Criminal Justice and Corrections at Ohio University-Southern Campus

Ohio University-Southern's Criminal Justice program punches well above its weight nationally—graduates earn $44,159 in their first year, placing them in the 90th percentile among similar programs nationwide and nearly $11,000 above the national median. The debt burden of $13,500 is also below the typical load for this field. However, the small graduating class (under 30 students) means these numbers could shift significantly year to year, so they're more of a promising signal than a guarantee.

Within Ohio, the picture is more modest. While this program matches the flagship campus's outcomes and exceeds the state median by about $6,000, it sits at the 60th percentile among the state's 57 criminal justice programs. Still, the debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.31 means graduates could theoretically pay off their loans in about four months of gross earnings—a manageable starting point for those entering law enforcement or corrections.

The limited earnings growth to $46,411 by year four is worth noting, though this may reflect the reality of entry-level public sector work more than the program itself. For families concerned about debt and return on investment, this represents a solid option, particularly if your student is committed to staying in the region. Just recognize that the small sample size makes this data less reliable than programs with hundreds of graduates.