Criminal Justice and Corrections at Geneva College

A $27,000 debt burden against $37,300 in projected first-year earnings places this program right at Pennsylvania's median for criminal justice degrees—neither a standout nor a red flag. With a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.72, graduates from comparable programs in the state typically face manageable repayment, though several Pennsylvania schools achieve notably stronger outcomes, with top performers placing graduates in the mid-$40,000s.

The challenge here is that criminal justice careers often require working through lower-paying entry positions before reaching better compensation. While similar programs in Pennsylvania produce earnings that match national benchmarks, there's a significant gap between the typical graduate at $37,300 and those at schools like Peirce or Chestnut Hill who start above $46,000. Since we're working with state-level estimates rather than Geneva's specific track record, you can't know whether this program connects students to higher-paying federal or investigative roles versus local corrections positions.

For families investing $27,000 in debt, the key question is whether Geneva's specific curriculum and employer connections can deliver outcomes above the state median. Request placement data showing where recent graduates actually work and their starting salaries—this will reveal whether the program opens doors to competitive positions or simply produces average results at average cost.