Criminal Justice and Corrections (Bachelor's Degree) at Indiana University-South Bend

Median Earnings (1yr)

$35,462

33rd percentile

40th percentile in Indiana

Median Debt

$17,275

34% below national median

Analysis

IU-South Bend's Criminal Justice program costs substantially less than peers—graduates leave with roughly $17,000 in debt compared to a $25,000 state median—but delivers earnings below both state and national benchmarks. Starting at $35,462, graduates earn about $4,500 less than the typical Indiana criminal justice graduate and land in the 40th percentile statewide. That gap matters: top programs in the state like Calumet College of Saint Joseph ($55,587) and Vincennes University ($46,644) produce outcomes more than $10,000 higher annually.

The program's advantage is its exceptionally low debt burden, ranking in the 95th percentile nationally (meaning only 5% of programs leave students with less debt). The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.49 means graduates owe less than half their first-year salary, making this financially manageable even with below-average earnings. Four-year earnings grow to $40,174, a solid 13% increase that closes some of the gap with state averages.

For families prioritizing affordability over earning potential, this program delivers low financial risk. But if your child wants to maximize their criminal justice career earnings within Indiana, several other state options offer significantly stronger outcomes without dramatically more debt.

Where Indiana University-South Bend Stands

Earnings vs. debt across all criminal justice and corrections bachelors's programs nationally

Earnings Distribution

How Indiana University-South Bend graduates compare to all programs nationally

Earnings Over Time

How earnings evolve from 1 year to 4 years after graduation

School	1 Year	4 Years	Growth
Indiana University-South Bend	$35,462	$40,174	+13%
Oakland City University	$46,038	$59,489	+29%
Indiana University-Bloomington	$35,572	$51,792	+46%
University of Indianapolis	$44,418	$50,758	+14%
Ball State University	$39,991	$47,500	+19%

Compare to Similar Programs in Indiana

Criminal Justice and Corrections bachelors's programs at peer institutions in Indiana (28 total in state)

Scroll to see more →

School	In-State Tuition	Earnings (1yr)	Earnings (4yr)	Median Debt	Debt/Earnings
Indiana University-South BendSouth Bend	$8,179	$35,462	$40,174	$17,275	0.49
Calumet College of Saint JosephWhiting	$22,650	$55,587	—	$23,856	0.43
Vincennes UniversityVincennes	$6,886	$46,644	$46,026	$21,030	0.45
Oakland City UniversityOakland City	$27,150	$46,038	$59,489	$24,657	0.54
Purdue University GlobalWest Lafayette	$10,110	$45,984	$43,072	$40,244	0.88
Indiana University-EastRichmond	$8,179	$45,204	$44,403	$28,686	0.63
National Median	—	$37,856	—	$26,130	0.69

Career Paths

Occupations commonly associated with criminal justice and corrections graduates

Financial Examiners

Enforce or ensure compliance with laws and regulations governing financial and securities institutions and financial and real estate transactions. May examine, verify, or authenticate records.

$90,400/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Emergency Management Directors

Plan and direct disaster response or crisis management activities, provide disaster preparedness training, and prepare emergency plans and procedures for natural (e.g., hurricanes, floods, earthquakes), wartime, or technological (e.g., nuclear power plant emergencies or hazardous materials spills) disasters or hostage situations.

$86,130/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Teachers, Postsecondary

Teach courses in criminal justice, corrections, and law enforcement administration. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

$83,980/yrJobs growth:

Compliance Officers

Examine, evaluate, and investigate eligibility for or conformity with laws and regulations governing contract compliance of licenses and permits, and perform other compliance and enforcement inspection and analysis activities not classified elsewhere.

$78,420/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Environmental Compliance Inspectors

Inspect and investigate sources of pollution to protect the public and environment and ensure conformance with Federal, State, and local regulations and ordinances.

$78,420/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Equal Opportunity Representatives and Officers

Monitor and evaluate compliance with equal opportunity laws, guidelines, and policies to ensure that employment practices and contracting arrangements give equal opportunity without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability.

$78,420/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Government Property Inspectors and Investigators

Investigate or inspect government property to ensure compliance with contract agreements and government regulations.

$78,420/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Regulatory Affairs Specialists

Coordinate and document internal regulatory processes, such as internal audits, inspections, license renewals, or registrations. May compile and prepare materials for submission to regulatory agencies.

$78,420/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Customs Brokers

Prepare customs documentation and ensure that shipments meet all applicable laws to facilitate the import and export of goods. Determine and track duties and taxes payable and process payments on behalf of client. Sign documents under a power of attorney. Represent clients in meetings with customs officials and apply for duty refunds and tariff reclassifications. Coordinate transportation and storage of imported goods.

$78,420/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Detectives and Criminal Investigators

Conduct investigations related to suspected violations of federal, state, or local laws to prevent or solve crimes.

$77,270/yrJobs growth:

Police Identification and Records Officers

Collect evidence at crime scene, classify and identify fingerprints, and photograph evidence for use in criminal and civil cases.

$77,270/yrJobs growth:

Intelligence Analysts

Gather, analyze, or evaluate information from a variety of sources, such as law enforcement databases, surveillance, intelligence networks or geographic information systems. Use intelligence data to anticipate and prevent organized crime activities, such as terrorism.

$77,270/yrJobs growth:

About This Data

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (October 2025 release)

Population: Graduates who received federal financial aid (Title IV grants or loans). At Indiana University-South Bend, approximately 41% of students receive Pell grants. Students who did not receive federal aid are not included in these figures.

Earnings: Median earnings from IRS W-2 data for graduates who are employed and not enrolled in further education, measured 1 year after completion. Earnings are pre-tax and include wages, salaries, and self-employment income.

Debt: Median cumulative federal loan debt at graduation. Does not include private loans or Parent PLUS loans borrowed on behalf of students.

Sample Size: Based on 33 graduates with reported earnings and 32 graduates with debt data. Small samples may not be representative.