Criminal Justice and Corrections at University of Arkansas-Fort Smith

At $33,460, UAFS criminal justice graduates earn about $4,600 less than the Arkansas median and $4,400 below the national average—ranking in just the 21st percentile nationally. That places this program well behind competitors: University of Arkansas-Little Rock graduates earn $7,500 more annually, and even the state median sits $4,600 higher. The 40th percentile ranking within Arkansas suggests this program underperforms most in-state alternatives, despite Fort Smith's lower cost of living potentially offsetting some of the earnings gap.

The debt picture offers the program's strongest selling point. At $18,750, graduates carry about $7,750 less debt than the Arkansas median—enough to make monthly payments considerably more manageable than at peer institutions. The 0.56 debt-to-earnings ratio means debt equals just over half a year's salary, which keeps this investment viable even with below-average starting pay. Earnings do grow 12% by year four, reaching $37,511, though that still lags behind where graduates from competing Arkansas programs start.

For families prioritizing affordability over maximum earnings potential, this program works—the low debt burden prevents a bad financial outcome. But if your child is competitive for admission at UALR or the flagship campus in Fayetteville, those programs deliver meaningfully stronger earnings trajectories while managing debt at levels that remain serviceable for most graduates.