Criminal Justice and Corrections at Herzing University-Minneapolis

Herzing University-Minneapolis graduates earn $67,229 right out of college—nearly $18,000 more than the Minnesota median for criminal justice programs and a striking 78% above the national average. Among Minnesota's 19 criminal justice programs, this ranks in the 80th percentile, outperforming established state schools like Metropolitan State and Bemidji State. The debt load of $28,399 is roughly average for both state and national benchmarks, creating a debt-to-earnings ratio of just 0.42—meaning graduates could theoretically pay off their loans in about five months of gross income.

The troubling element here is what happens after that strong start: earnings drop to $58,875 by year four, a 12% decline that's unusual for bachelor's degree holders. This pattern suggests graduates may be landing in positions with strong initial compensation but limited advancement, or that the broader criminal justice job market has structural issues. Even with this decline, four-year earnings still exceed the state median, though the gap narrows considerably.

For parents weighing this investment, the numbers support a green light if their student can secure one of those high-paying initial positions. The moderate sample size means these outcomes are based on 30-100 graduates, providing reasonable confidence in the data. Just understand you're likely paying for access to an exceptional first job rather than a traditional career trajectory with steady increases.