Criminology degree: salary, jobs & colleges
Bachelor's graduates in criminology earn a median $56,074 four years after finishing, across 112 U.S. colleges. At ages 25-34, people whose degree is in criminology earn $57,276, $4,773 less than all bachelor's holders. The most common job is police officers (11%).
Median across 112 colleges; middle half $51,586–$59,754.
College Scorecard field of study (graduates who received federal aid)
Middle half $39,102–$81,220. 1,618 survey respondents.
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata; field "Criminology"; EducationGuide calculation
- All bachelor's, 25-34$62,049
- High school, 25-34$35,638
- This degree vs high school+$21,638/yr
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata, workers not in school
Median across colleges reporting.
College Scorecard field of study
Jobs criminology graduates hold
What employed 25-34-year-olds whose bachelor's is in criminology actually do, with U.S. wages and the outlook for each job. The first column comes from the Census survey; wages and growth from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
| Job | Share of graduates | U.S. median wage | Jobs growth 2025-35 | Typical entry | Interests |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Police Officers | 11% | $76,250 | +3.5% | — | — |
| Other Managers | 3% | — | — | — | — |
| Paralegals And Legal Assistants | 3% | $62,890 | -0.3% | Associate's degree | CIE |
| Elementary And Middle School Teachers | 2% | $64,170 | -0.4% | — | — |
| Probation Officers And Correctional Treatment Specialists | 2% | $66,270 | +3.0% | Bachelor's degree | SCE |
| Correctional Officers And Jailers | 2% | $58,940 | -7.4% | High school diploma or equivalent | RCS |
| Customer Service Representatives | 2% | $44,770 | -5.3% | High school diploma or equivalent | CES |
| Social Workers, All Other | 2% | $71,900 | +2.3% | Bachelor's degree | — |
These 8 jobs account for 27% of employed graduates: people with this degree spread across many kinds of work.
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata (ages 25-34, bachelor's as highest degree, employed); BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025-35; O*NET 31.0 interest codes (R realistic, I investigative, A artistic, S social, E enterprising, C conventional).
Criminology earnings by state
Two views of pay: recent graduates of the state's colleges four years out (College Scorecard), and everyone ages 25-34 living in the state with this field of degree (Census). States show a figure only with at least 3 colleges or 100 survey respondents.
| State | Graduates, 4 yrs (colleges) | Ages 25-34 (respondents) |
|---|---|---|
| California | $55,296 (6) | $52,793 (260) |
| Florida | $53,883 (7) | $57,721 (172) |
| Illinois | $52,846 (4) | — |
| Iowa | $56,767 (3) | — |
| Massachusetts | $62,407 (6) | — |
| Minnesota | $60,256 (4) | — |
| Missouri | $52,331 (3) | — |
| New Jersey | $53,055 (3) | — |
| New York | $60,589 (8) | — |
| North Carolina | $52,908 (4) | — |
| Ohio | $49,632 (9) | — |
| Pennsylvania | $57,405 (10) | — |
| South Carolina | $50,133 (3) | — |
| Texas | $52,087 (5) | $54,991 (114) |
| Virginia | $48,810 (4) | $72,788 (102) |
| Wisconsin | $57,529 (5) | — |
College Scorecard field of study (median of each college's graduates); Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata; EducationGuide calculations.
Colleges where criminology graduates earn the most
In the states we cover so far (Florida, Virginia, California): 9 in Florida, 5 in Virginia, 10 in California offer this major. Open a college to see cost to finish and payback for your income.
| # | College | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of MiamiFL | $70,461 | $16,500 |
| 2 | The University of TampaFL | $60,742 | $25,000 |
| 3 | University of FloridaFL | $57,953 | $19,500 |
| 4 | University of California-IrvineCA | $57,935 | $15,865 |
| 5 | Old Dominion UniversityVA | $56,659 | $25,000 |
| 6 | California State University-San MarcosCA | $55,418 | $14,810 |
| 7 | California State Polytechnic University-HumboldtCA | $55,174 | $16,849 |
| 8 | University of South FloridaFL | $53,883 | $20,302 |
| 9 | Barry UniversityFL | $51,180 | $27,000 |
| 10 | Florida Southern CollegeFL | $49,829 | $26,000 |
| 11 | Virginia Union UniversityVA | $49,024 | $31,450 |
| 12 | Flagler CollegeFL | $48,913 | $25,625 |
College Scorecard field of study. Colleges meeting our core-data standard; online campuses left out.
Related degrees
Criminology degree questions
How much do Criminology graduates make?
Criminology graduates earn a median $56,074 four years after finishing, across 112 U.S. colleges that report it (the middle half of colleges: $51,586 to $59,754; College Scorecard, graduates who received federal aid). Among all workers ages 25-34 whose bachelor's degree is in criminology, the median is $57,276 (Census ACS 2020-2024).
Is a Criminology degree worth it?
At ages 25-34, people with a bachelor's in criminology earn a median $57,276: $4,773 less than all bachelor's degree holders ($62,049) and $21,638 more than high school graduates ($35,638). EducationGuide calculation from Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata, workers not in school.
What jobs do Criminology graduates get?
Among employed 25-34-year-olds whose bachelor's is in criminology, the most common jobs are police officers (11%), other managers (3%), paralegals and legal assistants (3%). Police Officers earn a U.S. median $76,250.
How much do Criminology graduates earn in Florida?
Across 7 Florida colleges reporting, Criminology graduates earn a median $53,883 four years after graduating; at ages 25-34, Floridians with this field of degree earn $57,721.
Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard; U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey microdata; Bureau of Labor Statistics; O*NET 31.0 (U.S. Department of Labor, CC BY 4.0). Method
Data: JSON · Markdown · all degrees
Cite this: “Criminology degree: salary, jobs and colleges,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/degrees/criminology.