Criminal Justice and Corrections (Bachelor's Degree) at Colorado Christian University

Est. Earnings (1yr)

$42,199

Est. from CO median (7 programs)

Median Debt

$48,125

84% above national median

Analysis

Colorado Christian University's criminal justice bachelor's leaves graduates carrying $48,125 in debt—nearly double both the state median of $25,565 and the national median of $26,130 for this field. This places the program in the bottom 5% nationally for debt burden, an especially concerning position given that first-year earnings estimates based on comparable Colorado programs hover around $42,199, barely above the national median for this degree.

The debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.14 means graduates are starting with debt exceeding their first year's salary, which can strain finances significantly in a field not known for rapid wage growth. While some Colorado criminal justice programs show stronger outcomes—CSU Global graduates earn around $61,800, and CU Denver grads average $45,814—Colorado Christian's estimated earnings fall in the middle of the pack while its debt stands out as particularly high. For a program serving 33% Pell-eligible students, this debt load presents a real financial risk.

Parents should recognize this program requires graduates to finance nearly their entire first year's salary before taking home a dollar. The lack of actual earnings data here compounds the uncertainty—you're essentially betting that this specific program performs as well as other Colorado programs while knowing for certain that its debt burden is among the worst in the country. Unless your student has substantial scholarship support to reduce that debt figure, this represents a challenging starting point for a criminal justice career.

Where Colorado Christian University Stands

Earnings vs. debt across all criminal justice and corrections bachelors's programs nationally

Compare to Similar Programs in Colorado

Criminal Justice and Corrections bachelors's programs at peer institutions in Colorado (9 total in state)

Scroll to see more →

School	In-State Tuition	Earnings (1yr)*	Earnings (4yr)	Median Debt	Debt/Earnings
Colorado Christian UniversityLakewood	$39,266	$42,199*	—	$48,125	—
Colorado State University GlobalDenver	$8,400	$61,786*	$61,489	$38,276	0.62
University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical CampusDenver	$10,017	$45,814*	$49,790	$22,250	0.49
Metropolitan State University of DenverDenver	$10,780	$44,497*	$48,873	$26,130	0.59
University of Colorado Colorado SpringsColorado Springs	$9,712	$42,199*	$47,815	$18,625	0.44
Colorado Technical University-Colorado SpringsColorado Springs	$12,760	$38,817*	$38,416	$50,705	1.31
National Median	—	$37,856*	—	$26,130	0.69

* Estimated from similar programs

Career Paths

Occupations commonly associated with criminal justice and corrections graduates

Financial Examiners

Enforce or ensure compliance with laws and regulations governing financial and securities institutions and financial and real estate transactions. May examine, verify, or authenticate records.

$90,400/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Emergency Management Directors

Plan and direct disaster response or crisis management activities, provide disaster preparedness training, and prepare emergency plans and procedures for natural (e.g., hurricanes, floods, earthquakes), wartime, or technological (e.g., nuclear power plant emergencies or hazardous materials spills) disasters or hostage situations.

$86,130/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Teachers, Postsecondary

Teach courses in criminal justice, corrections, and law enforcement administration. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

$83,980/yrJobs growth:

Compliance Officers

Examine, evaluate, and investigate eligibility for or conformity with laws and regulations governing contract compliance of licenses and permits, and perform other compliance and enforcement inspection and analysis activities not classified elsewhere.

$78,420/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Environmental Compliance Inspectors

Inspect and investigate sources of pollution to protect the public and environment and ensure conformance with Federal, State, and local regulations and ordinances.

$78,420/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Equal Opportunity Representatives and Officers

Monitor and evaluate compliance with equal opportunity laws, guidelines, and policies to ensure that employment practices and contracting arrangements give equal opportunity without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability.

$78,420/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Government Property Inspectors and Investigators

Investigate or inspect government property to ensure compliance with contract agreements and government regulations.

$78,420/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Regulatory Affairs Specialists

Coordinate and document internal regulatory processes, such as internal audits, inspections, license renewals, or registrations. May compile and prepare materials for submission to regulatory agencies.

$78,420/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Customs Brokers

Prepare customs documentation and ensure that shipments meet all applicable laws to facilitate the import and export of goods. Determine and track duties and taxes payable and process payments on behalf of client. Sign documents under a power of attorney. Represent clients in meetings with customs officials and apply for duty refunds and tariff reclassifications. Coordinate transportation and storage of imported goods.

$78,420/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Detectives and Criminal Investigators

Conduct investigations related to suspected violations of federal, state, or local laws to prevent or solve crimes.

$77,270/yrJobs growth:

Police Identification and Records Officers

Collect evidence at crime scene, classify and identify fingerprints, and photograph evidence for use in criminal and civil cases.

$77,270/yrJobs growth:

Intelligence Analysts

Gather, analyze, or evaluate information from a variety of sources, such as law enforcement databases, surveillance, intelligence networks or geographic information systems. Use intelligence data to anticipate and prevent organized crime activities, such as terrorism.

$77,270/yrJobs growth:

About This Data

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (October 2025 release)

Population: Graduates who received federal financial aid (Title IV grants or loans). At Colorado Christian University, approximately 33% of students receive Pell grants. Students who did not receive federal aid are not included in these figures.

Earnings: Median earnings from IRS W-2 data for graduates who are employed and not enrolled in further education, measured 1 year after completion. Earnings are pre-tax and include wages, salaries, and self-employment income.

Debt: Median cumulative federal loan debt at graduation. Does not include private loans or Parent PLUS loans borrowed on behalf of students.

Estimated Earnings: Actual earnings data is not available for this program (typically due to privacy thresholds when fewer than 30 graduates reported earnings). The estimate shown is based on the median of 7 similar programs in CO. Actual outcomes may vary.