Criminal Justice and Corrections at Jackson State University

Jackson State's Criminal Justice program ranks last among Mississippi's 12 criminal justice programs in first-year earnings, producing graduates who earn significantly below both the state median ($35,540) and national median ($37,856). With graduates starting at just $27,101—placing them in the bottom 5% nationally—this represents one of the weakest performing criminal justice programs in the country by immediate post-graduation outcomes.

The $31,000 in typical debt compounds the challenge. While the debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.14 isn't catastrophic on paper, it means graduates are spending their first year earning barely enough to cover loan payments while living in one of America's lowest cost-of-living states. The 61% earnings jump to $43,486 by year four offers some relief, but that four-year wait is tough when you're starting $10,000 below your in-state peers and nearly $16,000 below comparable programs at Strayer or Mississippi College.

For families seeking a criminal justice degree in Mississippi, this program requires serious consideration of alternatives. The University of Southern Mississippi offers similar state-school benefits with significantly stronger earnings outcomes. If Jackson State is the choice for other compelling reasons—location, campus culture, specific faculty—understand that the financial path will be harder initially than at peer institutions, even accounting for the strong earnings recovery over time.