Criminal Justice and Corrections at Fairmont State University

Fairmont State's criminal justice program falls near the middle of the pack nationally but performs reasonably well within West Virginia, where it ranks in the 60th percentile among 15 programs offering this degree. Graduates earn $36,179 in their first year—slightly below the national median but above the state median of $34,463. The 19% earnings growth to $43,086 by year four is solid progression, though still well below what online options like American Public University System deliver to West Virginia students.

The debt picture is manageable. At $25,557, graduates borrow slightly less than both national and state medians, creating a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.71—less than a year's salary. For a state where criminal justice programs average $26,250 in debt, this represents a modest advantage. The real question is whether criminal justice careers offer enough long-term growth to justify even this moderate borrowing, given that four-year earnings still hover around $43,000.

For West Virginia families, Fairmont State delivers predictable results at an accessible price point (99% admission rate, serving students from diverse economic backgrounds). It won't produce the earnings of online competitors or out-of-state alternatives, but it provides a stable path into law enforcement or corrections work without excessive debt burden. Just recognize this is a middle-income career track, not a pathway to rapid salary growth.