Criminal Justice and Corrections at University of Louisiana at Monroe

ULM's Criminal Justice program sits right in the middle of Louisiana's options, earning it a 60th percentile ranking in the state—a meaningful position given that Louisiana criminal justice graduates typically earn less than the national average. Your student would start at $36,313, which trails the national median by about $1,500 but beats most in-state alternatives by nearly $3,000. That state context matters if your child plans to work in Louisiana law enforcement or corrections.

The debt picture tells a more complicated story. At $23,250, graduates carry about 20% less debt than peers at other Louisiana schools, which helps explain the manageable 0.64 debt-to-earnings ratio. However, ULM still ranks in the 75th percentile nationally for debt—meaning only a quarter of similar programs nationwide burden students with more. The 10% earnings growth to nearly $40,000 by year four is steady but won't dramatically change the financial equation.

This program works if your child is committed to criminal justice work in Louisiana and wants to avoid the heavier debt loads at comparable state schools. The modest starting salary reflects the reality of criminal justice careers broadly, not a ULM-specific problem. But recognize you're looking at a degree that will take several years to pay off, even with the relatively controlled borrowing. If your child might pivot to higher-paying fields, that flexibility should factor into the decision.