Criminal Justiceat Columbia College
Graduates earn $46,195/yr in their first year — about 20.0% above the national Criminal Justice average. Base-case 10-year earnings $509K; scenarios range from $472K to $510K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at Columbia College
At $46,195 per year, Criminal Justice graduates from Columbia College earn slightly above the $38,544 national median. The premium is real but not dramatic.
At 5.2x the cost of in-state tuition, the ten-year earnings outlook represents a strong return. Not exceptional, but meaningfully positive.
AI risk is moderate — 36% task exposure — and the 7% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.
The $23,575 debt-to-$46,195 income ratio translates to about 6 months of earnings. Standard loan terms should handle this comfortably.
Ranked #301 out of 629 programs, Columbia College's Criminal Justice offering sits in the upper half but doesn't break into the top tier.
Earnings growth is modest: $46,195 to $53,163 over five years (15% gain). This field may have a lower salary ceiling than high-growth professions.
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 Columbia College'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 Columbia College stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at Columbia College
Other highest-scoring programs offered at Columbia College, 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 Columbia College
How does Columbia College's Criminal Justice program score?
This program scores 52/100, reflecting respectable but not exceptional financial outcomes for Criminal Justice graduates.