Criminal Justice and Corrections at Saint Augustine's University

The first-year earnings figure here—$23,500—ranks near the bottom nationally and within North Carolina for criminal justice programs. That's roughly $11,000 below the state median and nearly $15,000 below what graduates earn at comparable North Carolina schools like Campbell or University of Mount Olive. Combined with debt approaching $36,000, new graduates face payments consuming a substantial portion of their early-career income. More than half of students here receive Pell grants, suggesting many families are already stretching financially to afford this degree.

The earnings trajectory does improve significantly—jumping to $41,880 by year four represents 78% growth and actually surpasses the national median. However, that first year presents a real financial squeeze, and these numbers come from a very small sample of graduates, making them less reliable as predictors. In a field where most North Carolina programs produce stronger initial outcomes, the question becomes whether waiting four years for earnings to normalize is manageable given the debt load.

For families without significant financial cushion, this combination of high debt and weak starting salary creates genuine hardship risk during those critical early years. Unless your child has specific ties to Saint Augustine's community or mission, other North Carolina criminal justice programs offer more immediate earnings potential with comparable or lower debt—a meaningful difference when managing loan payments on an entry-level salary.