U.S. median for this major: $55,208.
College Scorecard field of study; 95 graduates with earnings reported
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 43% 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 $24,046. College Scorecard.
Colorado Mesa University 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 Colorado Mesa University'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 | $10,792 | $48,564 | 2.7 years |
| $30–48k | $11,920 | $53,640 | 3.0 years |
| $48–75k | $14,692 | $66,114 | 3.7 years |
| $75–110k | $16,945 | $76,253 | 4.2 years |
| $110k+ | $20,606 | $92,727 | 5.1 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.5 years, the average time graduates took (28% 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 ($58,708) minus $40,610 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in CO (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $18,098 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 Colorado colleges
Every Colorado college we cover that reports Criminal Justice graduate earnings, highest first. Net price is the school-wide average after grants. Colleges marked "mostly 2-year" or "bachelor's & associate" award more associate degrees than bachelor's; their bachelor's programs often serve working adults finishing a degree (for example, nurses completing a BSN), so their graduates' earnings can run higher than those of students starting college at 18.
| Rank | College | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus | $61,192 | $22,250 | $11,900 | 46% |
| 2 | Colorado Mesa Universitybachelor's & associate | $58,708 | $25,000 | $15,103 | 41% |
| 3 | Metropolitan State University of Denver | $56,564 | $26,130 | $15,327 | 32% |
| 4 | University of Northern Colorado | $55,282 | $18,568 | $17,760 | 51% |
| 5 | University of Colorado Colorado Springs | $53,198 | $18,625 | $15,788 | 47% |
| 6 | Colorado Christian University | $44,849 | $48,125 | $29,500 | 64% |
1 more Colorado college offers Criminal Justice but has 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 Colorado Mesa University, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About Colorado Mesa University
- Acceptance rate: 82% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 41% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $45,823
- Full cost breakdown · all 38 majors · overview
Colorado Mesa University Criminal Justice questions
How much do Colorado Mesa University Criminal Justice graduates earn?
Criminal Justice graduates of Colorado Mesa University earn a median $58,708 four years after graduating and $38,204 one year after. The U.S. median for Criminal Justice graduates across 584 colleges is $55,208.
How much debt do Colorado Mesa University Criminal Justice graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Criminal Justice graduates of Colorado Mesa University is $25,000, about 43% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $26,000.
Is Colorado Mesa University a good school for Criminal Justice in Colorado?
On pay, Criminal Justice graduates of Colorado Mesa University earn $58,708 four years out, $2,144 above the median for the same major across 7 Colorado colleges ($56,564) and $3,500 above the U.S. median ($55,208). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does Colorado Mesa University rank for Criminal Justice in Colorado?
Of 6 Colorado colleges reporting Criminal Justice graduate earnings, Colorado Mesa University ranks 2nd. The highest is University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus at $61,192.
What jobs do Criminal Justice graduates get?
A common career is police officer, with a median wage of $93,640 in the Grand Junction, CO area 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: “Colorado Mesa University Criminal Justice: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/colorado-mesa-university/majors/criminal-justice (College Scorecard and BLS data).