Washburn University Criminal Justice: earnings, debt & careers

Criminal Justice graduates of Washburn University earn a median $53,587 four years after graduating ($40,052 after one year), with median federal loan debt of $20,822. That is $1,621 below the U.S. median for Criminal Justice graduates ($55,208 across 584 colleges), and ranks 5th of 7 Kansas colleges.

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Earnings, 4 years after graduating
$53,587

U.S. median for this major: $55,208.

College Scorecard field of study; 58 graduates with earnings reported

Earnings, 1 year after
$40,052

Median for graduates who received federal aid.

College Scorecard field of study

Median debt at graduation
$20,822

About 39% of median earnings 4 years out. U.S. median $26,000.

College Scorecard field of study (federal loans)

What your family pays
$15,280 /yr

Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.

Sticker price $21,512. College Scorecard.

Washburn University Criminal Justice: pay against the field, and payback

Same major, other colleges

Washburn University graduates$53,587
Kansas median (7 colleges)$55,790 (−$2,203)
U.S. median (584 colleges)$55,208 (−$1,621)

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 Washburn University's school-wide net price (no college reports it by major) and this major's graduate earnings.

Family incomeNet price / yrCost to finishYears to pay back
$0–30k$20,310$91,1924.7 years
$30–48k$9,693$43,5222.2 years
$48–75k$10,758$48,3032.5 years
$75–110k$13,922$62,5103.2 years
$110k+$15,472$69,4693.6 years

Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.5 years, the average time graduates took (25% 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 ($53,587) minus $34,216 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in KS (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $19,371 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 Kansas colleges

Every Kansas college we cover that reports Criminal Justice graduate earnings, highest first. Net price is the school-wide average after grants.

RankCollegeEarnings, 4 yrsMedian debtAvg. net priceGraduation
1Central Christian College of Kansas$74,997$36,076$11,40427%
2Southwestern College$63,138—$29,82436%
3Friends University$59,387—$27,71543%
4Fort Hays State University$55,790$28,750$12,56948%
5Washburn University$53,587$20,822$15,28053%
6Wichita State University$51,305$27,000$13,19451%
7Emporia State University$48,574$23,480$16,26156%

9 more Kansas colleges offer Criminal Justice but have too few graduates to report earnings.

Careers for Criminal Justice graduates

Police officer

Topeka area$63,920
Kansas$59,230
U.S.$76,210

Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +3.5% by 2035. Typical entry: high school diploma or equivalent.

Compliance Officers

Topeka area$62,950
Kansas$69,740
U.S.$80,730

Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +3.8% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.

Child, Family, and School Social Workers

Topeka area$54,310
Kansas$54,300
U.S.$59,550

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 Washburn University, by income

School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.

College Scorecard

About Washburn University

Related majors at Washburn University

Washburn University Criminal Justice questions

How much do Washburn University Criminal Justice graduates earn?

Criminal Justice graduates of Washburn University earn a median $53,587 four years after graduating and $40,052 one year after. The U.S. median for Criminal Justice graduates across 584 colleges is $55,208.

How much debt do Washburn University Criminal Justice graduates have?

The median federal loan debt for Criminal Justice graduates of Washburn University is $20,822, about 39% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $26,000.

Is Washburn University a good school for Criminal Justice in Kansas?

On pay, Criminal Justice graduates of Washburn University earn $53,587 four years out, $2,203 below the median for the same major across 7 Kansas colleges ($55,790) and $1,621 below the U.S. median ($55,208). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.

Where does Washburn University rank for Criminal Justice in Kansas?

Of 7 Kansas colleges reporting Criminal Justice graduate earnings, Washburn University ranks 5th. The highest is Central Christian College of Kansas at $74,997.

What jobs do Criminal Justice graduates get?

A common career is police officer, with a median wage of $63,920 in the Topeka, KS 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
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Cite this: “Washburn University Criminal Justice: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/washburn-university/majors/criminal-justice (College Scorecard and BLS data).