Criminology at Oklahoma Baptist University

Comparable criminology bachelor's programs nationally suggest first-year earnings around $37,476—a modest entry point for graduates entering law enforcement, corrections, or social services fields. The estimated $26,027 in debt produces a manageable 0.69 debt-to-earnings ratio, meaning graduates would owe roughly eight months of their first year's salary. This sits slightly above the national median debt of $25,000 for criminology degrees, though not dramatically so.

The challenge here is less about the numbers themselves and more about what criminology degrees typically lead to. Many positions in this field—police officers, probation officers, court services—have structured pay scales that start modestly regardless of where you earned your degree. If your child is committed to criminal justice work, the debt load based on peer programs appears reasonable. However, criminology isn't a field where the bachelor's degree commands a significant earnings premium compared to careers accessible through police academies or associate degree programs.

Given that only two Oklahoma schools offer this bachelor's program and neither has published graduate outcomes, you're essentially betting on a familiar career trajectory: stable government or nonprofit work with predictable but limited early earnings growth. The real question is whether a four-year private university experience justifies the cost when the career outcomes may not differ substantially from less expensive pathways into the same roles.