Criminal Justice and Corrections at Mercer University

The $46,775 debt load here is the real issue—it's nearly double Georgia's typical debt for criminal justice programs ($30,658) and dwarfs the national median of $26,130. While the small sample size (under 30 graduates) means these numbers could shift with more data, borrowing this much for a field where first-year earnings start at $37,319 creates immediate financial pressure. That 1.25 debt-to-earnings ratio means graduates owe more than their first year's salary, which is challenging for a public service career where income growth, while steady at 23% over four years, still leaves graduates earning $45,717 by year four.

The earnings themselves sit right at Georgia's median for criminal justice programs, but multiple state universities deliver similar outcomes with far less debt. When competitors like Thomas University produce graduates earning $52,991, and Mercer's graduates land in just the 40th percentile statewide, the premium tuition isn't translating to premium outcomes. For parents considering this program, the path forward should focus on negotiating that debt burden down significantly through merit aid or institutional grants—or comparing offers from Georgia's public universities where criminal justice students typically graduate with $16,000 less debt for comparable career trajectories.