Criminal Justice and Corrections at University of Arkansas at Little Rock

UALR's Criminal Justice program delivers solid earnings with remarkably light debt—a combination that's harder to find than you might expect in this field. At $41,000 first-year earnings, graduates are outperforming about two-thirds of similar programs nationwide, while the $30,000 median debt sits well below national norms. That debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.73 means most graduates can realistically pay this down within a few years, even on a criminal justice salary.

The Arkansas context matters here. While two online-focused institutions report higher earnings numbers, UALR graduates earn more than those from the flagship University of Arkansas and substantially more than several in-state alternatives. Ranking in the 60th percentile statewide is respectable given the program serves a significant population of Pell grant recipients (41% of the student body) who might otherwise face limited mobility in this field. The modest 5% earnings growth to $43,000 by year four is typical for law enforcement and corrections careers, where advancement depends heavily on years of service and civil service rules.

The practical picture: Your child would likely enter a stable career with manageable debt and earnings that exceed many criminal justice graduates in both Arkansas and nationally. This isn't a path to six figures, but it's a viable route to public service work without the debt burden that could make those early-career years financially precarious.