Criminal Justiceat Saint Cloud State University
Graduates earn $49,412/yr in their first year — about 28.0% above the national Criminal Justice average. Base-case 10-year earnings $521K; scenarios range from $482K to $523K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at Saint Cloud State University
First-year earnings of $49,412 put Saint Cloud State University's Criminal Justice program 28% above the national median of $38,544 — one of the higher-earning programs in this field.
The 12.9x 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 8% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.
With first-year pay of $49,412 far exceeding the $18,250 median debt, the payback timeline is measured in months, not years.
A #36 ranking out of 629 Criminal Justice programs nationally puts Saint Cloud State University in the top 10% — a strong but not elite position.
Earnings growth is modest: $49,412 to $56,967 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 Saint Cloud State University'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 Saint Cloud State University stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at Saint Cloud State University
Other highest-scoring programs offered at Saint Cloud State 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 →Frequently asked about Criminal Justice at Saint Cloud State University
How does Saint Cloud State University's Criminal Justice program score?
This program scores 64/100, reflecting respectable but not exceptional financial outcomes for Criminal Justice graduates.