U.S. median for this major: $55,208.
College Scorecard field of study; 67 graduates with earnings reported
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 48% 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 $69,289. College Scorecard.
SHU 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 SHU'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 | $38,691 | $158,246 | 8.8 years |
| $30–48k | $40,517 | $165,715 | 9.2 years |
| $48–75k | $41,647 | $170,336 | 9.5 years |
| $75–110k | $46,348 | $189,563 | 10.6 years |
| $110k+ | $48,217 | $197,208 | 11.0 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.1 years, the average time graduates took (68% 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 ($55,710) minus $37,781 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in CT (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $17,929 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 Connecticut colleges
Every Connecticut 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 | Quinnipiac University | $79,098 | $27,000 | $40,675 | 76% |
| 2 | Western Connecticut State University | $66,510 | $24,875 | $17,604 | 52% |
| 3 | University of Hartford | $60,807 | $26,563 | $30,282 | 54% |
| 4 | University of New Haven | $60,656 | $27,000 | $34,192 | 63% |
| 5 | Sacred Heart University | $55,710 | $27,000 | $46,174 | 73% |
| 6 | Albertus Magnus College | $53,615 | $40,000 | $34,028 | 51% |
| 7 | Mitchell College | $50,035 | $27,000 | $30,260 | 42% |
| 8 | University of Bridgeport | $49,978 | $26,250 | $27,807 | 41% |
2 more Connecticut 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 SHU, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About SHU
- Acceptance rate: 65% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 73% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $75,059
- Full cost breakdown · all 44 majors · overview
Related majors at SHU
- Security / Homeland Security—
SHU Criminal Justice questions
How much do SHU Criminal Justice graduates earn?
Criminal Justice graduates of Sacred Heart University earn a median $55,710 four years after graduating and $41,113 one year after. The U.S. median for Criminal Justice graduates across 584 colleges is $55,208.
How much debt do SHU Criminal Justice graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Criminal Justice graduates of Sacred Heart University is $27,000, about 48% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $26,000.
Is SHU a good school for Criminal Justice in Connecticut?
On pay, Criminal Justice graduates of Sacred Heart University earn $55,710 four years out, $2,473 below the median for the same major across 8 Connecticut colleges ($58,183) and $502 above the U.S. median ($55,208). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does SHU rank for Criminal Justice in Connecticut?
Of 8 Connecticut colleges reporting Criminal Justice graduate earnings, Sacred Heart University ranks 5th. The highest is Quinnipiac University at $79,098.
What jobs do Criminal Justice graduates get?
A common career is police officer, with a median wage of $84,000 in the Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT Metropolitan Statistical Area 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: “Sacred Heart University Criminal Justice: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/sacred-heart-university/majors/criminal-justice (College Scorecard and BLS data).