U.S. median for this major: $55,208.
College Scorecard field of study; 100 graduates with earnings reported
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 46% 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 $26,566. College Scorecard.
University of Southern Mississippi 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 Southern Mississippi'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 | $19,867 | $87,216 | 5.6 years |
| $30–48k | $20,432 | $89,696 | 5.8 years |
| $48–75k | $22,756 | $99,899 | 6.4 years |
| $75–110k | $25,812 | $113,315 | 7.3 years |
| $110k+ | $26,542 | $116,519 | 7.5 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.4 years, the average time graduates took (34% 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 ($46,109) minus $30,550 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in MS (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $15,559 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 Mississippi colleges
Every Mississippi 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 | Mississippi College | $55,832 | $27,000 | $27,712 | 59% |
| 2 | University of Mississippi | $52,874 | $22,171 | $13,314 | 72% |
| 3 | William Carey University | $51,430 | $24,729 | $14,258 | 60% |
| 4 | Jackson State University | $46,799 | $31,000 | $23,836 | 51% |
| 5 | University of Southern Mississippi | $46,109 | $21,125 | $21,708 | 49% |
| 6 | Alcorn State University | $41,908 | $28,065 | $13,265 | 57% |
5 more Mississippi 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 Southern Mississippi, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About University of Southern Mississippi
- Acceptance rate: 99% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 49% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $44,140
- Full cost breakdown · all 70 majors · overview
Related majors at University of Southern Mississippi
- Security / Homeland Security$51,956
- Anthropology—
University of Southern Mississippi Criminal Justice questions
How much do University of Southern Mississippi Criminal Justice graduates earn?
Criminal Justice graduates of University of Southern Mississippi earn a median $46,109 four years after graduating and $36,315 one year after. The U.S. median for Criminal Justice graduates across 584 colleges is $55,208.
How much debt do University of Southern Mississippi Criminal Justice graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Criminal Justice graduates of University of Southern Mississippi is $21,125, about 46% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $26,000.
Is University of Southern Mississippi a good school for Criminal Justice in Mississippi?
On pay, Criminal Justice graduates of University of Southern Mississippi earn $46,109 four years out, $3,005 below the median for the same major across 6 Mississippi colleges ($49,114) and $9,099 below the U.S. median ($55,208). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does University of Southern Mississippi rank for Criminal Justice in Mississippi?
Of 6 Mississippi colleges reporting Criminal Justice graduate earnings, University of Southern Mississippi ranks 5th. The highest is Mississippi College at $55,832.
What jobs do Criminal Justice graduates get?
A common career is police officer, with a median wage of $44,080 in the Hattiesburg, MS 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 Southern Mississippi Criminal Justice: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/university-of-southern-mississippi/majors/criminal-justice (College Scorecard and BLS data).