U.S. median for this major: $55,208.
College Scorecard field of study; 92 graduates with earnings reported
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 37% 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 $27,636. College Scorecard.
SOU 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 SOU'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 | $11,830 | $51,342 | 2.3 years |
| $30–48k | $12,466 | $54,102 | 2.4 years |
| $48–75k | $15,813 | $68,628 | 3.1 years |
| $75–110k | $22,415 | $97,281 | 4.3 years |
| $110k+ | $24,181 | $104,946 | 4.7 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.3 years, the average time graduates took (31% 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 ($59,008) minus $36,549 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in OR (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $22,459 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 Oregon colleges
Every Oregon 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 | Western Oregon University | $60,363 | $24,000 | $17,237 | 47% |
| 2 | Southern Oregon University | $59,008 | $22,000 | $16,732 | 43% |
| 3 | Portland State University | $58,109 | $26,641 | $9,552 | 53% |
4 more Oregon 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 SOU, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About SOU
- Acceptance rate: 89% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 43% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $49,175
- Full cost breakdown · all 48 majors · overview
Related majors at SOU
- Anthropology—
SOU Criminal Justice questions
How much do SOU Criminal Justice graduates earn?
Criminal Justice graduates of Southern Oregon University earn a median $59,008 four years after graduating and $40,553 one year after. The U.S. median for Criminal Justice graduates across 584 colleges is $55,208.
How much debt do SOU Criminal Justice graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Criminal Justice graduates of Southern Oregon University is $22,000, about 37% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $26,000.
Is SOU a good school for Criminal Justice in Oregon?
On pay, Criminal Justice graduates of Southern Oregon University earn $59,008 four years out, $0 above the median for the same major across 3 Oregon colleges ($59,008) and $3,800 above the U.S. median ($55,208). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does SOU rank for Criminal Justice in Oregon?
Of 3 Oregon colleges reporting Criminal Justice graduate earnings, Southern Oregon University ranks 2nd. The highest is Western Oregon University at $60,363.
What jobs do Criminal Justice graduates get?
A common career is police officer, with a median wage of $87,160 in the Medford, OR area and $76,210 nationally. Others include compliance officers and child, family, and school social workers.
Is SOU the right fit for your family?
Get a free report comparing SOU with up to 4 other schools on what you'd actually pay, what graduates in your major earn, and how each fits your priorities.
Build my free reportCheck my chances of getting inWe never share your contact information.
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 Oregon University Criminal Justice: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/southern-oregon-university/majors/criminal-justice (College Scorecard and BLS data).