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Public Safety & Security · Criminal Justice Rank #199 of 629

Criminal Justiceat Liberty University

Graduates earn $48,855/yr in their first year — about 27.0% above the national Criminal Justice average. Base-case 10-year earnings $527K; scenarios range from $487K to $529K depending on AI disruption.

Lynchburg, VA Private nonprofit Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
56 SOLID
57
Optimistic
47
Pessimistic
Earnings
$48,855
1-year post-graduation
ROI
5.9x
Earnings : tuition
10-yr Base
$527K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
Moderate
40% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at Liberty University

Graduates of Liberty University's Criminal Justice program earn $48,855/yr in their first year — 27% above the $38,544 national median, a strong market signal for this institution.

At 6.2x 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 8% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.

The $25,000 debt-to-$48,855 income ratio translates to about 6 months of earnings. Standard loan terms should handle this comfortably.

Ranked #199 out of 629 programs, Liberty University's Criminal Justice offering sits in the upper half but doesn't break into the top tier.

Earnings growth is modest: $48,855 to $58,274 over five years (19% gain). This field may have a lower salary ceiling than high-growth professions.

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
$487K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score47/100
Earnings Multiple5.7x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$527K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score56/100
Earnings Multiple6.2x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$529K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score57/100
Earnings Multiple6.2x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to Liberty 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 Liberty 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 Liberty University

Other top programs at Liberty University

Other highest-scoring programs offered at Liberty 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 Liberty University

How does Liberty University's Criminal Justice program score?

This program scores 56/100, reflecting respectable but not exceptional financial outcomes for Criminal Justice graduates.