Criminal Justice and Corrections at University of Dayton

The most striking feature of University of Dayton's Criminal Justice program is the dramatic earnings trajectory—graduates more than double their income from year 1 to year 4. But that initial $25,150 is troublingly low, landing in just the 10th percentile among Ohio programs. With $26,000 in debt, new graduates face a debt-to-earnings ratio above 1.0, meaning they owe more than they earn in that first year. By year four, the picture improves significantly as earnings climb to $55,612, well above both state and national medians.

The small sample size here is crucial context—we're talking about fewer than 30 graduates, so these numbers could swing dramatically year to year. Still, the pattern is concerning when compared to other Ohio options: Herzing University-Akron graduates start earning $67,229, while Tiffin University grads make $44,823. Even accounting for potential career paths that start slowly (like graduate school or unpaid internships), this program ranks near the bottom statewide.

For a parent, the question is whether your child can weather that difficult first year financially. If they're planning law school or another graduate program immediately, the first-year earnings may be irrelevant. But if they need to start working and paying down debt right away, this program's weak initial placement should factor heavily into your decision. The small sample makes this data less reliable than most programs we track.