Criminal Justice and Corrections at Texas A&M University-Kingsville

Texas A&M-Kingsville's Criminal Justice program produces first-year earnings of $34,401—below both the Texas median ($35,862) and national average ($37,856). With $22,906 in debt, graduates face a manageable 0.67 debt-to-earnings ratio, meaning they owe less than eight months of salary. However, the real concern is competitiveness: this program ranks at just the 40th percentile among Texas criminal justice programs, with top programs in the state generating 35-50% higher earnings. When graduates from Wayland Baptist and Texas A&M-Central Texas are earning $45,000-$53,000 in their first year, the nearly $11,000 gap suggests students here may face longer-term earning limitations in a field where entry-level positioning matters.

The university's open-access mission (92% admission rate, 55% Pell grant students) explains some of the earnings difference, as it serves students who might otherwise lack four-year options. Still, for families weighing this investment, the moderate debt load offers a safety net—graduates aren't trapped by crushing payments while building law enforcement or corrections careers. The question is whether slightly lower earnings early on translate to permanently reduced career trajectories or simply reflect different job markets and advancement timelines.

If your child is committed to criminal justice and values the smaller-town environment of Kingsville, the debt load won't sink them. But exploring higher-performing Texas programs could mean significantly better starting salaries without substantially more debt, potentially worth the comparison shopping.