Criminal Justice and Corrections at Rockhurst University

A debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.71 looks manageable on paper, but the reality behind these figures deserves scrutiny. Similar programs across Missouri typically produce first-year earnings around $37,000—right in line with this estimate—while graduates carry roughly $26,000 in debt. That's a workable starting point, but it's worth noting that Missouri's criminal justice landscape is competitive, with several programs producing significantly higher outcomes. Park University and Columbia College graduates, for instance, report first-year earnings in the mid-$40,000s, suggesting that program choice matters considerably in this field.

The challenge for your family is that you're working with statewide averages rather than Rockhurst-specific outcomes, which means there's genuine uncertainty about where this particular program falls within Missouri's range. Criminal justice salaries are notoriously dependent on which agencies hire graduates and what positions they secure—federal versus local, corrections versus law enforcement. Rockhurst's smaller program size (which explains the suppressed data) might offer personalized attention, but it also means fewer data points to assess career placement strength.

Before committing, reach out to Rockhurst's career services for concrete placement data: which agencies typically hire their graduates, what positions they secure, and actual starting salaries. If they're placing students in federal positions or specialized roles, outcomes could exceed these estimates significantly. If most graduates enter local corrections or security positions, expect earnings closer to—or below—the state median.