# Murray State University: Criminal Justice (bachelor's)

Murray, KY. IPEDS 157401, CIP 43.01. Page: https://educationguide.com/colleges/murray-state-university/majors/criminal-justice

## Graduate outcomes
- Median earnings 1 year after graduating: $32,041
- Median earnings 4 years after graduating: $48,437 (U.S. median for this major: $55,208 across 584 colleges)
- Median federal loan debt: $22,875 (U.S. median $26,000)
- Rank in KY: 5 of 11 colleges by 4-year earnings
- Versus the KY median for this major (11 colleges, $47,882): +$555
- Versus the U.S. median: -$6,771

## Cost to finish and years to pay back (EducationGuide calculation)
School-wide net price x 4.28 years (average time graduates took). Earnings gain = $48,437 minus $33,516 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in KY (Census ACS 2020-2024).

| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | $6,242 | $26,716 | 1.8 years |
| 30-48k | $6,347 | $27,165 | 1.8 years |
| 48-75k | $8,104 | $34,685 | 2.3 years |
| 75-110k | $12,811 | $54,831 | 3.7 years |
| 110k+ | $15,450 | $66,126 | 4.4 years |

Method: https://educationguide.com/how-we-score#value

## Criminal Justice at KY colleges
| College | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Louisville | $57,399 | $23,151 | $17,988 | 61% |
| Northern Kentucky University | $55,835 | $25,000 | $8,191 | 52% |
| Kentucky Wesleyan College | $52,867 | not reported | $17,131 | 47% |
| Bellarmine University | $51,527 | $25,990 | $21,499 | 64% |
| Murray State University | $48,437 | $22,875 | $9,096 | 61% |
| Eastern Kentucky University | $47,882 | $25,000 | $11,040 | 50% |
| Kentucky State University | $46,767 | $28,162 | $8,040 | 32% |
| Campbellsville University | $41,900 | $21,550 | $19,341 | 42% |
| University of the Cumberlands | $41,785 | $25,000 | $14,107 | 50% |
| University of Pikeville | $41,524 | $22,330 | $20,311 | 42% |
| Lindsey Wilson College | $40,618 | $21,500 | $15,070 | 44% |

## Careers
- Police officer (SOC 33-3051): median wage not reported metro, $60,490 KY, $76,210 U.S.; U.S. jobs 3.5% by 2035
- Compliance Officers (SOC 13-1041): median wage not reported metro, $69,240 KY, $80,730 U.S.; U.S. jobs 3.8% by 2035
- Child, Family, and School Social Workers (SOC 21-1021): median wage not reported metro, $59,100 KY, $59,550 U.S.; U.S. jobs 4.4% by 2035

## Sources and years
- Earnings (4 yr): Treasury AY2017-2018, AY2018-2019 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars; debt: NSLDS pooled AY2018-19, AY2019-20 cohort

Free to reuse with attribution: cite "EducationGuide.com" with a link to the page URL. Most figures are U.S. government data (public domain); loan default rates and athletics come from the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By 1.0, attribution required) and founding years from Wikidata (CC0).