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Criminal Justice and Corrections at University of Northern Iowa

Cedar Falls, IA · Public · Bachelor's Degree

DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition

Optimistic

Base Case

Pessimistic

Earnings $43,748/yr (14% vs median)

AI Risk Moderate (36% exposed)

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

ROI 12.7x earnings multiple (5.8x out-of-state)

Ranked #225 of 629 Criminal Justice and Corrections programs Top 50%

How AI Changes the Outlook

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

	Optimistic No Disruption	Base Case Gradual AI	Pessimistic Aggressive AI
10-Year Earnings	$496K	$496K	$461K
Earnings Multiple (In-State)	12.7x	12.7x	11.9x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State)	5.8x	5.8x	5.4x
Probability of Field Employment	34%	32%	26%
DegreeOutlook Score	55	55	45

10-Year Earnings Projection

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

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)

$38,912

Out-of-state: $85,088 (5.8x ROI)

4-Year Net Price (After Aid)

$58,436

-50% less than sticker · See by income

Median Debt at Graduation

$15,178

4.2 months of Year 1 earnings

Program Analysis

First-year earnings of $43,748 at University of Northern Iowa come in 14% above the national median of $38,544 for Criminal Justice and Corrections programs.

The 12.7x 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.

With first-year pay of $43,748 far exceeding the $15,178 median debt, the payback timeline is measured in months, not years.

Ranked #225 out of 629 programs, University of Northern Iowa's Criminal Justice and Corrections offering sits in the upper half but doesn't break into the top tier.

About University of Northern Iowa

University of Northern Iowa accepts 94% of applicants — an open-access institution by design, serving 7,599 students in Cedar Falls, IA.

See all programs and financial aid at University of Northern Iowa →

Top Career Paths

Managers, all other $136,550/yr

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

Detectives and criminal investigators $93,580/yr

View all 20 career paths with salary ranges and AI risk →

Compare & Explore

Criminal Justice and Corrections at Other Schools

Other Majors at University of Northern Iowa

Is a Trade Program a Better Fit?

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

Frequently Asked Questions

How does University of Northern Iowa's Criminal Justice and Corrections program score?

This program scores 55/100, reflecting respectable but not exceptional financial outcomes for Criminal Justice and Corrections graduates.

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