Criminal Justice and Corrections at Averett University

Averett's Criminal Justice program charges premium tuition for solidly middle-tier results. With graduates carrying $29,703 in debt but earning $43,494 in their first year, the program outperforms 82% of similar programs nationally—an impressive showing. However, within Virginia's competitive landscape, it lands right at the median, ranking in the 60th percentile. That's worth noting because students have access to comparable programs like George Mason, which delivers similar earnings with likely lower in-state tuition.

The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.68 is actually quite favorable for a criminal justice degree, where many programs struggle with high debt loads relative to law enforcement salaries. At Averett, graduates can reasonably expect to manage their debt burden, though the near-flat 1% earnings growth over four years means financial progress comes slowly in this field. For a private university serving a significant population of Pell Grant recipients, the debt level is relatively contained—though prospective families should compare carefully against public alternatives.

The bottom line: This program delivers reliable employment outcomes and manageable debt for students committed to criminal justice careers. However, Virginia residents should weigh this $30K debt load against in-state options that might achieve similar career results at lower cost. The program works best for students who value Averett's smaller campus environment enough to justify the premium over public universities.