Criminology at Butler University

Is a bachelor's degree in criminology worth $26,000 in debt when first-year earnings hover around $37,500? That's the question facing families considering Butler's program, where both figures are estimates drawn from peer institutions nationally. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.69 suggests manageable repayment—you'd owe about 70 cents for every dollar earned in year one—but this sits squarely in middle-of-the-road territory for bachelor's degrees generally.

What matters more here is context. Similar criminology programs across Indiana show earnings ranging from roughly $31,000 to nearly $40,000 annually, suggesting significant variation in outcomes based on where graduates land and what roles they pursue. Butler's selective profile—with an average SAT of 1282 and relatively few Pell-eligible students—might provide networking advantages that aren't captured in these estimates, but there's no actual data from Butler criminology graduates to confirm that advantage translates into stronger earnings.

The practical reality: if your student plans to pursue law enforcement, corrections, or social services roles that typically align with criminology degrees, these estimated numbers track with entry-level pay in those fields. But if graduate school is the endgame—for law, criminal justice administration, or related fields—factor in additional debt beyond this bachelor's degree before the career payoff arrives.