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

Texas A&M-Texarkana's Criminal Justice program produces starting salaries nearly $5,000 below the Texas median and $13,000 behind the state's top performers. While $20,500 in debt is relatively modest—about $5,000 less than what most Texas students borrow for this degree—the first-year earnings of $32,971 make it difficult to justify even that lower debt load. At 40th percentile for Texas earnings, this program sits squarely in the bottom half of a crowded field where 62 schools compete.

The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.62 might seem manageable on paper, but context matters: you're paying back debt on an income that already falls short of living wages in many Texas markets. Compare this to programs at Lamar University or Texas A&M-Central Texas, where graduates earn $11,000-13,000 more right out of the gate with similar debt burdens. The school serves a predominantly working-class population (51% receive Pell grants), which makes the earnings gap particularly concerning for families counting on strong returns.

For parents evaluating this investment, the numbers point toward exploring alternatives. If Texas A&M-Texarkana is the preferred choice for location or other reasons, understand that your child will likely need to supplement with graduate education or seek non-traditional criminal justice career paths to reach competitive salary levels. The modest debt helps, but it doesn't offset starting $5,000 behind peers across Texas.