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Criminology at CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice

New York, NY · Public · Bachelor's Degree
51 /100
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition
52
Optimistic
51
Base Case
39
Pessimistic
Earnings $33,798/yr (-8% vs median)
AI Risk High (50% exposed)
Job Market Very Large (122,700 openings/yr)
ROI 18.0x earnings multiple (8.7x out-of-state)
Ranked #19 of 111 Criminology programs Top 25%

How AI Changes the Outlook

Three scenarios based on how aggressively AI disrupts the career paths available to Criminology graduates.

Optimistic
No Disruption		 Base Case
Gradual AI		 Pessimistic
Aggressive AI
10-Year Earnings $544K $538K $491K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 18.2x 18.0x 16.4x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 8.8x 8.7x 8.0x
Probability of Field Employment 34% 30% 22%
DegreeOutlook Score 52 51 39

10-Year Earnings Projection

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

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)
$29,880
Out-of-state: $61,680 (8.7x ROI)
4-Year Net Price (After Aid)
$12,184
59% less than sticker · See by income
Median Debt at Graduation
$8,600
3.1 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$56,457
67% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

First-year earnings of $33,798 track close to the $36,749 national median for Criminology programs. This is a middle-of-the-road outcome on salary alone.

The 18.0x 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 — 50% task exposure — and the 10% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.

At $8,600 in median debt against $33,798 in first-year earnings, graduates can expect to clear their loan balance in under six months of full earnings.

Ranked #19 out of 111 programs, CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice's Criminology program lands in the top 5% — a strong signal of graduate success.

Earnings growth from $33,798 to $56,457 over five years (67% increase) indicates that graduates in this field see meaningful salary progression.

About CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice

With a 57% acceptance rate, CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice is moderately selective, with a mid-sized student body of 11,340 in New York, NY. With 59% of students on Pell Grants, the campus draws from a broad economic spectrum. After financial aid, the average student pays $12,184 over four years — 59% below sticker price.

See all programs and financial aid at CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice →

Top Career Paths

Managers, all other $136,550/yr
Psychologists, all other $117,580/yr
Sociologists $101,690/yr
View all 5 career paths with salary ranges and AI risk →

Compare & Explore

Compare this program → View all 111 schools offering Criminology →

Criminology at Other Schools

University of Wisconsin-Stout ($49,004) Assumption University ($48,600) University of Southern Maine ($47,726) Saint Anselm College ($46,814) Lakeland University ($45,276) University of Wisconsin-River Falls ($45,113) Barry University ($44,015) University of Northern Iowa ($43,914)

Other Majors at CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice

Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management ($49,580) Public Administration ($48,881) Fire Protection ($48,121) Security Science and Technology ($44,092) Physical Sciences ($41,587) Sociology ($40,401) Social Sciences, Other ($37,919) Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics ($37,442)

Consider the Trade Route?

Compare Criminology trade programs on TradeSchoolWorth →

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 CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice's Criminology program score?
This program scores 51/100, reflecting respectable but not exceptional financial outcomes for Criminology graduates.
How vulnerable is Criminology to AI automation?
AI won't 'replace' Criminology careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 50% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.
Why does CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice rank so high for Criminology?
The #19 ranking out of 111 programs is driven by strong financial outcomes — graduates earn well, debt is manageable relative to income, and the job market supports the field.
How affordable is Criminology at CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice after financial aid?
Sticker price is $29,880, but the average net cost is $12,184 — a 59% discount. For students who qualify for aid, this program is considerably more affordable than it appears.
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →