Economics at CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice
NY · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 45.06
Executive Summary
Graduates with a Economics degree from CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice earn a median salary of $68,957 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in NY, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $52,240. The degree typically pays for itself in 6.7 years.
Quick Insights
How this degree looks at a glance
A fast read on salary range, break-even speed, living-cost impact, and where graduates from this school usually land.
Salary Ranges
Starting Range
$50,644
Typical Career
$68,957
Top Performers
$91,204
Estimated break-even: 6.7 years.
Debt-to-Income Check
$460
Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment
Typical monthly pay is approximately $5,746. Most students can comfortably afford about a $460 monthly loan payment with this degree.
Comparison Bench
This degree earns 1.8x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.9x more than the average college graduate.
Purchasing Power Context
A dollar in New York buys what costs $1.32 nationally.
Industry Breadcrumbs
Top industries for bachelor's graduates from this school: Public Administration, Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance.
Where Bachelor's Graduates from This School Work
Institution-wide industry mix for graduates, 5 years after graduation. This is not major-specific. Source: Census PSEO Flows.
5-Year Median Salary — National Purchasing Power Equivalent
$52,240
Nominal: $68,957 in New York (COL 132.0% of national avg) · 24.2% lower purchasing power
10-Year Earnings Curve
Break-Even Timeline
How long until cumulative earnings advantage exceeds total college investment (tuition + opportunity cost vs. entering workforce directly after high school).
Total Investment
$155,168
4yr tuition + 4yr opportunity cost
HS Graduate Baseline
$38,792/yr
BLS 2023 median, HS diploma
View Raw Data: Median Earnings by Year
| Timeframe | 25th Pct. | Median (50th) | 75th Pct. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Year After Graduation | $31,189 | $47,059 | $64,314 |
| 5 Years After Graduation | $50,644 | $68,957 | $91,204 |
| 10 Years After Graduation | $65,194 | $85,898 | $113,182 |
Source: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO), 2025 release. Earnings shown for Bachelor's degree graduates (all cohorts combined).
How We Calculate Purchasing Power
The median salary of $68,957 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in NY, which has a cost-of-living index of 132.0% of the national average.
Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $68,957 × (1.0 ÷ 1.3200)
= $52,240 National Average equivalent.
COL index source: BLS Regional Consumer Price Index & MIT Living Wage Project, 2023. Full methodology →
Career Verdict
The top industries for graduates include Public Administration (19.6%), Educational Services (18.6%), and Health Care & Social Assistance (17.9%). The estimated break-even point compared to a high-school-only path is approximately 6.7 years, suggesting that the investment in an Economics degree can yield a favorable return over time. Overall, while the degree offers solid earning potential, students should consider the cost of living in New York when evaluating their return on investment.
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See how the Economics degree at CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice stacks up against another institution side-by-side.
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Other Degrees at CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice
Data sources: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO). Cost-of-living index: BLS Regional CPI & MIT Living Wage Project. Cost of attendance: IPEDS. For informational use only; data may be suppressed for small cohort sizes.