Criminal Justice and Corrections at DeVry University-Texas

DeVry's Criminal Justice program charges premium prices—graduates carry twice the debt of typical Texas students in this field ($54,985 vs. $25,834 state median)—but the earnings don't justify the cost. While first-year earnings of $43,091 beat both state and national averages, they fall well short of what students at Wayland Baptist ($53,038) or University of Phoenix-Texas ($47,987) achieve. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.28 means graduates face over a year's salary in loans, a heavy burden for a field where earnings typically cap out around $50,000.

The numbers get more troubling when you consider the trajectory: earnings grow just 7% over four years, reaching $46,188. This modest growth pattern is common in criminal justice careers, where salary advancement often depends on civil service scales rather than market forces. For families paying a premium, you'd want to see stronger differentiation in outcomes, especially given the program serves a significant population of Pell-eligible students (37%) who can least afford to over-leverage.

Compare this carefully against in-state public options like Lamar University, which produces similar earnings with far less debt. Unless your child has compelling reasons to choose DeVry specifically—and can significantly reduce that debt burden through scholarships—the return on investment simply doesn't add up against more affordable Texas alternatives.