Criminal Justice and Corrections at Thomas University

Thomas University's Criminal Justice program posts numbers that seem almost too good to be true—and they might be. With median earnings of $52,991 just one year out, graduates earn 42% more than the typical Georgia criminal justice grad and substantially outpace the national average. That puts them ahead of nearly all Georgia programs except a couple of private universities.

The catch? Sample size. With fewer than 30 graduates tracked, these figures could reflect a few standout career placements rather than a reliable pattern. The debt load of $45,464 is also notably higher than both state and national norms, though the debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.86 remains manageable if these earnings hold. Earnings do climb steadily to $58,064 by year four, which at least suggests the early success isn't a fluke for this cohort.

For families weighing this option, the decision hinges on risk tolerance. If your child is confident they'll be among the program's successful graduates—and can handle the above-average debt load—the earnings potential significantly exceeds what most Georgia criminal justice programs deliver. But the small sample means there's less certainty here than at larger programs with more consistent track records. This could be an excellent value or an outlier year; the data simply doesn't tell us which.