong return |
| 6 | University of California-Irvine Irvine, CA | Certificate | $97,928 | $37,396 | +649% | Strong return |
| 7 | University of Maryland-College Park College Park, MD | Associate's | $69,545 | $18,031 | +547% | Strong return |
| 8 | Mount St. Mary's University Emmitsburg, MD | Associate's | $76,537 | $27,000 | +472% | Strong return |
| 9 | University of Southern Maine Portland, ME | Associate's | $63,574 | $22,549 | +425% | Strong return |
| 10 | North Carolina State University at Raleigh Raleigh, NC | Associate's | $64,069 | $20,374 | +354% | Strong return |
| 11 | University of Delaware Newark, DE | Associate's | $64,949 | $23,375 | +352% | Strong return |
| 12 | Lebanon Valley College Annville, PA | Associate's | $69,387 | — | +352% | Strong return |
| 13 | Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia Philadelphia, PA | Associate's | $74,682 | $21,625 | +341% | Strong return |
| 14 | University of California-Irvine Irvine, CA | Associate's | $59,960 | $15,383 | +339% | Strong return |
| 15 | University of Minnesota-Duluth Duluth, MN | Associate's | $64,784 | $22,885 | +332% | Strong return |
| 16 | University at Albany Albany, NY | Associate's | $62,386 | $19,400 | +320% | Strong return |
| 17 | University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth North Dartmouth, MA | Associate's | $65,646 | $25,204 | +305% | Strong return |
| 18 | University of Minnesota-Twin Cities Minneapolis, MN | Associate's | $61,352 | $19,500 | +302% | Strong return |
| 19 | Saint Anselm College Manchester, NH | Associate's | $75,372 | $27,000 | +283% | Strong return |
| 20 | SUNY Old Westbury Old Westbury, NY | Associate's | $55,759 | $15,517 | +281% | Strong return |
| 21 | Framingham State University Framingham, MA | Associate's | $60,589 | $25,000 | +277% | Strong return |
| 22 | California State University-San Marcos San Marcos, CA | Associate's | $54,589 | $14,810 | +271% | Strong return |
| 23 | University of Nevada-Reno Reno, NV | Associate's | $58,744 | $17,930 | +258% | Strong return |
| 24 | Valparaiso University Valparaiso, IN | Associate's | $61,772 | $27,000 | +257% | Strong return |
| 25 | Fairleigh Dickinson University-Metropolitan Campus Teaneck, NJ | Associate's | $59,175 | $25,000 | +255% | Strong return |
Related majors
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard. ROI is computed by Degree Return — see how. Read the methodology. Data as of 2024.