U.S. median for this major: $55,208.
College Scorecard field of study; 177 graduates with earnings reported
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 44% 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 $22,756. College Scorecard.
UWM 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 UWM'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 | $10,329 | $46,894 | 2.3 years |
| $30–48k | $10,709 | $48,619 | 2.4 years |
| $48–75k | $12,344 | $56,042 | 2.7 years |
| $75–110k | $19,315 | $87,690 | 4.2 years |
| $110k+ | $21,477 | $97,506 | 4.7 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.5 years, the average time graduates took (28% 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 ($58,223) minus $37,564 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in WI (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $20,659 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 Wisconsin colleges
Every Wisconsin 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 | Marian University | $70,934 | — | $21,937 | 44% |
| 2 | Herzing University-Madisonbachelor's & associate | $69,601 | $28,399 | $22,327 | 28% |
| 3 | Herzing University-Kenosha | $69,601 | $28,399 | $23,066 | 72% |
| 4 | Herzing University-Brookfieldbachelor's & associate | $69,601 | $28,399 | $20,514 | 42% |
| 5 | Carthage College | $60,633 | $27,000 | $26,565 | 64% |
| 6 | University of Wisconsin-Platteville | $59,533 | $25,000 | $16,032 | 56% |
| 7 | University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire | $58,762 | $21,500 | $16,550 | 64% |
| 8 | University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh | $58,489 | $25,000 | $14,305 | 46% |
| 9 | University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee | $58,223 | $25,715 | $15,014 | 49% |
| 10 | University of Wisconsin-Superior | $58,167 | $26,175 | $12,220 | 42% |
| 11 | Concordia University-Wisconsin | $56,188 | $27,000 | $36,201 | 68% |
| 12 | University of Wisconsin-Parkside | $54,156 | $20,745 | $11,772 | 40% |
| 13 | Carroll University | $51,960 | $27,000 | $15,193 | 71% |
4 more Wisconsin 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 UWM, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About UWM
- Acceptance rate: 91% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 49% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $54,990
- Full cost breakdown · all 89 majors · overview
Related majors at UWM
- Criminology—
- Anthropology$47,811
UWM Criminal Justice questions
How much do UWM Criminal Justice graduates earn?
Criminal Justice graduates of University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee earn a median $58,223 four years after graduating and $38,640 one year after. The U.S. median for Criminal Justice graduates across 584 colleges is $55,208.
How much debt do UWM Criminal Justice graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Criminal Justice graduates of University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee is $25,715, about 44% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $26,000.
Is UWM a good school for Criminal Justice in Wisconsin?
On pay, Criminal Justice graduates of University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee earn $58,223 four years out, $539 below the median for the same major across 13 Wisconsin colleges ($58,762) and $3,015 above the U.S. median ($55,208). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does UWM rank for Criminal Justice in Wisconsin?
Of 13 Wisconsin colleges reporting Criminal Justice graduate earnings, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee ranks 9th; among the 11 that mostly award bachelor's degrees it ranks 7th. The highest is Marian University at $70,934.
What jobs do Criminal Justice graduates get?
A common career is police officer, with a median wage of $82,090 in the Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI area and $76,210 nationally. Others include compliance officers and child, family, and school social workers.
Is UWM the right fit for your family?
Get a free report comparing UWM 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 Wisconsin-Milwaukee Criminal Justice: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/university-of-wisconsin-milwaukee/majors/criminal-justice (College Scorecard and BLS data).