Criminal Justice and Corrections at Carthage College

Carthage's criminal justice program produces graduates earning slightly above the national average but falls short within Wisconsin, where the state median for this degree is $41,527—about $2,000 more than Carthage graduates make in their first year. At the 40th percentile statewide, this program sits firmly in the middle of the pack, well behind public alternatives like UW-Parkside that offer similar debt with higher earnings.

The debt load of $27,000 matches both state and national medians, which keeps the financial picture manageable—graduates earn about 47% more than they owe in their first year. Earnings do grow modestly to $44,463 by year four, suggesting reasonable career progression in law enforcement or corrections work. However, that growth still leaves graduates trailing the state median, raising questions about whether the private-school tuition at Carthage delivers enough advantage over Wisconsin's public universities.

For families weighing options, the clearest comparison is UW-Parkside, which offers nearly identical debt but stronger first-year earnings. Carthage might be worth the choice if your student values its smaller campus and liberal arts environment, but from a pure return-on-investment standpoint, Wisconsin's public universities appear to place criminal justice graduates into slightly better-paying positions right out of the gate.