Criminal Justice and Corrections at Elmhurst University

The modest first-year earnings of $38,352 might worry parents initially, but Elmhurst's criminal justice program shows something unusual: a 73% earnings jump by year four, pushing graduates to $66,495. That's well above what most criminal justice programs deliver nationally, though the small sample size (under 30 graduates) means these numbers could shift significantly with more data. Within Illinois, this program sits around the 40th percentile for early earnings, trailing schools like Benedictine ($46,020) and Aurora ($44,150), but the four-year outcome suggests graduates are finding paths to better-paying positions over time.

The $27,000 debt load is reasonable and slightly above both state and national medians, creating a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.70 that's manageable even in that modest first year. The real question is what's driving that earnings surge—whether it's graduate degree completion, career advancement in law enforcement or corrections, or just the natural progression in these fields. Criminal justice careers often require starting at entry-level positions with structured advancement.

For families comfortable with a slower financial start in exchange for longer-term growth potential, this could work. But given the small sample and below-median position among Illinois programs early on, parents should investigate what specific career paths recent graduates have taken and whether those align with their child's goals. The four-year number is promising, but you're making that investment decision based on limited evidence.