Criminology at University of Iowa

The University of Iowa's criminology program costs about what you'd expect but earns less than other Iowa options—placing it in the 40th percentile statewide. While it beats the national median by about $1,000, graduates earn roughly $5,000 less annually than the state median of $43,170. University of Northern Iowa's criminology program, by comparison, delivers starting salaries closer to $44,000.

The debt burden of $23,250 is manageable—below both state and national medians—creating a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.6 that parents can reasonably navigate. A graduate earning $38,520 could pay this off within a few years with disciplined budgeting. That said, the lagging earnings relative to in-state alternatives means this program requires more years of work to reach the same financial position as peers from UNI or Upper Iowa.

For families considering Iowa schools, this comes down to fit versus financial optimization. If your child is set on the Iowa flagship experience, the debt load won't sink them. But purely from an earnings standpoint, the state's other criminology programs deliver better immediate returns. The program isn't a bad bet—it performs adequately nationally—but it's not Iowa's strongest value in this field.