Home Schools Grand Canyon University Criminal Justice
Public Safety & Security · Criminal Justice Rank #291 of 629

Criminal Justiceat Grand Canyon University

Graduates earn $41,180/yr in their first year — about 7.0% above the national Criminal Justice average. Base-case 10-year earnings $514K; scenarios range from $476K to $516K depending on AI disruption.

Phoenix, AZ Private for-profit Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
52 AVERAGE
52
Optimistic
42
Pessimistic
Earnings
$41,180
1-year post-graduation
ROI
6.6x
Earnings : tuition
10-yr Base
$514K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
Moderate
40% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at Grand Canyon University

Graduates earn $41,180/yr, edging above the $38,544 national average for Criminal Justice — a modest premium that suggests solid regional demand.

A 7.4x earnings multiple over ten years puts this program in solid financial territory. Tuition is well-justified by projected earnings.

The 8% difference between AI scenarios reflects partial automation exposure. Some Criminal Justice career paths face displacement, but others in the field are more insulated.

At $26,599 against $41,180/yr in earnings, the debt burden is moderate. Most graduates should manage repayment without extended financial strain.

A #291 ranking among 629 Criminal Justice programs places Grand Canyon University in the middle-to-upper range. Solid, not exceptional.

A 29% earnings increase from $41,180 to $53,284 over five years is solid — not a moonshot, but evidence of normal career advancement.

AI Outlook Integration

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.

Pessimistic
Mass Automation
$476K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score42/100
Earnings Multiple6.8x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$514K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score52/100
Earnings Multiple7.4x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$516K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score52/100
Earnings Multiple7.4x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to Grand Canyon University's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.

Career Paths

Where Criminal Justice graduates typically work

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.

1
Managers, all other
+4.5% 10-yr growth · 106,700 openings/yr
$136,550/yr
Moderate
2
First-line supervisors of police and detectives
+2.9% 10-yr growth · 10,900 openings/yr
$105,980/yr
Moderate
3
Detectives and criminal investigators
-0.7% 10-yr growth · 7,800 openings/yr
$93,580/yr
High
4
Financial examiners
+18.5% 10-yr growth · 5,700 openings/yr
$90,400/yr
High
5
Emergency management directors
+3.0% 10-yr growth · 1,000 openings/yr
$86,130/yr
Moderate
6
Transit and railroad police
+3.0% 10-yr growth · 200 openings/yr
$82,320/yr
Low
Source: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics, May 2024. AI exposure from OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs and Felten AIOE research.
Compare & Explore

Peer schools offering Criminal Justice

How Grand Canyon University stacks up against other schools offering this major.

Highest earnings
Charter Oak State College
CT · Public
67
DW Score
$69K
1-yr earn
19.3x
ROI
Herzing University-Birmingham
AL · Private nonprofit
67
DW Score
$67K
1-yr earn
10.9x
ROI
Herzing University-Atlanta
GA · Private nonprofit
67
DW Score
$67K
1-yr earn
10.9x
ROI
Herzing University-Minneapolis
MN · Private nonprofit
67
DW Score
$67K
1-yr earn
10.9x
ROI
Herzing University-Akron
OH · Private nonprofit
67
DW Score
$67K
1-yr earn
10.9x
ROI
Also at Grand Canyon University

Other top programs at Grand Canyon University

Other highest-scoring programs offered at Grand Canyon 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 →
FAQ

Frequently asked about Criminal Justice at Grand Canyon University

What does a 52/100 DegreeOutlook Score mean for Criminal Justice at Grand Canyon University?

At 52/100, Grand Canyon University's Criminal Justice program delivers middling returns. School cost and personal fit become important decision factors.