Criminal Justice and Corrections: American Public University System vs Minnesota State University-Mankato

Side-by-side ROI comparison · Bachelor's Degree
Return on Investment
10-year earnings ÷ tuition · higher is better
In-State
16.8x
$33,600 tuition
14.2x
$37,960 tuition
Out-of-State
16.8x
$33,600 tuition
7.2x
$75,440 tuition
$565,150 10-yr earnings · Private for-profit
$540,079 10-yr earnings · Public

Head-to-Head

American Public University System Minnesota State University-Mankato
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 16.8x 14.2x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 16.8x 7.2x
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $33,600 $37,960
Year 1 Earnings $57,409 $49,019
10-Year Earnings $565K $540K
Median Debt $20,888 $21,500
Debt-to-Earnings Ratio 4.4 months 5.3 months
DegreeWorth Score (In-State) 68/100 64/100

Both programs have moderate AI automation risk (36% task exposure) — the same career paths apply to Criminal Justice and Corrections graduates regardless of school. See full AI analysis →

ROI Breakdown

How tuition costs translate into long-term earnings for Criminal Justice and Corrections graduates.

American Public University System Minnesota State University-Mankato
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $33,600 $37,960
4-Year Tuition (Out-of-State) $33,600 $75,440
10-Year Projected Earnings $565K $540K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 16.8x 14.2x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 16.8x 7.2x
5-Year Salary Growth +22% +26%

"Earnings Multiple" = projected 10-year earnings ÷ 4-year tuition. Higher is better. Not a discounted financial ROI.

AI Disruption Scenarios

Both schools share identical AI exposure for Criminal Justice and Corrections (same career paths). The score differences below reflect how each school's earnings and ROI hold up under stress.

American Public University System Minnesota State University-Mankato
Optim. Base Pessim. Optim. Base Pessim.
10-Year Earnings $571K $565K $518K $544K $540K $498K
Earnings Multiple (IS) 17.0x 16.8x 15.4x 14.3x 14.2x 13.1x
DegreeWorth Score 69 68 61 64 64 55

For the full AI analysis of Criminal Justice and Corrections career paths, see the American Public University System or Minnesota State University-Mankato program pages.

Earnings Trajectory Comparison

Projected annual earnings for Criminal Justice and Corrections graduates. Year 1 uses actual reported data.

Tuition Gap (In-State)
$4,360
American Public University System saves you this
Year 1 Earnings Gap
$8,390/yr
American Public University System grads earn more
ROI Range (In-State)
16.8x / 14.2x
Out-of-state: 16.8x / 7.2x

Career Paths

Criminal Justice and Corrections graduates from both schools map to the same career paths. Differences in earnings reflect school prestige, location, and employer networks.

Career Path Wage Openings/yr Growth AI Risk
Managers, all other $136,550 106,700 +4.5% 47%
First-line supervisors of police and detectives $105,980 10,900 +2.9% 33%
Detectives and criminal investigators $93,580 7,800 -0.7% 53%
Financial examiners $90,400 5,700 +18.5% 50%
Emergency management directors $86,130 1,000 +3.0% 42%
Transit and railroad police $82,320 200 +3.0% 25%
Compliance officers $78,420 33,300 +3.0% 64%
First-line supervisors of correctional officers $76,310 4,300 -2.8% 28%
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Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better for Criminal Justice and Corrections: American Public University System or Minnesota State University-Mankato?
American Public University System scores 68/100 while Minnesota State University-Mankato scores 64/100. American Public University System has significantly lower tuition, which drives its higher ROI. The best choice depends on whether you prioritize raw earnings or return on investment.
Which school has better ROI for Criminal Justice and Corrections?
American Public University System has an in-state earnings multiple of 16.8x vs Minnesota State University-Mankato's 14.2x. That means American Public University System grads earn more per dollar spent on tuition.
How do American Public University System and Minnesota State University-Mankato compare on Criminal Justice and Corrections earnings?
Year 1 median earnings are $57,409 at American Public University System vs $49,019 at Minnesota State University-Mankato. Over 10 years, the projected totals are $565,150 vs $540,079 — a difference of $25,071.
How much does Criminal Justice and Corrections cost at each school?
Four-year in-state tuition is $33,600 at American Public University System and $37,960 at Minnesota State University-Mankato. Median debt at graduation is $20,888 vs $21,500. Both programs lead to the same Criminal Justice and Corrections career paths — the cost difference is the main factor in ROI.
Data: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (earnings, debt), Bureau of Labor Statistics 2024-2034 (employment projections), OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs research (AI task exposure), Felten et al. AIOE. Scenarios use a continuous weighting function combining AI exposure and BLS job growth projections. "Earnings Multiple" is total 10-year projected earnings divided by tuition — not a discounted financial ROI. Last updated 2025.