U.S. median for this major: $55,208.
College Scorecard field of study; 169 graduates with earnings reported
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 36% of median earnings 4 years out. U.S. median $26,000.
College Scorecard field of study (federal loans)
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $28,816. College Scorecard.
CWU Criminal Justice: pay against the field, and payback
Same major, other colleges
Median earnings 4 years after graduating; state and U.S. figures are the median of each covered college's graduates in this major. College Scorecard; calculated by EducationGuide.
Criminal Justice nationally: jobs, pay at ages 25-34, every state →
Cost to finish and years to pay back, by income
Uses CWU's school-wide net price (no college reports it by major) and this major's graduate earnings.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $11,846 | $52,478 | 2.6 years |
| $30–48k | $13,942 | $61,763 | 3.0 years |
| $48–75k | $16,022 | $70,977 | 3.5 years |
| $75–110k | $21,682 | $96,051 | 4.7 years |
| $110k+ | $26,719 | $118,365 | 5.8 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.4 years, the average time graduates took (32% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of Criminal Justice graduates 4 years after graduating ($60,761) minus $40,219 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in WA (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $20,542 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method
College Scorecard; IPEDS Graduation Rates; U.S. Census Bureau ACS. Calculated by EducationGuide.
Criminal Justice at Washington colleges
Every Washington college we cover that reports Criminal Justice graduate earnings, highest first. Net price is the school-wide average after grants.
| Rank | College | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seattle University | $74,018 | $21,247 | $34,662 | 76% |
| 2 | University of Washington-Seattle Campus | $63,311 | $15,269 | $14,091 | 85% |
| 3 | University of Washington-Tacoma Campus | $63,311 | $15,269 | $10,163 | 63% |
| 4 | Washington State University | $62,747 | $21,577 | $14,971 | 61% |
| 5 | Central Washington University | $60,761 | $21,954 | $18,476 | 54% |
| 6 | Saint Martin's University | $55,951 | — | $28,119 | 52% |
| 7 | Heritage University | $55,375 | $19,988 | $14,598 | 54% |
3 more Washington colleges offer Criminal Justice but have too few graduates to report earnings.
Careers for Criminal Justice graduates
Police officer
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +3.5% by 2035. Typical entry: high school diploma or equivalent.
Compliance Officers
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +3.8% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
Child, Family, and School Social Workers
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +4.4% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35. Careers from the federal major-to-occupation crosswalk.
What families pay at CWU, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About CWU
- Acceptance rate: 91% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 54% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $61,580
- Full cost breakdown · all 113 majors · overview
Related majors at CWU
- Anthropology$44,089
CWU Criminal Justice questions
How much do CWU Criminal Justice graduates earn?
Criminal Justice graduates of Central Washington University earn a median $60,761 four years after graduating and $44,172 one year after. The U.S. median for Criminal Justice graduates across 584 colleges is $55,208.
How much debt do CWU Criminal Justice graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Criminal Justice graduates of Central Washington University is $21,954, about 36% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $26,000.
Is CWU a good school for Criminal Justice in Washington?
On pay, Criminal Justice graduates of Central Washington University earn $60,761 four years out, $1,986 below the median for the same major across 7 Washington colleges ($62,747) and $5,553 above the U.S. median ($55,208). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does CWU rank for Criminal Justice in Washington?
Of 7 Washington colleges reporting Criminal Justice graduate earnings, Central Washington University ranks 5th. The highest is Seattle University at $74,018.
What jobs do Criminal Justice graduates get?
A common career is police officer, with a median wage of $102,080 in Washington and $76,210 nationally. Others include compliance officers and child, family, and school social workers.
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Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (field of study: median earnings and federal loan debt of graduates who received federal aid); BLS. How we score
Data: JSON · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “Central Washington University Criminal Justice: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/central-washington-university/majors/criminal-justice (College Scorecard and BLS data).