U.S. median for this major: $55,208.
College Scorecard field of study; 59 graduates with earnings reported
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 41% 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 $24,227. College Scorecard.
GSU 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 GSU'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 | $9,563 | $42,173 | 2.1 years |
| $30–48k | $10,933 | $48,215 | 2.4 years |
| $48–75k | $11,705 | $51,619 | 2.6 years |
| $75–110k | $16,741 | $73,828 | 3.7 years |
| $110k+ | $22,076 | $97,355 | 4.9 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.4 years, the average time graduates took (13% 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 ($55,811) minus $35,797 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in IL (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $20,014 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 Illinois colleges
Every Illinois 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 | Trinity Christian College | $78,165 | — | $19,125 | 58% |
| 2 | North Park University | $65,032 | — | $16,948 | 58% |
| 3 | Western Illinois University | $63,125 | $26,000 | $12,937 | 45% |
| 4 | Roosevelt University | $63,081 | $24,625 | $20,194 | 35% |
| 5 | Benedictine University | $63,033 | $25,979 | $22,313 | 50% |
| 6 | Lewis University | $62,640 | $20,000 | $17,028 | 67% |
| 7 | Illinois State University | $62,506 | $22,531 | $19,398 | 65% |
| 8 | University of St Francis | $61,741 | — | $13,006 | 67% |
| 9 | Aurora University | $60,808 | $23,635 | $18,838 | 60% |
| 10 | University of Illinois Chicago | $59,295 | $15,875 | $10,974 | 62% |
| 11 | Bradley University | $58,636 | $27,000 | $22,719 | 76% |
| 12 | Loyola University Chicago | $58,145 | $25,000 | $36,079 | 73% |
| 13 | Southern Illinois University Edwardsville | $57,915 | $25,000 | $14,889 | 57% |
| 14 | Chicago State University | $57,691 | $32,974 | $12,335 | 15% |
| 15 | Saint Xavier University | $56,414 | $27,000 | $10,970 | 57% |
| 16 | Governors State University | $55,811 | $22,889 | $12,329 | 22% |
| 17 | University of Illinois Springfield | $55,780 | $22,418 | $9,833 | 53% |
| 18 | Northeastern Illinois University | $53,121 | $13,625 | $14,109 | 22% |
| 19 | Eureka College | $52,845 | $26,475 | $17,349 | 42% |
| 20 | Olivet Nazarene University | $51,300 | $27,000 | $20,729 | 61% |
| 21 | Elmhurst University | $49,480 | $27,000 | $24,185 | 70% |
| 22 | Blackburn College | $46,004 | $25,751 | $18,460 | 57% |
6 more Illinois 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 GSU, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About GSU
- Acceptance rate: 48% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 22% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $58,169
- Full cost breakdown · all 27 majors · overview
GSU Criminal Justice questions
How much do GSU Criminal Justice graduates earn?
Criminal Justice graduates of Governors State University earn a median $55,811 four years after graduating and $42,456 one year after. The U.S. median for Criminal Justice graduates across 584 colleges is $55,208.
How much debt do GSU Criminal Justice graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Criminal Justice graduates of Governors State University is $22,889, about 41% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $26,000.
Is GSU a good school for Criminal Justice in Illinois?
On pay, Criminal Justice graduates of Governors State University earn $55,811 four years out, $2,579 below the median for the same major across 22 Illinois colleges ($58,390) and $603 above the U.S. median ($55,208). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does GSU rank for Criminal Justice in Illinois?
Of 22 Illinois colleges reporting Criminal Justice graduate earnings, Governors State University ranks 16th. The highest is Trinity Christian College at $78,165.
What jobs do Criminal Justice graduates get?
A common career is police officer, with a median wage of $107,810 in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN 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: “Governors State University Criminal Justice: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/governors-state-university/majors/criminal-justice (College Scorecard and BLS data).