Criminal Justice and Corrections at DeVry University-Illinois

DeVry's Criminal Justice program produces graduates who earn well above both the national and Illinois medians—landing in the 80th percentile nationally and 60th within Illinois. At $46,188 four years out, these graduates are earning more than those from Benedictine or Aurora, traditionally respected private universities. The problem? They're paying double what students at comparable programs face in debt.

That $54,985 median debt load is more than twice the national average for criminal justice programs and dramatically higher than Illinois competitors who charge $25,000-$26,000. While DeVry serves a predominantly Pell-eligible population (65% of students), the financial burden raises questions about whether the earnings premium justifies the cost. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.28 means graduates are starting with debt exceeding their first year's salary—manageable but tight, especially in a field not known for rapid salary growth.

The case for DeVry rests on outcomes: if your child is choosing between this and a lower-cost state program where they might struggle to graduate or land employment, the premium could work. But if they're comparing to public universities with similar placement rates, the debt difference becomes harder to justify. For a criminal justice degree, where many roles have salary caps, starting with $55,000 in debt versus $25,000 creates meaningfully different financial trajectories over the repayment period.