Criminal Justice and Corrections at Kent State University at Salem

Kent State Salem's criminal justice graduates earn about $34,000 in their first year—roughly $3,600 below the national median and $2,600 below Ohio's median for this degree. Among Ohio's 46 programs, this ranks at the 40th percentile, meaning six in ten programs produce better-earning graduates. The debt load of nearly $26,000 is fairly standard, but when paired with below-average earnings, you're looking at a first-year debt-to-income ratio of 0.76. That's manageable but not comfortable, especially compared to top Ohio programs like Tiffin or Baldwin Wallace where graduates earn $10,000+ more annually.

The 21% earnings growth to $41,000 by year four helps close the gap somewhat, bringing graduates closer to national norms. However, even at that level, they're still trailing peers from stronger programs by significant margins. For a field where many graduates pursue public service careers with modest starting salaries, maximizing earning potential from the start matters—those extra thousands per year compound over a career.

If your child is committed to criminal justice and values staying close to home in northeast Ohio, this program delivers a degree with reasonable debt. But if they're willing to consider other Ohio schools, several options offer substantially better returns without dramatically different debt loads. The choice comes down to whether accessibility and location outweigh the earning gap.