Criminal Justice and Corrections at Concordia University-Chicago

Criminal justice programs in Illinois cluster around the $39,000 mark for first-year earnings, and Concordia-Chicago's estimates—drawn from peer programs across the state—place it right in that range. With estimated debt of roughly $26,000, graduates would face a manageable debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.66, meaning annual debt equals about eight months of first-year salary. However, other Illinois schools with reported outcomes show their criminal justice graduates earning $43,000 to $46,000—several thousand dollars more than the state median suggests for this program.

That earnings gap matters when you're servicing student loans. The difference between $39,000 and $44,000 translates to meaningful breathing room in a graduate's budget, particularly in a field where salaries don't typically spike dramatically after the first few years. Criminal justice careers—whether in corrections, probation, or law enforcement—tend to offer stability and benefits rather than rapid income growth, making that starting salary especially important.

For parents considering this program, the key question is whether Concordia-Chicago provides the same access to higher-paying positions that graduates from Benedictine or Aurora seem to find. The school's 93% admission rate and the fact that 45% of students receive Pell grants suggest it serves a broad student population, but without actual outcome data for this specific program, you're betting on an estimate. If your child has admission offers from schools with stronger reported earnings in this field, those numbers deserve serious weight in your decision.