Criminal Justice and Corrections at Pennsylvania State University (The) - Wilkes-Barre
PA · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 43.01
Executive Summary
Graduates with a Criminal Justice and Corrections degree from Pennsylvania State University (The) - Wilkes-Barre earn a median salary of $52,031 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in PA, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $53,039. The degree typically pays for itself in 11.2 years.
Quick Insights
How this degree looks at a glance
A fast read on salary range, break-even speed, living-cost impact, and where bachelor's graduates from this school usually land.
Salary Ranges
Starting Range
$38,279
Typical Career
$52,031
Top Performers
$65,986
Estimated break-even: 11.2 years.
Debt-to-Income Check
$347
Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment
Typical monthly pay is approximately $4,336. Most students can comfortably afford about a $347 monthly loan payment with this degree.
Comparison Bench
This degree earns 1.3x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.7x more than the average college graduate.
Purchasing Power Context
A dollar in Pennsylvania buys what costs $0.98 nationally.
Industry Breadcrumbs
Top industries for bachelor's graduates from this school: Professional, Scientific & Technical Services, Public Administration, Retail Trade.
Where Bachelor's Graduates from This School Work
Institution-wide industry mix for bachelor's graduates, 5 years after graduation. This is not major-specific. Source: Census PSEO Flows.
5-Year Median Salary — National Purchasing Power Equivalent
$53,039
Nominal: $52,031 in Pennsylvania (COL 98.1% of national avg) · 1.9% higher 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 | $25,637 | $33,439 | $44,035 |
| 5 Years After Graduation | $38,279 | $52,031 | $65,986 |
| 10 Years After Graduation | $47,119 | $64,666 | $89,001 |
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 $52,031 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in PA, which has a cost-of-living index of 98.1% of the national average.
Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $52,031 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9810)
= $53,039 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 Professional, Scientific & Technical Services (12.5%), Public Administration (10.7%), and Retail Trade (9.4%), suggesting a diverse range of career opportunities. The estimated break-even point compared to a high-school-only path is approximately 11.2 years, indicating that while the investment in education may take over a decade to recoup, the long-term benefits in terms of career advancement and earning potential can be substantial, making this degree a viable option for those committed to the field.
AI-assisted editorial analysis based on Census PSEO data. Fact-checked against source data.
Compare with Another School
See how the Criminal Justice and Corrections degree at Pennsylvania State University (The) - Wilkes-Barre stacks up against another institution side-by-side.
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.