Criminal Justice and Corrections at Saint Ambrose University

Iowa's criminal justice programs cluster tightly around $43,000 in first-year earnings, and while Saint Ambrose's figures are estimates drawn from state peers, they place this program squarely in that middle ground—neither at the top like Loras College's $47,000 nor lagging significantly behind. The estimated $27,000 debt load translates to a 0.63 debt-to-earnings ratio, meaning graduates would owe about seven and a half months of their first-year salary. That's manageable territory for a bachelor's degree, particularly in a field where earnings tend to grow steadily.

The jump to $62,278 by year four suggests criminal justice careers in Iowa follow a progression—likely as graduates move from entry-level positions into roles with more responsibility or shift into federal opportunities. This makes the initial earnings less concerning than they might appear in isolation. However, parents should recognize that these estimated figures don't reflect Saint Ambrose's specific track record with job placement or alumni networks, which can vary considerably even among programs with similar peer outcomes.

For a family comfortable with $27,000 in debt and a four-year earnings horizon, this looks like reasonable value. But given the estimation uncertainty, it's worth asking Saint Ambrose directly about their graduates' actual outcomes and employer connections in the criminal justice field—because in law enforcement and corrections, where you studied can matter as much as what credentials you earned.