U.S. median for this major: $55,208.
College Scorecard field of study; 34 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 50% 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 $24,951. College Scorecard.
Southern Arkansas University Main Campus 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 Southern Arkansas University Main Campus'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 | $13,187 | $56,704 | 4.7 years |
| $30–48k | $12,827 | $55,156 | 4.5 years |
| $48–75k | $13,790 | $59,297 | 4.9 years |
| $75–110k | $15,654 | $67,312 | 5.6 years |
| $110k+ | $19,244 | $82,749 | 6.8 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.3 years, the average time graduates took (30% 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 ($44,523) minus $32,399 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in AR (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $12,124 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 Arkansas colleges
Every Arkansas college we cover that reports Criminal Justice graduate earnings, highest first. Net price is the school-wide average after grants. Colleges marked "mostly 2-year" or "bachelor's & associate" award more associate degrees than bachelor's; their bachelor's programs often serve working adults finishing a degree (for example, nurses completing a BSN), so their graduates' earnings can run higher than those of students starting college at 18.
| Rank | College | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff | $53,255 | $27,000 | $12,653 | 40% |
| 2 | University of Arkansas | $49,690 | $25,385 | $18,209 | 71% |
| 3 | Harding University | $48,992 | $24,955 | $22,130 | 69% |
| 4 | University of Arkansas at Monticellobachelor's & associate | $47,929 | $27,388 | $14,287 | 49% |
| 5 | Southern Arkansas University Main Campus | $44,523 | $22,349 | $14,027 | 49% |
| 6 | University of Arkansas at Little Rock | $43,990 | $30,026 | $17,248 | 42% |
| 7 | University of Arkansas-Fort Smithbachelor's & associate | $43,509 | $18,750 | $10,574 | 38% |
7 more Arkansas 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 Southern Arkansas University Main Campus, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About Southern Arkansas University Main Campus
- Acceptance rate: 75% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 49% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $42,386
- Full cost breakdown · all 35 majors · overview
Related majors at Southern Arkansas University Main Campus
- Criminology—
Southern Arkansas University Main Campus Criminal Justice questions
How much do Southern Arkansas University Main Campus Criminal Justice graduates earn?
Criminal Justice graduates of Southern Arkansas University Main Campus earn a median $44,523 four years after graduating and $28,541 one year after. The U.S. median for Criminal Justice graduates across 584 colleges is $55,208.
How much debt do Southern Arkansas University Main Campus Criminal Justice graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Criminal Justice graduates of Southern Arkansas University Main Campus is $22,349, about 50% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $26,000.
Is Southern Arkansas University Main Campus a good school for Criminal Justice in Arkansas?
On pay, Criminal Justice graduates of Southern Arkansas University Main Campus earn $44,523 four years out, $3,937 below the median for the same major across 8 Arkansas colleges ($48,460) and $10,685 below the U.S. median ($55,208). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does Southern Arkansas University Main Campus rank for Criminal Justice in Arkansas?
Of 7 Arkansas colleges reporting Criminal Justice graduate earnings, Southern Arkansas University Main Campus ranks 5th; among the 5 that mostly award bachelor's degrees it ranks 4th. The highest is University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff at $53,255.
What jobs do Criminal Justice graduates get?
A common career is police officer, with a median wage of $47,670 in Arkansas 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: “Southern Arkansas University Main Campus Criminal Justice: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/southern-arkansas-university-main-campus/majors/criminal-justice (College Scorecard and BLS data).