Criminal Justice and Corrections at Kennesaw State University

Kennesaw State delivers exactly what you'd expect from a solid public university criminal justice program—middle-of-the-pack earnings with manageable debt. At $39,566 in year one, graduates earn slightly above both the national median ($37,856) and Georgia's median ($37,330) for this field, landing at the 60th percentile in both comparisons. The debt load of $26,000 is actually below Georgia's typical $30,658, making this one of the more affordable pathways into criminal justice work in the state.

The 17% earnings growth to $46,290 by year four shows steady career progression, though it's worth noting that even experienced graduates remain well below Georgia's top programs—some smaller schools place graduates earning $60,000+. That gap likely reflects the realities of criminal justice careers: many graduates enter government positions with structured pay scales rather than high-growth private sector roles. The 0.66 debt-to-earnings ratio means your child would owe roughly eight months' salary, which is reasonable for a field that values stability over big paychecks.

For families prioritizing affordability and job security over maximum earnings potential, this program makes sense. The large sample size confirms these numbers reflect genuine outcomes, not statistical noise. Just understand that criminal justice rarely leads to high earnings—if your child wants both public service and financial upside, they might explore the higher-earning programs elsewhere in Georgia or consider complementary credentials in fields like cybersecurity or emergency management.