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Public Safety & Security · Criminal Justice Rank #174 of 629

Criminal Justiceat University of Washington-Seattle Campus

Graduates earn $40,669/yr in their first year — about 6.0% above the national Criminal Justice average. Base-case 10-year earnings $532K; scenarios range from $491K to $535K depending on AI disruption.

Seattle, WA Public Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
57 SOLID
58
Optimistic
47
Pessimistic
Earnings
$40,669
1-year post-graduation
ROI
10.3x
Earnings : in-state tuition
10-yr Base
$532K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
Moderate
40% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at University of Washington

First-year earnings of $40,669 at University of Washington-Seattle Campus come in 6% above the national median of $38,544 for Criminal Justice programs.

With a 10.5x return on in-state tuition over ten years, the financial case for this program is compelling by virtually any measure.

The 8% difference between AI scenarios reflects partial automation exposure. Some Criminal Justice career paths face displacement, but others in the field are more insulated.

With first-year pay of $40,669 far exceeding the $11,628 median debt, the payback timeline is measured in months, not years.

A #174 ranking among 629 Criminal Justice programs places University of Washington-Seattle Campus in the middle-to-upper range. Solid, not exceptional.

A 41% earnings increase from $40,669 to $57,289 over five years is solid — not a moonshot, but evidence of normal career advancement.

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
$491K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score47/100
Earnings Multiple9.7x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$532K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score57/100
Earnings Multiple10.5x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$535K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score58/100
Earnings Multiple10.6x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to University of Washington'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 University of Washington 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 University of Washington

Other top programs at University of Washington

Other highest-scoring programs offered at University of Washington, 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 University of Washington

What does a 57/100 DegreeOutlook Score mean for Criminal Justice at University of Washington-Seattle Campus?

At 57/100, University of Washington-Seattle Campus's Criminal Justice program delivers middling returns. School cost and personal fit become important decision factors.