Criminal Justice and Corrections at University of South Carolina Upstate
SC · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 43.01
Executive Summary
Graduates with a Criminal Justice and Corrections degree from University of South Carolina Upstate earn a median salary of $46,973 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in SC, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $49,341. The degree typically pays for itself in 16.1 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
$38,119
Typical Career
$46,973
Top Performers
$58,444
Estimated break-even: 16.1 years.
Debt-to-Income Check
$313
Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment
Typical monthly pay is approximately $3,914. Most students can comfortably afford about a $313 monthly loan payment with this degree.
Comparison Bench
This degree earns 1.2x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.6x 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, Educational Services, Finance & Insurance.
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
$49,341
Nominal: $46,973 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 | $27,475 | $36,823 | $46,737 |
| 5 Years After Graduation | $38,119 | $46,973 | $58,444 |
| 10 Years After Graduation | $40,831 | $52,368 | $66,037 |
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 $46,973 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)
= $46,973 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9520)
= $49,341 National Average equivalent.
COL index source: BLS Regional Consumer Price Index & MIT Living Wage Project, 2023. Full methodology →
Career Verdict
The primary industries that graduates enter include Health Care & Social Assistance (29.9%), Educational Services (20.3%), and Finance & Insurance (6.2%). The estimated break-even point for pursuing a degree versus a high-school-only path is approximately 16.1 years, suggesting that while the initial investment in education may take time to pay off, the long-term benefits in terms of career opportunities and salary potential are significant. Overall, the return on investment for this degree appears favorable, particularly for those committed to a career in criminal justice and related fields.
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 University of South Carolina Upstate 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.