U.S. median for this major: $55,208.
College Scorecard field of study; 106 graduates with earnings reported
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 61% 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 $25,637. College Scorecard.
Tennessee 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 Tennessee 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 | $15,005 | $66,472 | 5.8 years |
| $30–48k | $15,840 | $70,171 | 6.1 years |
| $48–75k | $15,579 | $69,015 | 6.0 years |
| $75–110k | $20,624 | $91,364 | 7.9 years |
| $110k+ | $20,099 | $89,039 | 7.7 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.4 years, the average time graduates took (21% 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 ($46,062) minus $34,518 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in TN (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $11,544 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 Tennessee colleges
Every Tennessee 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 | Bethel University | $62,967 | $31,250 | $12,595 | 35% |
| 2 | Middle Tennessee State University | $55,481 | $24,093 | $13,359 | 54% |
| 3 | The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga | $53,565 | $22,995 | $14,265 | 50% |
| 4 | University of Memphis | $53,399 | $27,000 | $12,397 | 51% |
| 5 | Austin Peay State University | $53,376 | $25,281 | $9,735 | 40% |
| 6 | Cumberland University | $51,032 | — | $18,759 | 46% |
| 7 | King University | $48,784 | $22,702 | $22,347 | 48% |
| 8 | Tusculum University | $48,680 | — | $21,131 | 25% |
| 9 | The University of Tennessee-Martin | $46,142 | $22,671 | $10,701 | 53% |
| 10 | Tennessee State University | $46,062 | $28,001 | $15,796 | 34% |
| 11 | Lane College | $45,008 | $38,680 | $10,904 | 18% |
| 12 | East Tennessee State University | $43,998 | $25,942 | $15,983 | 53% |
12 more Tennessee 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 Tennessee State University, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About Tennessee State University
- Acceptance rate: 70% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 34% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $42,730
- Full cost breakdown · all 34 majors · overview
Tennessee State University Criminal Justice questions
How much do Tennessee State University Criminal Justice graduates earn?
Criminal Justice graduates of Tennessee State University earn a median $46,062 four years after graduating and $32,555 one year after. The U.S. median for Criminal Justice graduates across 584 colleges is $55,208.
How much debt do Tennessee State University Criminal Justice graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Criminal Justice graduates of Tennessee State University is $28,001, about 61% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $26,000.
Is Tennessee State University a good school for Criminal Justice in Tennessee?
On pay, Criminal Justice graduates of Tennessee State University earn $46,062 four years out, $3,846 below the median for the same major across 12 Tennessee colleges ($49,908) and $9,146 below the U.S. median ($55,208). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does Tennessee State University rank for Criminal Justice in Tennessee?
Of 12 Tennessee colleges reporting Criminal Justice graduate earnings, Tennessee State University ranks 10th. The highest is Bethel University at $62,967.
What jobs do Criminal Justice graduates get?
A common career is police officer, with a median wage of $68,780 in the Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN 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: “Tennessee State University Criminal Justice: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/tennessee-state-university/majors/criminal-justice (College Scorecard and BLS data).