Criminal Justice at Wayne State University
Detroit, MI · Public · Bachelor's Degree · Criminal Justice and Corrections
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition
57
Optimistic
57
Base Case
47
Pessimistic
Earnings
$39,132/yr (2% vs median)
AI Risk
Moderate (36% exposed)
Job Market
Very Large (480,600 openings/yr)
ROI
9.6x earnings multiple (4.5x out-of-state)
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 | $554K | $549K | $505K |
| Earnings Multiple (In-State) | 9.7x | 9.6x | 8.8x |
| Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) | 4.6x | 4.5x | 4.2x |
| Probability of Field Employment | 34% | 32% | 26% |
| DegreeOutlook Score | 57 | 57 | 47 |
10-Year Earnings Projection
*Year 1 uses actual reported earnings. Scenarios diverge as AI impact compounds over time.
4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)
$57,188
Out-of-state: $121,676 (4.5x ROI)
Median Debt at Graduation
$25,500
7.8 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$60,667
55% growth from Year 1
About Wayne State University
Wayne State University accepts 82% of applicants — an open-access institution by design, serving 15,676 students in Detroit, MI. With 43% of students on Pell Grants, the campus draws from a broad economic spectrum.
See all programs and financial aid at Wayne State University →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
Compare & Explore
Criminal Justice at Other Schools
Other Majors at Wayne State University
Consider the Trade Route?
Trade programs often mean less time in school, lower student debt, and hands-on career paths that tend to be more resilient to AI disruption.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does Wayne State University's Criminal Justice program score?
This program scores 57/100, reflecting respectable but not exceptional financial outcomes for Criminal Justice graduates.
Why does Wayne State University rank so high for Criminal Justice?
The #156 ranking out of 629 programs is driven by strong financial outcomes — graduates earn well, debt is manageable relative to income, and the job market supports the field.
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research.
See full methodology →