Criminal Justice and Corrections at Quincy University

A debt load around $26,000 for a criminal justice bachelor's degree creates an immediate challenge: based on similar Illinois programs, first-year earnings typically hover near $39,300, putting graduates at about two-thirds of their annual income in debt before they start their first job. While that ratio sits just within conventional affordability guidelines, the absolute dollars matter more for day-to-day budgeting—monthly loan payments will consume a noticeable chunk of an entry-level salary in law enforcement or corrections.

The estimated figures here align closely with both state and national medians for criminal justice programs, suggesting Quincy's outcomes likely fall in the typical range rather than at either extreme. What's harder to gauge is whether Quincy specifically opens doors that justify the investment. Several Illinois peers—Benedictine, Aurora, St. Francis—report actual earnings in the $43,000-$46,000 range for their graduates, demonstrating that stronger outcomes exist within the state, though we can't confirm where Quincy's own alumni land without direct data.

The practical question: can your family afford the loan payments on a salary that might start below $40,000? Criminal justice careers often value experience and local connections as much as the degree itself, so if Quincy provides strong regional networking or practical training, it could prove worthwhile. But if comparable programs at public universities offer significantly lower costs, that difference becomes real money in your child's pocket during those early career years.