Criminal Justice and Corrections at University of the Incarnate Word

University of the Incarnate Word's Criminal Justice program starts graduates at just $32,771—nearly $5,000 below the Texas median and in the bottom fifth nationally for this degree. While earnings do improve to $44,402 by year four (a 36% jump that matches the national average), that's still less than what graduates from Wayland Baptist or University of Phoenix-Texas earn right out of the gate. In a state with 62 criminal justice programs, this one lands squarely in the middle of the pack, but that middle position masks a weak starting point that takes years to overcome.

The $28,901 debt load is slightly higher than typical for Texas programs ($25,834), creating an 0.88 debt-to-earnings ratio that will stretch the budget during those crucial first years. For comparison, graduates earning $45,000+ at other Texas schools can pay down debt more aggressively while building emergency savings and contributing to retirement. Here, students will likely need five to six years of disciplined payments to clear that debt while earning well below what peers at higher-performing programs make immediately.

If your child is set on criminal justice in Texas and UIW for other reasons (location, culture, athletics), the numbers work eventually—but they work faster and better at several alternatives. The 40th percentile state ranking suggests there are better value options even among less selective schools.