U.S. median for this major: $55,208.
College Scorecard field of study; 49 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 101% 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 $23,905. College Scorecard.
SUNO 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 SUNO'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 | $14,771 | $69,276 | 5.7 years |
| $30–48k | n/a | — | not available |
| $48–75k | n/a | — | not available |
| $75–110k | $19,360 | $90,798 | 7.4 years |
| $110k+ | n/a | — | not available |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.7 years, the average time graduates took (8% 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 ($44,723) minus $32,488 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in LA (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $12,235 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 Louisiana colleges
Every Louisiana 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 | Herzing University-New Orleansbachelor's & associate | $69,601 | $28,399 | $21,269 | 15% |
| 2 | Louisiana State University-Alexandria | $52,560 | $26,954 | $7,065 | 34% |
| 3 | Dillard University | $49,687 | $32,187 | $22,094 | 43% |
| 4 | Southern University and A & M College | $49,609 | $31,000 | $20,077 | 27% |
| 5 | Southern University Law Center | $49,609 | $31,000 | — | — |
| 6 | University of Louisiana at Lafayette | $49,201 | $23,557 | $13,530 | 53% |
| 7 | McNeese State University | $46,223 | $27,000 | $12,493 | 47% |
| 8 | Southeastern Louisiana University | $45,393 | $25,000 | $13,154 | 45% |
| 9 | Southern University at New Orleans | $44,723 | $45,149 | $14,810 | 13% |
| 10 | Northwestern State University of Louisiana | $44,267 | $31,000 | $13,606 | 43% |
| 11 | Grambling State University | $44,033 | $39,871 | $19,809 | 36% |
| 12 | University of Louisiana at Monroe | $43,699 | $23,250 | $13,466 | 54% |
| 13 | Remington College-Shreveport Campusmostly 2-year | $37,199 | $48,338 | $30,758 | 33% |
3 more Louisiana 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 SUNO, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About SUNO
- Acceptance rate: 79% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 13% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $34,042
- Full cost breakdown · all 20 majors · overview
Related majors at SUNO
- Public Administration—
- Security / Homeland Security—
SUNO Criminal Justice questions
How much do SUNO Criminal Justice graduates earn?
Criminal Justice graduates of Southern University at New Orleans earn a median $44,723 four years after graduating and $33,494 one year after. The U.S. median for Criminal Justice graduates across 584 colleges is $55,208.
How much debt do SUNO Criminal Justice graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Criminal Justice graduates of Southern University at New Orleans is $45,149, about 101% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $26,000.
Is SUNO a good school for Criminal Justice in Louisiana?
On pay, Criminal Justice graduates of Southern University at New Orleans earn $44,723 four years out, $1,500 below the median for the same major across 13 Louisiana colleges ($46,223) and $10,485 below the U.S. median ($55,208). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does SUNO rank for Criminal Justice in Louisiana?
Of 13 Louisiana colleges reporting Criminal Justice graduate earnings, Southern University at New Orleans ranks 9th; among the 11 that mostly award bachelor's degrees it ranks 8th. The highest is Herzing University-New Orleans at $69,601.
What jobs do Criminal Justice graduates get?
A common career is police officer, with a median wage of $48,970 in the New Orleans-Metairie, LA 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: “Southern University at New Orleans Criminal Justice: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/southern-university-at-new-orleans/majors/criminal-justice (College Scorecard and BLS data).