Criminal Justice and Corrections at Plymouth State University

Plymouth State's Criminal Justice program starts graduates at $39,171—below the New Hampshire median of $42,053 and landing in just the 40th percentile among state programs. That's a notable gap when you're competing for the same jobs as Southern New Hampshire and New England College graduates who start $6,000-7,000 higher. The $27,000 debt load sits right at the state median, so you're taking on average debt for below-average starting pay in your local market.

The encouraging part: earnings jump 36% to $53,101 by year four, suggesting graduates who stick with the field see meaningful career progression. This pulls the program above the national median, though it doesn't fully close the gap with top state competitors. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.69 is manageable—you'd owe less than a year's starting salary—but that assumes your child lands a steady job right away, which isn't guaranteed in criminal justice where hiring can depend heavily on local government budgets and civil service exam timing.

For an in-state student paying New Hampshire public tuition, this could work if your child is committed to law enforcement or corrections as a career and willing to grind through those early years. But if they're considering this field casually or have options at Keene State (which matches the state median at a similar price point), those first few lean years deserve serious conversation before committing.