Program Analysis
First-year earnings of $37,645 track close to the $36,749 national median for Criminology programs. This is a middle-of-the-road outcome on salary alone.
The earnings-to-cost ratio of 10.0x signals a solid financial return — projected decade earnings comfortably exceed the tuition investment.
Some AI exposure exists in Criminology's typical career paths, with 50% of job tasks potentially affected. The pessimistic scenario still projects solid returns, with a 9% gap from the optimistic case.
Median debt of $20,500 represents roughly 7 months of the $37,645 starting salary — a manageable burden by most borrower standards.
At #37 of 111 Criminology programs, Southern Illinois University-Carbondale scores above the median — competitive but not a standout.
Earnings grow from $37,645 to $55,612 over five years — a 48% increase that's moderate and in line with typical career progression.