U.S. median for this major: $55,208.
College Scorecard field of study; 82 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 $19,725. College Scorecard.
NKU 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 NKU'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 | $2,603 | $11,375 | under 1 year |
| $30–48k | $3,630 | $15,863 | under 1 year |
| $48–75k | $6,761 | $29,546 | 1.3 years |
| $75–110k | $12,679 | $55,407 | 2.5 years |
| $110k+ | $14,522 | $63,461 | 2.8 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.4 years, the average time graduates took (35% 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 ($55,835) minus $33,516 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in KY (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $22,319 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 Kentucky colleges
Every Kentucky 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 | University of Louisville | $57,399 | $23,151 | $17,988 | 61% |
| 2 | Northern Kentucky University | $55,835 | $25,000 | $8,191 | 52% |
| 3 | Kentucky Wesleyan College | $52,867 | — | $17,131 | 47% |
| 4 | Bellarmine University | $51,527 | $25,990 | $21,499 | 64% |
| 5 | Murray State University | $48,437 | $22,875 | $9,096 | 61% |
| 6 | Eastern Kentucky University | $47,882 | $25,000 | $11,040 | 50% |
| 7 | Kentucky State University | $46,767 | $28,162 | $8,040 | 32% |
| 8 | Campbellsville University | $41,900 | $21,550 | $19,341 | 42% |
| 9 | University of the Cumberlands | $41,785 | $25,000 | $14,107 | 50% |
| 10 | University of Pikeville | $41,524 | $22,330 | $20,311 | 42% |
| 11 | Lindsey Wilson College | $40,618 | $21,500 | $15,070 | 44% |
5 more Kentucky 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 NKU, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About NKU
- Acceptance rate: 68% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 52% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $50,220
- Full cost breakdown · all 63 majors · overview
Related majors at NKU
- Anthropology—
NKU Criminal Justice questions
How much do NKU Criminal Justice graduates earn?
Criminal Justice graduates of Northern Kentucky University earn a median $55,835 four years after graduating and $35,724 one year after. The U.S. median for Criminal Justice graduates across 584 colleges is $55,208.
How much debt do NKU Criminal Justice graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Criminal Justice graduates of Northern Kentucky University is $25,000, about 45% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $26,000.
Is NKU a good school for Criminal Justice in Kentucky?
On pay, Criminal Justice graduates of Northern Kentucky University earn $55,835 four years out, $7,953 above the median for the same major across 11 Kentucky colleges ($47,882) and $627 above the U.S. median ($55,208). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does NKU rank for Criminal Justice in Kentucky?
Of 11 Kentucky colleges reporting Criminal Justice graduate earnings, Northern Kentucky University ranks 2nd. The highest is University of Louisville at $57,399.
What jobs do Criminal Justice graduates get?
A common career is police officer, with a median wage of $80,410 in the Cincinnati, OH-KY-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: “Northern Kentucky University Criminal Justice: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/northern-kentucky-university/majors/criminal-justice (College Scorecard and BLS data).