Criminal Justice and Corrections at University of South Carolina - Lancaster
SC · Associate's Degree · CIP 43.01
Executive Summary
Graduates with a Criminal Justice and Corrections degree from University of South Carolina - Lancaster earn a median salary of $42,092 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in SC, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $44,214. The degree typically pays for itself in 16.8 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
$31,203
Typical Career
$42,092
Top Performers
$52,707
Estimated break-even: 16.8 years.
Debt-to-Income Check
$281
Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment
Typical monthly pay is approximately $3,508. Most students can comfortably afford about a $281 monthly loan payment with this degree.
Comparison Bench
This degree earns 1.1x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.5x more than the average college graduate.
Purchasing Power Context
A dollar in South Carolina buys what costs $0.95 nationally.
Industry Breadcrumbs
Top industries for bachelor's graduates from this school: Health Care & Social Assistance, Retail Trade, Educational Services.
Where Associate'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
$44,214
Nominal: $42,092 in South Carolina (COL 95.2% of national avg) · 5% 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 | $24,190 | $33,128 | $45,413 |
| 5 Years After Graduation | $31,203 | $42,092 | $52,707 |
| 10 Years After Graduation | $40,342 | $54,522 | $64,930 |
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 $42,092 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in SC, which has a cost-of-living index of 95.2% of the national average.
Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $42,092 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9520)
= $44,214 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 Health Care & Social Assistance (26.8%), Retail Trade (9.8%), and Educational Services (8.5%), reflecting a diverse range of employment opportunities. The estimated break-even point compared to a high-school-only path is approximately 16.8 years, suggesting that while the investment in higher education may take time to pay off, it ultimately leads to a higher earning potential. Overall, the return on investment for this degree appears favorable, particularly as graduates advance in their careers.
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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.