Criminal Justice

Criminal Justice garners hype as a direct path to law enforcement, but only 8% of police departments require a related degree, and 72% promote based on experience alone. Graduates earn a median $44,000 annually, which is 11% less than the average for all bachelor's degree holders in the same age bracket. An explicit comparison with Hospitality Management shows criminal justice degrees are 1.5 times more likely to leave graduates unemployed within the first year of graduation, at 9.4% versus 6.2%. Furthermore, 60% of corrections officers hold no college degree, yet their starting pay ($41,000) is nearly identical. The major promises specialized training, but data reveals that a general studies degree unlocks 34% more job listings without requiring additional certification costs.