U.S. median for this major: $55,208.
College Scorecard field of study; 277 graduates with earnings reported
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 49% 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 $31,638. College Scorecard.
University of South Carolina-Columbia 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 South Carolina-Columbia'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 | $12,634 | $52,178 | 3.0 years |
| $30–48k | $14,953 | $61,756 | 3.6 years |
| $48–75k | $19,859 | $82,018 | 4.7 years |
| $75–110k | $24,478 | $101,094 | 5.8 years |
| $110k+ | $28,125 | $116,156 | 6.7 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.1 years, the average time graduates took (69% 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 ($50,847) minus $33,516 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in SC (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $17,331 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 South Carolina colleges
Every South Carolina 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 | Citadel Military College of South Carolina | $65,574 | $24,966 | $20,723 | 75% |
| 2 | Columbia College | $59,371 | $26,773 | $18,408 | 37% |
| 3 | Charleston Southern University | $53,162 | $27,000 | $21,666 | 47% |
| 4 | North Greenville University | $51,418 | — | $21,063 | 55% |
| 5 | University of South Carolina-Columbia | $50,847 | $25,000 | $22,811 | 79% |
| 6 | Anderson University | $49,825 | $28,500 | $23,544 | 66% |
| 7 | University of South Carolina-Upstate | $48,209 | $27,000 | $13,557 | 43% |
| 8 | Bob Jones University | $46,332 | $18,298 | $16,641 | 65% |
| 9 | South Carolina State University | $45,061 | $31,000 | $18,097 | 37% |
| 10 | Claflin University | $41,353 | $37,009 | $17,800 | 52% |
| 11 | Benedict College | $39,337 | $40,750 | $18,250 | 24% |
6 more South Carolina 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 South Carolina-Columbia, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About University of South Carolina-Columbia
- Acceptance rate: 60% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 79% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $62,177
- Full cost breakdown · all 77 majors · overview
Related majors at University of South Carolina-Columbia
- Security / Homeland Security—
- Anthropology$42,758
University of South Carolina-Columbia Criminal Justice questions
How much do University of South Carolina-Columbia Criminal Justice graduates earn?
Criminal Justice graduates of University of South Carolina-Columbia earn a median $50,847 four years after graduating and $35,781 one year after. The U.S. median for Criminal Justice graduates across 584 colleges is $55,208.
How much debt do University of South Carolina-Columbia Criminal Justice graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Criminal Justice graduates of University of South Carolina-Columbia is $25,000, about 49% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $26,000.
Is University of South Carolina-Columbia a good school for Criminal Justice in South Carolina?
On pay, Criminal Justice graduates of University of South Carolina-Columbia earn $50,847 four years out, $1,022 above the median for the same major across 11 South Carolina colleges ($49,825) and $4,361 below the U.S. median ($55,208). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does University of South Carolina-Columbia rank for Criminal Justice in South Carolina?
Of 11 South Carolina colleges reporting Criminal Justice graduate earnings, University of South Carolina-Columbia ranks 5th. The highest is Citadel Military College of South Carolina at $65,574.
What jobs do Criminal Justice graduates get?
A common career is police officer, with a median wage of $59,260 in the Columbia, SC 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 South Carolina-Columbia Criminal Justice: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/university-of-south-carolina-columbia/majors/criminal-justice (College Scorecard and BLS data).