Criminal Justiceat Polk State College
Graduates earn $40,808/yr in their first year — about 6.0% above the national Criminal Justice average. Base-case 10-year earnings $499K; scenarios range from $464K to $499K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at Polk State College
At $40,808 per year, Criminal Justice graduates from Polk State College earn slightly above the $38,544 national median. The premium is real but not dramatic.
The 37.0x earnings multiple means ten-year projected earnings exceed tuition cost by an order of magnitude. By pure financial math, this is a standout.
AI risk is moderate — 36% task exposure — and the 7% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.
The median debt load of $12,998 represents less than half a year of starting salary — among the lightest debt-to-income ratios we track.
A #43 ranking out of 629 Criminal Justice programs nationally puts Polk State College in the top 10% — a strong but not elite position.
The five-year earnings trajectory from $40,808 to $49,499 shows 21% growth, reflecting steady but unremarkable salary 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 Polk State 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 Polk State College stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at Polk State College
Other highest-scoring programs offered at Polk State 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 Polk State College
How does Polk State College's Criminal Justice program score?
This program scores 63/100, reflecting respectable but not exceptional financial outcomes for Criminal Justice graduates.