U.S. median for this major: $55,208.
College Scorecard field of study; 133 graduates with earnings reported
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 53% 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 $21,780. College Scorecard.
WSU 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 WSU'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 | $9,734 | $43,414 | 2.5 years |
| $30–48k | $9,696 | $43,244 | 2.5 years |
| $48–75k | $13,564 | $60,495 | 3.5 years |
| $75–110k | $16,893 | $75,343 | 4.4 years |
| $110k+ | $19,184 | $85,561 | 5.0 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.5 years, the average time graduates took (31% 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 ($51,305) minus $34,216 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in KS (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $17,089 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.
| Rank | College | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Central Christian College of Kansas | $74,997 | $36,076 | $11,404 | 27% |
| 2 | Southwestern College | $63,138 | — | $29,824 | 36% |
| 3 | Friends University | $59,387 | — | $27,715 | 43% |
| 4 | Fort Hays State University | $55,790 | $28,750 | $12,569 | 48% |
| 5 | Washburn University | $53,587 | $20,822 | $15,280 | 53% |
| 6 | Wichita State University | $51,305 | $27,000 | $13,194 | 51% |
| 7 | Emporia State University | $48,574 | $23,480 | $16,261 | 56% |
9 more Kansas 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 WSU, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About WSU
- Acceptance rate: 94% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 51% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $51,532
- Full cost breakdown · all 74 majors · overview
Related majors at WSU
- Homeland Security—
- Security / Homeland Security—
- Anthropology$47,392
WSU Criminal Justice questions
How much do WSU Criminal Justice graduates earn?
Criminal Justice graduates of Wichita State University earn a median $51,305 four years after graduating and $38,102 one year after. The U.S. median for Criminal Justice graduates across 584 colleges is $55,208.
How much debt do WSU Criminal Justice graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Criminal Justice graduates of Wichita State University is $27,000, about 53% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $26,000.
Is WSU a good school for Criminal Justice in Kansas?
On pay, Criminal Justice graduates of Wichita State University earn $51,305 four years out, $4,485 below the median for the same major across 7 Kansas colleges ($55,790) and $3,903 below the U.S. median ($55,208). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does WSU rank for Criminal Justice in Kansas?
Of 7 Kansas colleges reporting Criminal Justice graduate earnings, Wichita State University ranks 6th. 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 $60,840 in the Wichita, 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
Data: JSON · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “Wichita State University Criminal Justice: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/wichita-state-university/majors/criminal-justice (College Scorecard and BLS data).