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Public Safety & Security · Criminal Justice Rank #487 of 629

Criminal Justiceat Simpson College

Graduates earn $42,862/yr in their first year — about 11.0% above the national Criminal Justice average. Base-case 10-year earnings $523K; scenarios range from $484K to $526K depending on AI disruption.

Indianola, IA Private nonprofit Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
45 AVERAGE
45
Optimistic
34
Pessimistic
Earnings
$42,862
1-year post-graduation
ROI
2.0x
Earnings : tuition
10-yr Base
$523K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
Moderate
40% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at Simpson College

Graduates earn $42,862/yr, edging above the $38,544 national average for Criminal Justice — a modest premium that suggests solid regional demand.

An earnings multiple of 2.8x means the program roughly breaks even in financial terms over ten years. Non-financial factors need to justify the investment.

AI risk is moderate — 36% task exposure — and the 8% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.

The $26,250 debt-to-$42,862 income ratio translates to about 7 months of earnings. Standard loan terms should handle this comfortably.

At #487 out of 629 programs, Simpson College's financial outcomes for Criminal Justice trail the majority of peers. The value case depends on other factors.

The five-year earnings trajectory from $42,862 to $55,995 shows 31% growth, reflecting steady but unremarkable salary progression.

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
$484K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score34/100
Earnings Multiple2.6x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$523K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score45/100
Earnings Multiple2.8x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$526K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score45/100
Earnings Multiple2.8x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to Simpson College'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 Simpson College 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 Simpson College

Other top programs at Simpson College

Other highest-scoring programs offered at Simpson 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 →
FAQ

Frequently asked about Criminal Justice at Simpson College

How does Simpson College's Criminal Justice program score?

This program scores 45/100 — on the lower end for Criminal Justice. Prospective students should carefully weigh costs against likely earnings.

How affordable is Criminal Justice at Simpson College after financial aid?

Sticker price is $184,848, but the average net cost is $88,924 — a 52% discount. For students who qualify for aid, this program is considerably more affordable than it appears.