U.S. median for this major: $55,208.
College Scorecard field of study; 69 graduates with earnings reported
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 48% 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 $24,884. College Scorecard.
University of Louisiana at Lafayette 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 University of Louisiana at Lafayette'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 | $11,157 | $51,099 | 3.1 years |
| $30–48k | $11,283 | $51,676 | 3.1 years |
| $48–75k | $13,692 | $62,709 | 3.8 years |
| $75–110k | $17,079 | $78,222 | 4.7 years |
| $110k+ | $18,562 | $85,014 | 5.1 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.6 years, the average time graduates took (27% 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 ($49,201) minus $32,488 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in LA (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $16,713 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 University of Louisiana at Lafayette, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About University of Louisiana at Lafayette
- Acceptance rate: 87% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 53% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $47,089
- Full cost breakdown · all 49 majors · overview
Related majors at University of Louisiana at Lafayette
- Anthropology—
University of Louisiana at Lafayette Criminal Justice questions
How much do University of Louisiana at Lafayette Criminal Justice graduates earn?
Criminal Justice graduates of University of Louisiana at Lafayette earn a median $49,201 four years after graduating and $35,872 one year after. The U.S. median for Criminal Justice graduates across 584 colleges is $55,208.
How much debt do University of Louisiana at Lafayette Criminal Justice graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Criminal Justice graduates of University of Louisiana at Lafayette is $23,557, about 48% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $26,000.
Is University of Louisiana at Lafayette a good school for Criminal Justice in Louisiana?
On pay, Criminal Justice graduates of University of Louisiana at Lafayette earn $49,201 four years out, $2,978 above the median for the same major across 13 Louisiana colleges ($46,223) and $6,007 below the U.S. median ($55,208). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does University of Louisiana at Lafayette rank for Criminal Justice in Louisiana?
Of 13 Louisiana colleges reporting Criminal Justice graduate earnings, University of Louisiana at Lafayette ranks 6th; among the 11 that mostly award bachelor's degrees it ranks 5th. 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 $49,900 in the Lafayette, 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: “University of Louisiana at Lafayette Criminal Justice: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/university-of-louisiana-at-lafayette/majors/criminal-justice (College Scorecard and BLS data).