Criminal Justice and Corrections at South University-Savannah

South University-Savannah's criminal justice program saddles graduates with more than double the debt burden typical for this field—$55,652 versus a national median of $26,130. While earnings at $37,713 initially place graduates slightly above Georgia's median for this program (60th percentile in-state), that advantage doesn't justify the debt load. To put this in perspective: a graduate here carries roughly $29,000 more debt than the average criminal justice graduate in Georgia while earning only about $400 more annually.

The 13% earnings growth over four years helps somewhat, reaching $42,478, but the fundamental math remains troubling. With a debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.48, graduates face loan payments that will consume a significant portion of take-home pay for years. Compare this to programs like Thomas University ($52,991 starting salary) or Strayer University-Georgia ($43,405) where graduates earn more with presumably less debt burden. Given that 72% of students here receive Pell grants, this debt level hits families who can least afford it.

Criminal justice careers—often in public service—rarely offer the salary growth needed to quickly overcome six-figure debt. Unless this program offers exceptional law enforcement connections or specialized training unavailable elsewhere in Georgia, the numbers suggest looking at lower-cost alternatives in the state system or at competitors who deliver similar outcomes with half the debt.