Criminal Justiceat Ashland University
Graduates earn $42,172/yr in their first year — about 9.0% above the national Criminal Justice average. Base-case 10-year earnings $526K; scenarios range from $486K to $529K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at Ashland University
Graduates earn $42,172/yr, edging above the $38,544 national average for Criminal Justice — a modest premium that suggests solid regional demand.
An earnings multiple of 4.6x means ten-year projected earnings exceed tuition, but not by a dramatic margin. Returns are positive but modest.
Some AI exposure exists in Criminal Justice's typical career paths, with 36% of job tasks potentially affected. The pessimistic scenario still projects solid returns, with a 8% gap from the optimistic case.
Median debt of $27,000 represents roughly 8 months of the $42,172 starting salary — a manageable burden by most borrower standards.
Ranked #365 of 629 Criminal Justice programs, Ashland University falls below the median. Stronger options exist, though cost and location may compensate.
Earnings grow from $42,172 to $56,512 over five years — a 34% increase that's moderate and in line with typical career progression.
Three scenarios, ten years out
Each scenario is a different assumption about how AI reshapes the career paths this major feeds into. Earnings projections stack the full 10-year cumulative trajectory; scores use the same 0–100 metric as the hero, recomputed under that scenario's assumptions.
10 year projection
Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to Ashland University's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.
Common career destinations for this program's graduates, weighted by the school's specific occupation mix. Salary is BLS national median; AI risk is per-role task-exposure research.
Peer schools offering Criminal Justice
How Ashland University stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at Ashland University
Other highest-scoring programs offered at Ashland University, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.
Consider the trade route
Not sure a 4-year degree is the right path? Trade programs in Criminal Justice offer shorter timelines, lower debt, and strong AI resilience for hands-on careers.
Compare Criminal Justice trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →Frequently asked about Criminal Justice at Ashland University
What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Criminal Justice at Ashland University?
This program scores 50/100 — a respectable number in isolation, but it ranks in the bottom half of Criminal Justice programs nationally. The field is competitive, and stronger options exist.