Criminology at Dominican University

Dominican University's criminology program asks graduates to weather a difficult first year—starting at just $31,758—before their earnings trajectory kicks in. While the program sits dead center among Illinois criminology programs (40th percentile), it ranks in the bottom 15% nationally. The modest $27,000 debt load (95th percentile, meaning only 5% of programs carry less debt) provides a crucial cushion during that lean first year, with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.85 that most graduates can realistically manage.

The compelling story here is the 51% earnings jump to $48,026 by year four. That's substantial growth that eventually brings graduates well above both state and national medians for the field. The question is whether families can bridge that first-year gap—a period when many criminology graduates work entry-level positions in corrections, victim services, or social work before moving into better-paying roles. Dominican serves a largely working-class student body (49% receive Pell grants), so that initial earning period matters significantly.

For families who can provide financial runway during the early career phase—either through continued support or careful budgeting—this program's combination of low debt and strong growth presents reasonable value. Those counting on immediate financial independence after graduation will find that first year challenging, even with the manageable debt load.