Criminal Justice at California State University-Chico
Chico, CA · Public · Bachelor's Degree · Criminal Justice and Corrections
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition
61
Optimistic
61
Base Case
51
Pessimistic
Earnings
$36,045/yr (-6% vs median)
AI Risk
Moderate (36% exposed)
Job Market
Very Large (480,600 openings/yr)
ROI
16.9x earnings multiple (6.8x out-of-state)
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 | $550K | $546K | $502K |
| Earnings Multiple (In-State) | 17.1x | 16.9x | 15.6x |
| Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) | 6.9x | 6.8x | 6.3x |
| Probability of Field Employment | 34% | 32% | 26% |
| DegreeOutlook Score | 61 | 61 | 51 |
10-Year Earnings Projection
*Year 1 uses actual reported earnings. Scenarios diverge as AI impact compounds over time.
4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)
$32,256
Out-of-state: $79,776 (6.8x ROI)
Median Debt at Graduation
$15,000
5.0 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$58,616
63% growth from Year 1
About California State University-Chico
California State University-Chico accepts 94% of applicants — an open-access institution by design, with a mid-sized student body of 13,057 in Chico, CA. Pell Grant recipients make up 40% of the student body — a marker of economic diversity.
See all programs and financial aid at California State University-Chico →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
Compare & Explore
Criminal Justice at Other Schools
Other Majors at California State University-Chico
Consider the Trade Route?
Trade programs often mean less time in school, lower student debt, and hands-on career paths that tend to be more resilient to AI disruption.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does California State University-Chico's Criminal Justice program score?
This program scores 61/100, reflecting respectable but not exceptional financial outcomes for Criminal Justice graduates.
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research.
See full methodology →