Criminal Justice and Corrections at Herzing University-Akron

Herzing University-Akron's criminal justice graduates earn $67,229 in their first year—nearly double both the national median ($37,856) and Ohio median ($36,612) for this degree. This puts the program in the 95th percentile both nationally and statewide, significantly outperforming even Ohio's top-ranked programs like Tiffin University ($44,823). With manageable debt of $28,399, your child would face a debt-to-earnings ratio of just 0.42, meaning they could theoretically pay off loans in under six months of gross salary.

The concerning pattern here is what happens next: earnings drop to $58,875 by year four, a 12% decline that's unusual for bachelor's degree holders. This could reflect graduates moving from higher-paying private security or corporate roles into traditional law enforcement positions, or it might indicate difficulty maintaining those initial salaries. Even with this decline, fourth-year earnings still exceed most Ohio criminal justice programs' starting salaries, but it's worth understanding why earnings peak immediately after graduation.

For families prioritizing immediate employment prospects and manageable debt, this program delivers exceptional short-term returns. The 78% Pell grant rate suggests Herzing serves working-class students effectively, and those initial earnings could enable rapid debt payoff. Just recognize that the earnings trajectory moves downward rather than upward, which is atypical and worth investigating during campus visits.