Criminal Justice and Corrections at Charleston Southern University

Charleston Southern's criminal justice program shows graduates earning $33,633 initially—about $3,000 below the South Carolina median and nearly $4,300 below the national average. While the program sits near the middle of South Carolina offerings (40th percentile statewide), it lags significantly behind top in-state options like Columbia College ($50,519) and Anderson University ($45,583). The 26% earnings growth to $42,448 by year four helps close this gap somewhat, but graduates still trail their peers at other SC schools.

The debt picture isn't alarming—$27,000 is close to both state and national medians—but paired with below-average starting earnings, it creates a challenging first few years. That 0.80 debt-to-earnings ratio means graduates face nearly 10 months of gross salary in debt, making loan repayment a significant portion of take-home pay early on. The modest admission selectivity (76% acceptance rate) and low Pell grant percentage suggest this serves a specific student population, but families should weigh whether the extra $2,500-3,000 in debt versus state competitors delivers enough value.

One critical caveat: this data reflects fewer than 30 graduates, so individual circumstances could swing these numbers considerably. If your child is committed to criminal justice and has other reasons to attend Charleston Southern, the reasonable debt load means it won't be financially catastrophic. But purely from an earnings standpoint, other South Carolina programs offer stronger returns on the same credential.