Criminology at Elizabethtown College

Borrowing $27,000 to earn $37,737 in your first year puts this program exactly at Pennsylvania's median for criminology degrees—neither standout nor bargain. Similar criminology programs across the state suggest a first-year debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.72, meaning graduates typically owe about 9 months' salary. That's manageable territory, though not exceptional for a bachelor's degree where 0.5-0.6 ratios are more comfortable.

The trajectory improves by year four, when earnings reach $46,658—a 24% jump that suggests criminal justice careers do offer steady advancement. However, peer programs in Pennsylvania show a wide range: Saint Joseph's graduates start at $43,283 while similar schools cluster in the high $30,000s. This indicates that school choice and connections matter significantly in this field, and Elizabethtown's 77% admission rate and limited Pell enrollment (19%) position it as a mid-tier option serving relatively advantaged students.

For parents weighing this investment, the math works if your child has clear career goals in law enforcement, corrections, or social services where credentials and steady employment matter more than high starting salaries. The debt load is reasonable, but this isn't a program where graduates vault ahead of their peers—it's a straight-down-the-middle pathway into a field with predictable but modest earnings. If your child isn't committed to criminal justice specifically, programs with stronger early-career earnings would offer more flexibility.