Criminal Justice and Corrections at Guilford College

Guilford's criminal justice program falls significantly below national standards, ranking in just the 12th percentile for graduate earnings—but the picture within North Carolina is more nuanced. At around $32,000 first-year, graduates earn about $2,600 less than the typical North Carolina program and trail the state's top performers by over $10,000 annually. The debt load of $27,290 is close to state and national medians, but when paired with below-average earnings, it creates a concerning debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.86.

The small sample size (under 30 graduates) is a critical caveat here—these numbers could shift dramatically with more data. The 26% earnings growth to year four is encouraging and suggests the degree does help graduates advance, but they're starting from a weak baseline. Given that 44% of Guilford students receive Pell grants, many families here are price-sensitive, making that initial earnings gap particularly painful.

For families considering this program, the numbers suggest looking hard at alternatives. Several NC schools deliver significantly better outcomes at similar or lower cost. Unless Guilford offers specific connections or opportunities in criminal justice that justify the earnings gap, this investment carries above-average risk for the financial return.