Criminal Justice and Corrections at University of Mount Union

University of Mount Union's criminal justice program lands squarely in the middle of the pack—outperforming 60% of Ohio programs but with a crucial caveat. The $38,440 starting salary and $27,000 debt load produce reasonable numbers on paper, with graduates earning their debt back in about 8-9 months of full-time work. That's better than the national median for this field, though nowhere near the $67,000 that Herzing-Akron grads achieve or even the $42,000-$44,000 range that several Ohio competitors deliver.

The real concern here is the small sample size—under 30 graduates means these numbers could swing dramatically year to year. You're essentially betting on a limited track record, which adds risk to an already modest-paying field. Criminal justice degrees generally don't command high salaries, and Mount Union's premium tuition (suggested by the 80% admit rate at a private school) may not translate into meaningfully better career outcomes than larger state programs with more robust data.

For families committed to Mount Union for other reasons—campus fit, location, existing scholarships—this program won't derail their finances. But if you're choosing between Ohio schools purely on outcomes, several competitors show stronger, more consistent earnings with similar debt loads. The middle-of-the-road performance combined with uncertain data makes this a "proceed carefully" rather than a clear yes.