U.S. median for this major: $55,208.
College Scorecard field of study; 200 graduates with earnings reported
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 38% 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 $19,992. College Scorecard.
Western Carolina University 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 Western Carolina University'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 | $8,816 | $38,261 | 1.7 years |
| $30–48k | $10,012 | $43,452 | 1.9 years |
| $48–75k | $12,605 | $54,706 | 2.4 years |
| $75–110k | $17,060 | $74,040 | 3.3 years |
| $110k+ | $17,992 | $78,085 | 3.5 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.3 years, the average time graduates took (41% 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 ($55,903) minus $33,516 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in NC (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $22,387 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 North Carolina colleges
Every North 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 | High Point University | $65,607 | — | $38,707 | 74% |
| 2 | Wingate University | $62,075 | $27,000 | $20,748 | 46% |
| 3 | Belmont Abbey College | $60,235 | $27,000 | $24,639 | 47% |
| 4 | Greensboro College | $56,598 | — | $17,882 | 46% |
| 5 | Western Carolina University | $55,903 | $21,461 | $13,315 | 60% |
| 6 | Appalachian State University | $55,474 | $18,750 | $16,836 | 75% |
| 7 | Guilford College | $54,209 | $27,290 | $22,270 | 46% |
| 8 | University of North Carolina at Charlotte | $53,738 | $23,250 | $15,435 | 69% |
| 9 | Methodist University | $53,072 | $27,000 | $24,704 | 44% |
| 10 | Winston-Salem State University | $52,130 | $27,000 | $13,479 | 47% |
| 11 | Brevard College | $51,834 | $26,000 | $23,509 | 49% |
| 12 | Gardner-Webb University | $51,709 | $25,000 | $17,674 | 55% |
| 13 | North Carolina A & T State University | $51,474 | $27,798 | $10,846 | 57% |
| 14 | University of Mount Olive | $50,800 | $34,535 | $18,853 | 52% |
| 15 | Pfeiffer University | $50,798 | $25,125 | $19,076 | 35% |
| 16 | East Carolina University | $50,722 | $25,000 | $15,739 | 63% |
| 17 | University of North Carolina at Pembroke | $50,382 | $27,000 | $10,260 | 44% |
| 18 | Elizabeth City State University | $50,239 | $23,903 | $6,364 | 44% |
| 19 | Lees-McRae College | $50,085 | $15,000 | $28,340 | 42% |
| 20 | Campbell University | $49,830 | $27,000 | $24,516 | 61% |
| 21 | North Carolina Central University | $48,443 | $29,500 | $15,359 | 42% |
| 22 | Fayetteville State University | $46,660 | $26,000 | $7,892 | 38% |
| 23 | Salem College | $45,560 | — | $18,277 | 57% |
| 24 | Chowan University | $44,858 | $39,000 | $14,086 | 30% |
| 25 | North Carolina Wesleyan University | $43,805 | $29,500 | $17,432 | 42% |
| 26 | Shaw University | $43,299 | $37,500 | $16,512 | 22% |
| 27 | Mars Hill University | $41,384 | $27,000 | $19,910 | 45% |
| 28 | Livingstone College | $35,015 | $35,375 | $13,479 | 28% |
6 more North 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 Western Carolina University, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About Western Carolina University
- Acceptance rate: 82% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 60% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $49,458
- Full cost breakdown · all 55 majors · overview
Related majors at Western Carolina University
- Public Administration$70,331
- Security / Homeland Security$54,246
- Anthropology$45,809
Western Carolina University Criminal Justice questions
How much do Western Carolina University Criminal Justice graduates earn?
Criminal Justice graduates of Western Carolina University earn a median $55,903 four years after graduating and $38,682 one year after. The U.S. median for Criminal Justice graduates across 584 colleges is $55,208.
How much debt do Western Carolina University Criminal Justice graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Criminal Justice graduates of Western Carolina University is $21,461, about 38% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $26,000.
Is Western Carolina University a good school for Criminal Justice in North Carolina?
On pay, Criminal Justice graduates of Western Carolina University earn $55,903 four years out, $5,104 above the median for the same major across 28 North Carolina colleges ($50,799) and $695 above the U.S. median ($55,208). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does Western Carolina University rank for Criminal Justice in North Carolina?
Of 28 North Carolina colleges reporting Criminal Justice graduate earnings, Western Carolina University ranks 5th. The highest is High Point University at $65,607.
What jobs do Criminal Justice graduates get?
A common career is police officer, with a median wage of $59,300 in North Carolina 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: “Western Carolina University Criminal Justice: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/western-carolina-university/majors/criminal-justice (College Scorecard and BLS data).