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Criminal Justice at Liberty University

Lynchburg, VA · Private nonprofit · Associate Degree · Criminal Justice and Corrections

A 99% acceptance rate means Liberty University is accessible to most applicants, serving a student body of 50,059 in Lynchburg, VA.

Program Analysis

Graduates earn $43,287/yr, edging above the $39,484 national average for Criminal Justice — a modest premium that suggests solid regional demand for this trade.

Every dollar of tuition returns an estimated 11.0x in decade earnings — an exceptional ratio that places this among the highest-ROI Criminal Justice programs nationally.

Some AI exposure exists in Criminal Justice's career paths, with 36% of job tasks potentially affected. The pessimistic scenario still projects solid returns, with a 4% gap from the optimistic case.

Median debt of $27,193 represents roughly 8 months of the $43,287 starting salary — a manageable burden by trade school standards.

Ranked #344 of 469 Criminal Justice programs, Liberty University falls below the median. Stronger options exist, though cost and location may compensate.

Five-year earnings of $46,657 are relatively flat compared to the $43,287 starting salary — typical of trades with stable but capped salary bands.

Criminal Justice offers 17 registered apprenticeship pathways — an unusually broad set of earn-while-you-learn alternatives to the classroom track.

63 /100
TradeSchoolOutlook Score
58
Low End
63
Score
64
High End
Earnings $43,287/yr (10% vs median)
AI-Proof Resilient (64% shielded)
Job Market Very Large (480,600 openings/yr)

Earnings Overview

Projected 10-Year Earnings
$472K
1.9% annual growth
Earnings Multiple
11.1x
10-year earnings ÷ tuition
Viable Career Paths
20 of 20
Occupations with strong AI resilience

Projected 10-Year Earnings

Based on actual graduate salary data and Bureau of Labor Statistics growth projections.

Program Tuition
$42,444
Median Debt at Graduation
$27,193
7.5 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$46,657
8% growth from Year 1

Top Career Paths

Top career paths for Criminal Justice graduates by median salary.

Career Path Median Salary Growth AI-ProofAI
Managers, all other $136,550 +4.5% 53%
First-line supervisors of police and detectives $105,980 +2.9% 67%
Detectives and criminal investigators $93,580 -0.7% 47%
Managers, all other
$136,550
+4.5% growth 53% AI-proof
First-line supervisors of police and detectives
$105,980
+2.9% growth 67% AI-proof
Detectives and criminal investigators
$93,580
-0.7% growth 47% AI-proof

View all 20 career paths with full salary data →

Criminal Justice Career Guide

Explore what Criminal Justice graduates do, from entry-level roles to long-term career paths across 469 programs nationwide.

Read the full Criminal Justice career guide →

Compare & Explore

Criminal Justice Overview

View all 469 schools offering Criminal Justice →

Criminal Justice at Other Schools

Santa Rosa Junior College ($111,649) San Bernardino Valley College ($94,285) San Diego Miramar College ($91,647) Monroe Community College ($85,061) Moreno Valley College ($81,339) Gateway Technical College ($73,818) Butte College ($73,170) Red Rocks Community College ($72,583)

Other Majors at Liberty University

Legal Support Services ($45,452) Business ($43,425) Accounting ($40,500) Religious Studies ($36,966) Biblical Studies ($31,424) Psychology ($29,199) Health Administration ($25,884) Teacher Education ($21,998)

Considering a 4-Year Degree Instead?

Compare Criminal Justice degree programs on DegreeOutlook →

Compare how bachelor's degree graduates fare on earnings, ROI, and AI resilience.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the TradeSchoolOutlook Score for Criminal Justice at Liberty University?
This program scores 63/100 — a respectable number in isolation, but it ranks in the bottom half of Criminal Justice programs nationally. The field is competitive, and stronger options exist.
Are there apprenticeship options for Criminal Justice?
Beyond Liberty University's classroom route, 17 registered apprenticeships map to Criminal Justice careers — including Correction Officer. Apprenticeships trade shorter program length for longer on-the-job training, typically 2-4 years.
How many job openings are there for Criminal Justice graduates?
Job availability for Criminal Justice is strong — 480,600 positions open annually across the mapped career paths. For Liberty University graduates specifically, local market conditions in VA may shift the picture.
Data from College Scorecard, BLS, and AI resilience research. Methodology & sources →