U.S. median for this major: $55,208.
College Scorecard field of study; 25 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 42% 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 $24,757. College Scorecard.
Southwest Minnesota State University 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 Southwest Minnesota State University'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 | $10,559 | $46,037 | 1.7 years |
| $30–48k | $11,175 | $48,723 | 1.8 years |
| $48–75k | $13,153 | $57,347 | 2.2 years |
| $75–110k | $18,283 | $79,714 | 3.0 years |
| $110k+ | $20,701 | $90,256 | 3.4 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.4 years, the average time graduates took (29% 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 ($64,654) minus $38,184 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in MN (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $26,470 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 Minnesota colleges
Every Minnesota 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 | Saint Mary's University of Minnesota | $79,464 | $28,708 | $11,704 | 66% |
| 2 | Concordia University-Saint Paul | $73,060 | $28,076 | $18,462 | 46% |
| 3 | Herzing University-Minneapolis | $69,601 | $28,399 | $16,670 | 47% |
| 4 | Saint Cloud State University | $66,850 | $21,500 | $13,529 | 40% |
| 5 | Southwest Minnesota State University | $64,654 | $27,000 | $15,291 | 45% |
| 6 | Minnesota State University-Mankato | $64,585 | $25,000 | $19,139 | 54% |
| 7 | Metropolitan State University | $64,481 | $29,426 | $16,863 | 44% |
| 8 | University of Northwestern-St Paul | $64,339 | — | $27,705 | 68% |
| 9 | Winona State University | $62,220 | $26,012 | $17,503 | 57% |
| 10 | Bemidji State University | $58,519 | $23,181 | $15,261 | 48% |
| 11 | Minnesota State University Moorhead | $55,577 | $23,485 | $17,997 | 57% |
4 more Minnesota 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 Southwest Minnesota State University, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About Southwest Minnesota State University
- Acceptance rate: 62% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 45% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $51,342
- Full cost breakdown · all 42 majors · overview
Southwest Minnesota State University Criminal Justice questions
How much do Southwest Minnesota State University Criminal Justice graduates earn?
Criminal Justice graduates of Southwest Minnesota State University earn a median $64,654 four years after graduating. The U.S. median for Criminal Justice graduates across 584 colleges is $55,208.
How much debt do Southwest Minnesota State University Criminal Justice graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Criminal Justice graduates of Southwest Minnesota State University is $27,000, about 42% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $26,000.
Is Southwest Minnesota State University a good school for Criminal Justice in Minnesota?
On pay, Criminal Justice graduates of Southwest Minnesota State University earn $64,654 four years out, $69 above the median for the same major across 11 Minnesota colleges ($64,585) and $9,446 above the U.S. median ($55,208). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does Southwest Minnesota State University rank for Criminal Justice in Minnesota?
Of 11 Minnesota colleges reporting Criminal Justice graduate earnings, Southwest Minnesota State University ranks 5th. The highest is Saint Mary's University of Minnesota at $79,464.
What jobs do Criminal Justice graduates get?
A common career is police officer, with a median wage of $83,360 in Minnesota and $76,210 nationally. Others include compliance officers and child, family, and school social workers.
Is Southwest Minnesota State University the right fit for your family?
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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: “Southwest Minnesota State University Criminal Justice: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/southwest-minnesota-state-university/majors/criminal-justice (College Scorecard and BLS data).