Bachelor's · New York, New York
Is Criminology at CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice worth it?
High confidence High confidence: 100+ graduates behind the earnings figures.
The verdict · all families, in-state, half paid with loans
Pays back fast: graduates typically recover the cost in about 0.8 years.
- Earnings 1 year after graduating
- $45,772
- Treasury AY2020-21, AY2021-22 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars
- Earnings 4 years after graduating
- $61,650
- Treasury AY2017-2018, AY2018-2019 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars
- Typical federal debt at graduation
- $7,250
- NSLDS pooled AY2022-23, AY2023-24 cohort
- Net cost to graduate, all families
- $5k (likely $5k – $6k)
- AcadYr 2024-25, reported in IPEDS DCY2025-26
- Earnings bump, year 4
- $24k a year vs high-school graduates aged 25–34 in NY
- 2023 ACS 5-year pooled, adjusted to 2024 dollars
- Payback
- 0.8 years (likely 0.6–1.0)
- Bump vs net cost plus loan interest
- 10-year net return
- $62k (likely $15k – $98k)
- Today's dollars
- 20-year net return
- $361k (likely $249k – $470k)
- Today's dollars
- Odds of finishing (school-wide)
- 54%
- Fall 2019 or AcadYr 2019-20 cohort (differs by institutional calendar), reported in IPEDS DCY2025-26
- Borrowers making progress / in default, 2 years in
- not reported / ≤ 20%
- NSLDS AY2016-17, AY2017-18 pooled cohorts measured in 2018-19, 2019-20
Change income, residency or loans Compare Criminology at other schools
📈 Getting ready in high school
Students heading toward business & money majors like this one often take these classes. Every school offers a different mix, so check with your counselor.
AP classes
- AP Microeconomics
- AP Macroeconomics
- AP Statistics
- AP Precalculus or AP Calculus AB
IB Higher Level
- Business Management HL
- Economics HL
Build my roadmap 🗺️ Middle school to career, plus high schools near you that offer these classes.
Other majors at CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice
- Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management (Bachelor's)$96,069
- Security Science and Technology (Master's)$93,984
- Homeland Security (Master's)$85,873
- Public Administration (Master's)$83,931
- Criminal Justice and Corrections (Master's)$79,246
- Philosophy (Bachelor's)$78,041
- Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences (Bachelor's)$77,144
- Criminal Justice and Corrections (Post-baccalaureate certificate)$74,889
- Fire Protection (Bachelor's)$72,228
- Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions (Master's)$69,322
- Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology (Master's)$68,820
- Physical Sciences, General (Bachelor's)$68,781
Criminology at other schools in New York
- Le Moyne College$65,956
- University at Albany$61,102
- Niagara University$60,995
- Hofstra University$60,697
- St. John Fisher University$60,481
- State University of New York at Cortland$56,593
- SUNY Old Westbury$52,598
- University at Buffalo$41,461