Criminology at St. John Fisher University

St. John Fisher's criminology graduates earn $33,623 in their first year—about $1,600 below New York's state median and nearly $4,000 below the national average for the field. While the program sits at the 40th percentile statewide, that still means roughly 60% of New York criminology programs produce better earning outcomes, including SUNY options like Albany ($42,257) and Cortland ($34,768) that may cost considerably less for in-state students.

The debt picture adds complexity to an already challenging value proposition. At $24,750, borrowing is essentially on par with both state and national averages, creating a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.74—manageable but not comfortable given the modest starting salary. For context, graduates are leaving with debt that represents roughly nine months of their first-year income, which could stretch loan repayment timelines and limit early-career financial flexibility.

For parents considering this program, the question becomes whether St. John Fisher's private school environment justifies outcomes that fall short of several public alternatives in New York. If your child is attracted to the Rochester campus culture or specific faculty, understand you're likely paying a premium for those intangibles rather than measurably stronger career outcomes. The more financially conservative path would be exploring SUNY programs that deliver comparable or better earnings at lower total cost.