Criminal Justice at South University-Columbia

Columbia, SC · Private for-profit · Bachelor's Degree · Criminal Justice and Corrections

DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case)

Optimistic

Base Case

Pessimistic

Earnings $37,713/yr (-2% vs median)

AI Risk Moderate (36% exposed)

Job Market Very Large (480,600 openings/yr)

ROI 6.8x earnings multiple

How AI Changes the Outlook

Three scenarios based on how aggressively AI disrupts the career paths available to Criminal Justice graduates.

	Optimistic No Disruption	Base Case Gradual AI	Pessimistic Aggressive AI
10-Year Earnings	$493K	$493K	$459K
Earnings Multiple	6.8x	6.8x	6.3x
Probability of Field Employment	34%	32%	26%
DegreeOutlook Score	47	47	36

*Year 1 uses actual reported earnings. Scenarios diverge as AI impact compounds over time.

4-Year Tuition (Sticker)

$72,952

Median Debt at Graduation

$42,354

13.5 months of Year 1 earnings

Reported Earnings (5 Year)

$47,301

25% growth from Year 1

a smaller institution with 445 students in Columbia, SC. Pell Grant recipients make up 58% of the student body — a marker of economic diversity.

Managers, all other $136,550/yr

First-line supervisors of police and detectives $105,980/yr

Detectives and criminal investigators $93,580/yr

For students who prefer applied learning, trade programs can deliver strong earnings with significantly less debt and shorter time to employment.

What does a 47/100 DegreeOutlook Score mean for Criminal Justice at South University-Columbia?

At 47/100, the financial outlook is modest. Higher-scoring Criminal Justice programs exist, though non-financial factors may justify this choice.

What's the payoff timeline for a Criminal Justice degree from South University-Columbia?

At $42,354 in median debt, graduates carry 13 months of starting salary in loans. Income-driven repayment plans may be relevant for many borrowers.

Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →