Criminal Justiceat Merrimack College
Graduates earn $43,323/yr in their first year — about 12.0% above the national Criminal Justice average. Base-case 10-year earnings $520K; scenarios range from $481K to $522K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at Merrimack College
First-year earnings of $43,323 at Merrimack College come in 12% above the national median of $38,544 for Criminal Justice programs.
The financial case is thin at 2.5x — decade earnings barely exceed the cost of attendance. The value proposition here is driven by factors beyond pure ROI.
Some AI exposure exists in Criminal Justice's typical career paths, with 36% of job tasks potentially affected. The pessimistic scenario still projects solid returns, with a 8% gap from the optimistic case.
Median debt of $27,000 represents roughly 7 months of the $43,323 starting salary — a manageable burden by most borrower standards.
Ranked #529 of 629 Criminal Justice programs, Merrimack College falls below the median. Stronger options exist, though cost and location may compensate.
Earnings grow from $43,323 to $55,359 over five years — a 28% increase that's moderate and in line with typical career progression.
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 Merrimack 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 Merrimack College stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at Merrimack College
Other highest-scoring programs offered at Merrimack 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 Merrimack College
What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Criminal Justice at Merrimack College?
A score of 43/100 indicates below-average financial outcomes for Criminal Justice. Earnings, ROI, or AI risk factors are pulling the score down.