Criminal Justice and Corrections at Minot State University

Minot State's criminal justice program delivers something increasingly rare: graduates who significantly outperform the national benchmark. At $45,579 in first-year earnings, graduates earn 20% more than the national median for this degree, placing them in the 93rd percentile nationally. That's a meaningful advantage in a field where many programs leave graduates struggling to make loan payments worthwhile.

Within North Dakota, the picture is more nuanced. While Minot State ranks at the 60th percentile statewide—trailing programs at UND and Rasmussen—it still beats the state median by roughly $4,500 annually. The debt load of $26,343 is slightly above the state average but manageable given the earnings trajectory. With a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.58, graduates should be able to handle payments without financial strain, and the 6% earnings bump by year four suggests stable career progression rather than stagnation.

For parents worried about their child's ability to launch financially after college, this program clears the bar. The combination of above-average earnings and reasonable debt means graduates can realistically afford independence while building law enforcement or corrections careers. It's not the state's top program, but it offers solid economic outcomes that make the investment defensible—particularly for students already drawn to criminal justice work in North Dakota.