U.S. median for this major: $55,208.
College Scorecard field of study; 96 graduates with earnings reported
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 53% 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 $28,145. College Scorecard.
UAB 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 UAB'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 | $16,172 | $70,672 | 3.5 years |
| $30–48k | $15,500 | $67,735 | 3.4 years |
| $48–75k | $19,161 | $83,734 | 4.2 years |
| $75–110k | $21,805 | $95,288 | 4.7 years |
| $110k+ | $22,597 | $98,749 | 4.9 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.4 years, the average time graduates took (43% 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 ($51,643) minus $31,484 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in AL (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $20,159 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 Alabama colleges
Every Alabama 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-Birminghammostly 2-year | $69,601 | $28,399 | $19,651 | 13% |
| 2 | Faulkner University | $60,384 | $28,250 | $22,085 | 37% |
| 3 | The University of Alabama | $57,796 | $25,000 | $22,420 | 73% |
| 4 | Troy University | $56,317 | $25,000 | $16,527 | 50% |
| 5 | University of Alabama at Birmingham | $51,643 | $27,307 | $18,749 | 64% |
| 6 | Auburn University at Montgomery | $51,363 | $25,635 | $13,224 | 33% |
| 7 | University of South Alabama | $50,822 | $29,026 | $17,648 | 53% |
| 8 | University of North Alabama | $48,913 | $24,125 | $12,170 | 55% |
| 9 | Alabama A & M University | $48,912 | $32,500 | $17,621 | 24% |
| 10 | Athens State University | $47,683 | — | — | — |
| 11 | Jacksonville State University | $46,156 | $27,192 | $14,279 | 55% |
| 12 | Alabama State University | $45,173 | $32,261 | $20,435 | 30% |
5 more Alabama 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 UAB, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About UAB
- Acceptance rate: 88% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 64% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $54,501
- Full cost breakdown · all 49 majors · overview
Related majors at UAB
- Security / Homeland Security—
- Anthropology$31,991
UAB Criminal Justice questions
How much do UAB Criminal Justice graduates earn?
Criminal Justice graduates of University of Alabama at Birmingham earn a median $51,643 four years after graduating and $34,459 one year after. The U.S. median for Criminal Justice graduates across 584 colleges is $55,208.
How much debt do UAB Criminal Justice graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Criminal Justice graduates of University of Alabama at Birmingham is $27,307, about 53% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $26,000.
Is UAB a good school for Criminal Justice in Alabama?
On pay, Criminal Justice graduates of University of Alabama at Birmingham earn $51,643 four years out, $551 above the median for the same major across 12 Alabama colleges ($51,092) and $3,565 below the U.S. median ($55,208). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does UAB rank for Criminal Justice in Alabama?
Of 12 Alabama colleges reporting Criminal Justice graduate earnings, University of Alabama at Birmingham ranks 5th; among the 11 that mostly award bachelor's degrees it ranks 4th. The highest is Herzing University-Birmingham at $69,601.
What jobs do Criminal Justice graduates get?
A common career is police officer, with a median wage of $60,590 in the Birmingham, AL area and $76,210 nationally. Others include compliance officers and child, family, and school social workers.
Is UAB the right fit for your family?
Get a free report comparing UAB 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: “University of Alabama at Birmingham Criminal Justice: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/university-of-alabama-at-birmingham/majors/criminal-justice (College Scorecard and BLS data).