Home › Buena Vista University › Criminal Justice

Criminal Justice at Buena Vista University

Storm Lake, IA · Private nonprofit · Bachelor's Degree · Criminal Justice and Corrections
40 /100
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case)
40
Optimistic
40
Base Case
29
Pessimistic
Earnings $37,641/yr (-2% vs median)
AI Risk Moderate (36% exposed)
Job Market Very Large (480,600 openings/yr)
ROI 3.0x earnings multiple
Ranked #569 of 629 Criminal Justice and Corrections programs

How AI Changes the Outlook

Three scenarios based on how aggressively AI disrupts the career paths available to Criminal Justice graduates.

Optimistic
No Disruption		 Base Case
Gradual AI		 Pessimistic
Aggressive AI
10-Year Earnings $488K $489K $456K
Earnings Multiple 3.0x 3.0x 2.8x
Probability of Field Employment 34% 32% 26%
DegreeOutlook Score 40 40 29

10-Year Earnings Projection

*Year 1 uses actual reported earnings. Scenarios diverge as AI impact compounds over time.

4-Year Tuition (Sticker)
$160,760
4-Year Net Price (After Aid)
$73,284
54% less than sticker · See by income
Median Debt at Graduation
$20,750
6.6 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$46,219
23% growth from Year 1

About Buena Vista University

Buena Vista University has a 72% acceptance rate, making it broadly accessible, a compact campus enrolling 1,378 students in Storm Lake, IA. Pell Grant recipients make up 43% of the student body — a marker of economic diversity. The average net cost of $73,284 over four years represents a 54% discount from published tuition.

See all programs and financial aid at Buena Vista University →

Top Career Paths

Managers, all other $136,550/yr
First-line supervisors of police and detectives $105,980/yr
Detectives and criminal investigators $93,580/yr
View all 20 career paths with salary ranges and AI risk →

Compare & Explore

Compare this program → View all 629 schools offering Criminal Justice →

Criminal Justice at Other Schools

Charter Oak State College ($68,956) Herzing University-Birmingham ($67,229) Herzing University-Atlanta ($67,229) Herzing University-Minneapolis ($67,229) Herzing University-Akron ($67,229) Herzing University-Madison ($67,229) Herzing University-Orlando ($67,229) Herzing University-New Orleans ($67,229)

Other Majors at Buena Vista University

Accounting and Related Services ($53,280) Finance and Financial Management Services ($52,226) Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations ($49,099) Business/Commerce, General ($48,810) Business Administration, Management and Operations ($47,385) Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas ($44,551) Marketing ($42,972) Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods ($42,834)

Is a Trade Program a Better Fit?

Compare Criminal Justice trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →

For students who prefer applied learning, trade programs can deliver strong earnings with significantly less debt and shorter time to employment.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does a 40/100 DegreeOutlook Score mean for Criminal Justice at Buena Vista University?
At 40/100, the financial outlook is modest. Higher-scoring Criminal Justice programs exist, though non-financial factors may justify this choice.
What do students actually pay for Criminal Justice at Buena Vista University?
The 54% gap between sticker price and net cost means most students pay far less than $160,760. At a net cost of $73,284, the earnings multiple improves substantially.
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →