U.S. median for this major: $55,208.
College Scorecard field of study; 196 graduates with earnings reported
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 45% 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 $28,367. College Scorecard.
GVSU 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 GVSU'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 | $12,272 | $54,242 | 2.2 years |
| $30–48k | $11,902 | $52,607 | 2.2 years |
| $48–75k | $12,861 | $56,846 | 2.4 years |
| $75–110k | $16,609 | $73,412 | 3.0 years |
| $110k+ | $22,534 | $99,600 | 4.1 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.4 years, the average time graduates took (45% 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 ($57,537) minus $33,411 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in MI (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $24,126 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 Michigan colleges
Every Michigan 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 | Siena Heights University | $72,791 | $22,250 | $17,124 | 39% |
| 2 | Michigan State University | $62,715 | $26,000 | $19,680 | 81% |
| 3 | Ferris State University | $60,325 | $25,260 | $8,624 | 47% |
| 4 | Oakland University | $60,027 | $25,000 | $9,120 | 58% |
| 5 | Northern Michigan University | $59,390 | $23,687 | $14,085 | 52% |
| 6 | Saginaw Valley State University | $59,042 | $27,824 | $10,775 | 48% |
| 7 | Lake Superior State University | $58,286 | $22,852 | $12,822 | 51% |
| 8 | Baker College | $57,675 | $47,500 | $13,157 | 36% |
| 9 | Grand Valley State University | $57,537 | $26,000 | $16,317 | 67% |
| 10 | Western Michigan University | $57,012 | $27,000 | $15,273 | 58% |
| 11 | Wayne State University | $56,423 | $28,604 | $12,766 | 58% |
| 12 | The University of Olivet | $56,379 | $27,000 | $21,393 | 35% |
| 13 | Concordia University Ann Arbor | $56,188 | $27,000 | $32,811 | 48% |
| 14 | University of Michigan-Dearborn | $54,621 | $29,692 | $9,492 | 58% |
| 15 | Adrian College | $54,077 | $30,500 | $25,368 | 48% |
| 16 | University of Michigan-Flint | $52,490 | $31,000 | $7,007 | 40% |
| 17 | Madonna University | $50,913 | $19,771 | $17,755 | 60% |
4 more Michigan 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 GVSU, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About GVSU
- Acceptance rate: 83% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 67% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $56,118
- Full cost breakdown · all 83 majors · overview
Related majors at GVSU
- Public Administration$49,776
- Anthropology$42,796
GVSU Criminal Justice questions
How much do GVSU Criminal Justice graduates earn?
Criminal Justice graduates of Grand Valley State University earn a median $57,537 four years after graduating and $39,857 one year after. The U.S. median for Criminal Justice graduates across 584 colleges is $55,208.
How much debt do GVSU Criminal Justice graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Criminal Justice graduates of Grand Valley State University is $26,000, about 45% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $26,000.
Is GVSU a good school for Criminal Justice in Michigan?
On pay, Criminal Justice graduates of Grand Valley State University earn $57,537 four years out, $0 above the median for the same major across 17 Michigan colleges ($57,537) and $2,329 above the U.S. median ($55,208). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does GVSU rank for Criminal Justice in Michigan?
Of 17 Michigan colleges reporting Criminal Justice graduate earnings, Grand Valley State University ranks 9th. The highest is Siena Heights University at $72,791.
What jobs do Criminal Justice graduates get?
A common career is police officer, with a median wage of $74,920 in the Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI 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: “Grand Valley State University Criminal Justice: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/grand-valley-state-university/majors/criminal-justice (College Scorecard and BLS data).