U.S. median for this major: $55,208.
College Scorecard field of study; 104 graduates with earnings reported
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 38% 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 $24,018. College Scorecard.
ISU 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 ISU'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 | $10,582 | $45,714 | 1.9 years |
| $30–48k | $11,506 | $49,706 | 2.0 years |
| $48–75k | $15,463 | $66,800 | 2.7 years |
| $75–110k | $19,605 | $84,694 | 3.5 years |
| $110k+ | $22,496 | $97,183 | 4.0 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.3 years, the average time graduates took (54% 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 ($61,166) minus $36,661 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in IA (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $24,505 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 Iowa colleges
Every Iowa 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 | Saint Ambrose University | $61,988 | — | $24,691 | 61% |
| 2 | Iowa State University | $61,166 | $23,250 | $18,589 | 75% |
| 3 | Loras College | $60,411 | $27,000 | $20,716 | 68% |
| 4 | Simpson College | $57,279 | $27,000 | $21,936 | 63% |
| 5 | Grand View University | $56,906 | $26,485 | $21,774 | 54% |
| 6 | Buena Vista University | $53,736 | $27,000 | $18,846 | 62% |
| 7 | University of Dubuque | $52,578 | $27,000 | $23,386 | 40% |
| 8 | Mount Mercy University | $46,517 | $25,500 | $20,168 | 58% |
7 more Iowa 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 ISU, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About ISU
- Acceptance rate: 89% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 75% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $63,386
- Full cost breakdown · all 93 majors · overview
Related majors at ISU
- Public Administration—
- Anthropology$43,443
ISU Criminal Justice questions
How much do ISU Criminal Justice graduates earn?
Criminal Justice graduates of Iowa State University earn a median $61,166 four years after graduating and $41,624 one year after. The U.S. median for Criminal Justice graduates across 584 colleges is $55,208.
How much debt do ISU Criminal Justice graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Criminal Justice graduates of Iowa State University is $23,250, about 38% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $26,000.
Is ISU a good school for Criminal Justice in Iowa?
On pay, Criminal Justice graduates of Iowa State University earn $61,166 four years out, $4,074 above the median for the same major across 8 Iowa colleges ($57,092) and $5,958 above the U.S. median ($55,208). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does ISU rank for Criminal Justice in Iowa?
Of 8 Iowa colleges reporting Criminal Justice graduate earnings, Iowa State University ranks 2nd. The highest is Saint Ambrose University at $61,988.
What jobs do Criminal Justice graduates get?
A common career is police officer, with a median wage of $73,840 in the Ames, IA 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: “Iowa State University Criminal Justice: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/iowa-state-university/majors/criminal-justice (College Scorecard and BLS data).