U.S. median for this major: $55,208.
College Scorecard field of study; 26 graduates with earnings reported. A small group, so treat this figure with caution
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 55% 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 $55,054. College Scorecard.
Mount Mercy 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 Mount Mercy 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 | $17,070 | $69,646 | 7.1 years |
| $30–48k | $15,294 | $62,400 | 6.3 years |
| $48–75k | $16,883 | $68,883 | 7.0 years |
| $75–110k | $20,311 | $82,869 | 8.4 years |
| $110k+ | $25,244 | $102,996 | 10.5 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.1 years, the average time graduates took (52% 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 ($46,517) minus $36,661 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in IA (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $9,856 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 Mount Mercy University, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About Mount Mercy University
- Acceptance rate: 83% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 58% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $60,787
- Full cost breakdown · all 45 majors · overview
Mount Mercy University Criminal Justice questions
How much do Mount Mercy University Criminal Justice graduates earn?
Criminal Justice graduates of Mount Mercy University earn a median $46,517 four years after graduating and $34,824 one year after. The U.S. median for Criminal Justice graduates across 584 colleges is $55,208.
How much debt do Mount Mercy University Criminal Justice graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Criminal Justice graduates of Mount Mercy University is $25,500, about 55% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $26,000.
Is Mount Mercy University a good school for Criminal Justice in Iowa?
On pay, Criminal Justice graduates of Mount Mercy University earn $46,517 four years out, $10,575 below the median for the same major across 8 Iowa colleges ($57,092) and $8,691 below the U.S. median ($55,208). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does Mount Mercy University rank for Criminal Justice in Iowa?
Of 8 Iowa colleges reporting Criminal Justice graduate earnings, Mount Mercy University ranks 8th. 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 $79,280 in the Cedar Rapids, 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: “Mount Mercy University Criminal Justice: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/mount-mercy-university/majors/criminal-justice (College Scorecard and BLS data).