Criminal Justice and Corrections at University of Nebraska at Omaha

UNO's criminal justice program costs less than most competitors—$22,561 in median debt compared to a national median of $26,130—but graduates earn less than peers at other Nebraska schools. Starting at $38,756, these graduates trail the state median by about $1,400 and lag significantly behind the top three programs in Nebraska, which all place graduates above $41,000. Among Nebraska's 13 criminal justice programs, UNO ranks in just the 40th percentile for earnings despite being one of the state's larger public universities.

The debt-to-earnings picture is manageable at 0.58, and graduates see solid 23% earnings growth over four years. But that growth still leaves them earning $47,529 at year four—barely ahead of where graduates from UNL and Wayne State start their careers. For families comparing options within Nebraska, the question becomes whether UNO's metropolitan location and potentially stronger internship network offset the earning gap, or whether driving distance to Lincoln for UNL's program makes more financial sense.

The lower debt load is a real advantage, saving graduates roughly $4,000-$5,000 compared to typical programs. For students committed to staying in Omaha after graduation, that combination of reasonable debt and steady—if unspectacular—earnings might work. But parents should know their child will likely start behind peers from other Nebraska schools in a field where those first-year earnings matter for long-term trajectory.