Criminal Justice and Corrections at Rutgers University-Camden

Rutgers-Camden's Criminal Justice program delivers solid value despite modest starting salaries, with graduates seeing impressive 48% earnings growth by their fourth year. While first-year earnings of $34,611 trail the national average by about $3,200, the program ranks in the 60th percentile among New Jersey schools—meaning it outperforms most in-state competitors. More importantly, by year four, graduates earn $51,267, showing this program creates meaningful career progression rather than dead-end jobs.

The debt picture is reasonable at $22,431, creating a manageable debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.65 that's better than many programs. However, graduates do take on more debt than typical for this field nationally (78th percentile), though it's roughly average for New Jersey. The strong earnings trajectory helps justify this higher borrowing, as the four-year salary nearly matches what top-performing programs deliver initially.

For parents, this represents a solid middle-ground choice—not the highest-earning criminal justice program in the state, but one that combines reasonable debt with strong upward mobility. The 78% admission rate makes it accessible, while the robust sample size gives confidence these outcomes are reliable. Your child likely won't get rich quickly, but they'll have clear career growth potential in a stable field.