Criminal Justice and Corrections at Saint Edward's University

Saint Edward's criminal justice graduates start at $36,829—slightly below the national median but comfortably above most Texas programs, landing at the 60th percentile statewide. More importantly, these earnings jump 30% to $48,020 by year four, putting graduates on a trajectory toward the mid-$40s where several top Texas programs start. The debt load of $24,949 is manageable, translating to a 0.68 debt-to-earnings ratio that shouldn't strain most graduates' budgets.

The key caveat here is sample size—we're looking at fewer than 30 graduates, so your child's experience could vary considerably from these medians. Still, the pattern makes sense for a selective liberal arts school in Austin, where the strong local economy and the university's professional networks likely contribute to that notable earnings growth. This isn't the highest-earning criminal justice program in Texas, but it appears to offer something many alternatives don't: meaningful salary progression after that initial entry-level period.

For families comfortable with Saint Edward's sticker price and the inherent uncertainty of small-sample data, this looks like a reasonable investment. The debt is modest, the trajectory is upward, and the Austin location provides career opportunities that may explain why these graduates outperform most Texas peers even if they don't match the state's highest earners.