# Western Connecticut State University: Criminal Justice (bachelor's)

Danbury, CT. IPEDS 130776, CIP 43.01. Page: https://educationguide.com/colleges/western-connecticut-state-university/majors/criminal-justice

## Graduate outcomes
- Median earnings 1 year after graduating: $38,235
- Median earnings 4 years after graduating: $66,510 (U.S. median for this major: $55,208 across 584 colleges)
- Median federal loan debt: $24,875 (U.S. median $26,000)
- Rank in CT: 2 of 8 colleges by 4-year earnings
- Versus the CT median for this major (8 colleges, $58,183): +$8,327
- Versus the U.S. median: +$11,302

## Cost to finish and years to pay back (EducationGuide calculation)
School-wide net price x 4.41 years (average time graduates took). Earnings gain = $66,510 minus $37,781 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in CT (Census ACS 2020-2024).

| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | $13,507 | $59,566 | 2.1 years |
| 30-48k | $13,716 | $60,488 | 2.1 years |
| 48-75k | $16,697 | $73,634 | 2.6 years |
| 75-110k | $18,737 | $82,630 | 2.9 years |
| 110k+ | $21,318 | $94,012 | 3.3 years |

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

## Criminal Justice at CT colleges
| College | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quinnipiac University | $79,098 | $27,000 | $40,675 | 76% |
| Western Connecticut State University | $66,510 | $24,875 | $17,604 | 52% |
| University of Hartford | $60,807 | $26,563 | $30,282 | 54% |
| University of New Haven | $60,656 | $27,000 | $34,192 | 63% |
| Sacred Heart University | $55,710 | $27,000 | $46,174 | 74% |
| Albertus Magnus College | $53,615 | $40,000 | $34,028 | 52% |
| Mitchell College | $50,035 | $27,000 | $30,260 | 42% |
| University of Bridgeport | $49,978 | $26,250 | $27,807 | 41% |

## Careers
- Police officer (SOC 33-3051): median wage $84,000 Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT Metropolitan Statistical Area, $82,170 CT, $76,210 U.S.; U.S. jobs 3.5% by 2035
- Compliance Officers (SOC 13-1041): median wage $97,920 Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT Metropolitan Statistical Area, $91,810 CT, $80,730 U.S.; U.S. jobs 3.8% by 2035
- Child, Family, and School Social Workers (SOC 21-1021): median wage $78,970 Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT Metropolitan Statistical Area, $78,970 CT, $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).