Criminal Justice and Corrections at Tarleton State University

Tarleton State's Criminal Justice program punches above its weight class. With first-year earnings of $43,186, graduates here outperform 80% of Criminal Justice programs nationally—impressive for a school with a 94% admission rate and modest SAT scores. In Texas specifically, this places them at the 60th percentile, sitting just behind Texas A&M-Central Texas but well ahead of the state median of $35,862. The debt load of $23,250 is also below both national and state averages, creating a manageable 0.54 debt-to-earnings ratio that most graduates can handle comfortably.

The trajectory looks solid too, with earnings climbing to $49,034 by year four—a 14% bump that suggests graduates are building viable law enforcement and corrections careers. This isn't the flashiest criminal justice program in Texas (Wayland Baptist tops the state at $53,038), but it delivers competitive outcomes at a lower cost than most alternatives. For students who want to enter public safety fields without taking on excessive debt, this represents a practical path forward.

The bottom line: Tarleton offers above-average career outcomes in a field where many programs struggle to justify their cost. Given the manageable debt and reliable earnings, families can feel reasonably confident their investment will pay off, especially if the student is committed to a career in law enforcement or corrections.