Criminal Justice: California State University-East Bay vs Fort Hays State University

Side-by-side ROI comparison · Bachelor's Degree
Return on Investment
10-year earnings ÷ tuition · higher is better
In-State
18.7x
$28,220 tuition
18.6x
$22,532 tuition
Out-of-State
7.0x
$75,740 tuition
6.2x
$67,244 tuition
$45,387/yr starting · Public
$42,428/yr starting · Public

Head-to-Head

California State University-East Bay Fort Hays State University
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 18.7x 18.6x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 7.0x 6.2x
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $28,220 $22,532
Year 1 Earnings $45,387 $42,428
10-Year Earnings $527K $419K
Median Debt $15,000 $23,362
Debt-to-Earnings Ratio 4.0 months 6.6 months
DegreeWorth Score (In-State) 83/100 82/100
Acceptance Rate 96.8% 91.8%

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

ROI Breakdown

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

California State University-East Bay Fort Hays State University
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $28,220 $22,532
4-Year Tuition (Out-of-State) $75,740 $67,244
10-Year Projected Earnings $527K $419K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 18.7x 18.6x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 7.0x 6.2x
5-Year Salary Growth +54% +14%

"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 (same career paths). The score differences below reflect how each school's earnings and ROI hold up under stress.

California State University-East Bay Fort Hays State University
Optim. Base Pessim. Optim. Base Pessim.
10-Year Earnings $772K $527K $364K $493K $419K $340K
Earnings Multiple (IS) 27.3x 18.7x 12.9x 21.9x 18.6x 15.1x
DegreeWorth Score 85 83 79 82 82 78

For the full AI analysis of Criminal Justice career paths, see the California State University-East Bay or Fort Hays State University program pages.

Earnings Trajectory Comparison

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

Tuition Gap (In-State)
$5,688
Fort Hays State University saves you this
Year 1 Earnings Gap
$2,959/yr
California State University-East Bay grads earn more
ROI Range (In-State)
18.7x / 18.6x
Out-of-state: 7.0x / 6.2x

Career Paths

Criminal Justice 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%

Explore Each Program

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Criminal Justice Overview

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better for Criminal Justice: California State University-East Bay or Fort Hays State University?
California State University-East Bay scores 83/100 while Fort Hays State University scores 82/100. Fort Hays State University has significantly lower tuition, which drives its competitive ROI. The best choice depends on whether you prioritize raw earnings or return on investment.
Which school has better ROI for Criminal Justice?
California State University-East Bay has an in-state earnings multiple of 18.7x vs Fort Hays State University's 18.6x. That means California State University-East Bay grads earn more per dollar spent on tuition.
How do California State University-East Bay and Fort Hays State University compare on Criminal Justice earnings?
Year 1 median earnings are $45,387 at California State University-East Bay vs $42,428 at Fort Hays State University. Over 10 years, the projected totals are $527,097 vs $418,818 — a difference of $108,279.
How much does Criminal Justice cost at each school?
Four-year in-state tuition is $28,220 at California State University-East Bay and $22,532 at Fort Hays State University. Median debt at graduation is $15,000 vs $23,362. Both programs lead to the same Criminal Justice 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.