Criminology at Adams State University

Colorado's criminology programs typically produce first-year earnings around $40,700, which makes the estimated $37,476 for this program somewhat below the state standard. With projected debt of $23,406, graduates would be looking at a debt burden equal to 62% of their first year's salary—manageable by most standards, especially compared to the national median debt of $25,000 for criminology degrees.

The challenge here is context. Based on patterns from similar public institutions nationwide, this program's estimated outcomes suggest a path into law enforcement, corrections, or social services work where salaries start modestly but offer steady employment. The debt load is reasonable enough that loan payments shouldn't consume an outsized portion of early-career income. However, the earnings estimate falls about $3,200 short of what comparable Colorado programs produce, which matters in a state where cost of living varies dramatically between mountain communities and urban centers.

Given that both earnings and debt figures are estimates drawn from peer programs rather than this school's actual graduate outcomes, the prudent approach is to verify career placement rates and typical employers for Adams State graduates specifically. For a family willing to take on $23,000 in debt, this could work if your child is committed to public service careers, but the uncertainty around actual outcomes means you should ask admissions for concrete data on where recent criminology graduates landed jobs and what they're earning.