Location: Greenwood, SC•In-State Tuition: $11,700•Out-of-State Tuition: $21,300•Admission Rate: 68%•Avg SAT: 1057
Est. Earnings (1yr)
$36,747
Est. from SC median (14 programs)
Median Debt
$28,000
7% above national median

Analysis

In South Carolina, criminal justice programs produce widely varying outcomes, with top performers reaching $50,000 in first-year earnings while others cluster near the state median. Lander's estimated earnings of $36,747—based on 14 similar programs across South Carolina—place it squarely in the middle tier, roughly on par with the national benchmark but trailing programs like Columbia College and Anderson by $10,000 to $14,000. The $28,000 debt load is manageable, actually falling below both state and national medians for this field.

The 0.76 debt-to-earnings ratio suggests graduates would need about nine months of gross income to cover their student loans—reasonable by college standards, though far from the strong outcomes seen at South Carolina's best criminal justice programs. For students serious about careers in law enforcement or corrections, where starting salaries often follow standardized pay scales, the financial picture works if you're realistic about what "middle-of-the-pack" means in this field.

The uncertainty here matters: without reported data specific to Lander, you're relying on state-wide patterns that may or may not reflect this particular program's outcomes. If your child is considering criminal justice, the practical question is whether Lander offers something—location, network, or specialization—that justifies accepting middle-tier estimated earnings when peer institutions show concrete evidence of better results.

Where Lander University Stands

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

Lander University (estimated ±10%)Other criminal justice and corrections programs

Dashed lines show national medians. Upper-left = best value.

Compare to Similar Programs in South Carolina

Criminal Justice and Corrections bachelors's programs at peer institutions in South Carolina (20 total in state)

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SchoolIn-State TuitionEarnings (1yr)*Earnings (4yr)Median DebtDebt/Earnings
Lander UniversityGreenwood$11,700$36,747*—$28,000—
Columbia CollegeColumbia$21,450$50,519*$52,561$26,7730.53
Anderson UniversityAnderson$33,580$45,583*$42,489$28,5000.63
Citadel Military College of South CarolinaCharleston$12,570$45,235*$50,808$24,9660.55
Strayer University-South CarolinaGreenville$13,920$43,405*$50,636$56,9371.31
North Greenville UniversityTigerville$24,650$39,415*———
National Median—$37,856*—$26,1300.69
* 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 Lander 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 14 similar programs in SC. Actual outcomes may vary.