Criminology at Old Dominion University

Old Dominion's criminology program offers something notable for Virginia students: it outperforms the state's median earnings by more than $10,000, ranking in the 60th percentile among the handful of Virginia schools offering this degree. With first-year earnings of $37,255 rising to $44,575 by year four—a solid 20% gain—graduates see meaningful income progression in their early careers. The $25,000 median debt sits right at the national average, creating a manageable debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.67 that most graduates can handle with standard repayment plans.

The program tracks closely with national benchmarks, landing squarely in the middle of the pack at the 48th percentile. That's neither exceptional nor disappointing—it's simply where most criminology programs cluster. The stronger performance within Virginia matters more for in-state students who'll pay lower tuition and likely work in the state after graduation. The robust sample size of 100+ graduates also means these numbers reflect real, consistent outcomes rather than statistical noise.

For parents evaluating this program, the key question is whether a criminology degree aligns with their child's career goals in law enforcement, corrections, or related fields. If so, Old Dominion delivers typical outcomes for the field at a reasonable debt level, with the added advantage of performing better than most Virginia alternatives. Just understand that criminology isn't a high-earning field—these wages reflect the reality of public sector and social service careers.