Criminal Justice and Corrections at Arizona State University Campus Immersion

Arizona State University's on-campus Criminal Justice program delivers surprisingly strong value in a field often criticized for poor job prospects. With first-year earnings of $42,187, graduates earn exactly at the 75th percentile nationally—meaning they out-earn three-quarters of criminal justice graduates across the country. While the program ranks at the 60th percentile within Arizona, it's important to note that Arizona's criminal justice programs generally perform well above national standards.

The financial picture is particularly compelling. At $22,000 in median debt, ASU students graduate with significantly less debt than both the national median ($26,130) and especially the Arizona median ($38,878). This creates a debt-to-earnings ratio of just 0.52—meaning graduates can reasonably expect to pay off their loans in about two years if they dedicate half their income to debt service. The 18% earnings growth from year one to year four also suggests solid career progression potential.

What makes this especially noteworthy is ASU's 90% admission rate, meaning this isn't an ultra-selective program gaming the numbers with only top students. For families concerned about criminal justice being a "dead-end" degree, ASU's version appears to buck that trend. The combination of above-average earnings, below-average debt, and strong sample size makes this a genuinely solid investment for students serious about criminal justice careers.