Criminal Justice and Corrections at North Dakota State University-Main Campus

North Dakota State's criminal justice program tracks below other options in the state—ranking 40th percentile among ND programs—even as it lands near the national middle. Graduates here earn $41,071 at the state median but start at just $38,057, falling about $3,000 behind University of North Dakota graduates and nearly $7,500 behind Minot State grads in a state with only eight programs to choose from.

The silver lining is strong earnings momentum: that 35% jump from year one to year four suggests graduates find their footing relatively quickly, catching up to peers who started ahead. The debt load of $23,125 sits comfortably below both state and national averages, creating a manageable 0.61 debt-to-earnings ratio that most graduates can handle on entry-level law enforcement or corrections salaries.

For an in-state student paying North Dakota tuition rates, this program offers a reasonable path forward, particularly if location flexibility matters less than staying near Fargo. But families comparing options should recognize that spending two years at UND or Minot State could mean substantially higher starting salaries in the same job market, which compounds over a career. The difference between $38,000 and $45,000 at career start isn't trivial when you're weighing which state school to attend.