Program Analysis
First-year earnings of $33,460 track close to the $38,544 national median for Criminal Justice and Corrections programs. This is a middle-of-the-road outcome on salary alone.
Every dollar of in-state tuition returns an estimated 17.4x in decade earnings — an exceptional ratio that places this among the highest-ROI Criminal Justice and Corrections programs nationally.
Some AI exposure exists in Criminal Justice and Corrections's typical career paths, with 36% of job tasks potentially affected. The pessimistic scenario still projects solid returns, with a 6% gap from the optimistic case.
Median debt of $18,500 represents roughly 7 months of the $33,460 starting salary — a manageable burden by most borrower standards.
At #292 of 629 Criminal Justice and Corrections programs, University of Arkansas-Fort Smith scores above the median — competitive but not a standout.
Earnings grow from $33,460 to $43,544 over five years — a 30% increase that's moderate and in line with typical career progression.