Criminal Justice and Corrections (Bachelor's Degree) at Judson University

Est. Earnings (1yr)

$39,317

Est. from IL median (23 programs)

Est. Median Debt

$25,979

Est. from IL median (11 programs)

Analysis

A $39,000 starting salary against $26,000 in debt puts you right at the median for criminal justice programs in Illinois—but that "right at the median" matters when you look at what graduates from other private schools in the state are earning. Similar programs in Illinois at schools like Benedictine and Aurora report first-year earnings in the $44,000-$46,000 range, suggesting Judson's program, while affordable for a private institution, may not be opening the same doors professionally.

The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.66 is manageable on paper—you're looking at monthly loan payments around $270 on a standard plan—but criminal justice careers often start modestly and advance slowly. Many positions in corrections, probation, and local law enforcement hover near these estimated starting figures for years. If your child is committed to public service work in this field, they'll need to budget carefully in those early years, even with reasonable debt.

The real question is whether a private college credential justifies the investment when community colleges and public universities offer the same degree for significantly less, and employers in criminal justice typically prioritize civil service exams and work experience over where you got your degree. If Judson offers specific law enforcement connections or internship pipelines that similar Illinois programs don't, that could matter—but absent that kind of distinguishing factor, this looks like a field where the credential matters more than the institution granting it.

Where Judson University Stands

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

Compare to Similar Programs in Illinois

Criminal Justice and Corrections bachelors's programs at peer institutions in Illinois (33 total in state)

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School	In-State Tuition	Earnings (1yr)*	Earnings (4yr)	Median Debt*	Debt/Earnings
Judson UniversityElgin	$30,910	$39,317*	—	$25,979*	—
Benedictine UniversityLisle	$34,290	$46,020*	—	$25,979*	0.56
Aurora UniversityAurora	$28,220	$44,150*	$58,259	$23,635*	0.54
University of St FrancisJoliet	$37,000	$43,793*	$43,109	—*	—
North Park UniversityChicago	$35,325	$43,519*	$48,806	—*	—
DeVry University-IllinoisLisle	$17,488	$43,091*	$46,188	$54,985*	1.28
National Median	—	$37,856*	—	$26,130*	0.69

* Estimated from similar programs

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 Judson University, approximately 40% 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.

Estimated Earnings: Actual earnings data is not available for this program (typically due to privacy thresholds when fewer than 30 graduates reported earnings). The estimate shown is based on the median of 23 similar programs in IL. Actual outcomes may vary.