Bachelor's · Fort Smith, Arkansas
Is Criminal Justice and Corrections at University of Arkansas-Fort Smith worth it?
Medium confidence Medium confidence: 40–99 graduates behind the earnings figures.
The verdict · all families, in-state, half paid with loans
Pays back in time: graduates typically recover the cost in about 5.1 years.
- Earnings 1 year after graduating
- $44,724
- Treasury AY2020-21, AY2021-22 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars
- Earnings 4 years after graduating
- $46,734
- Treasury AY2017-2018, AY2018-2019 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars
- Typical federal debt at graduation
- $18,500
- NSLDS pooled AY2022-23, AY2023-24 cohort
- Net cost to graduate, all families
- $41k (likely $41k – $54k)
- AcadYr 2024-25, reported in IPEDS DCY2025-26
- Earnings bump, year 4
- $12k a year vs high-school graduates aged 25–34 in AR
- 2023 ACS 5-year pooled, adjusted to 2024 dollars
- Payback
- 5.1 years (likely 3.4–9.0)
- Bump vs net cost plus loan interest
- 10-year net return
- −$88k (likely −$151k – −$27k)
- Today's dollars
- 20-year net return
- $28k (likely −$76k – $151k)
- Today's dollars
- Odds of finishing (school-wide)
- 42%
- Fall 2019 or AcadYr 2019-20 cohort (differs by institutional calendar), reported in IPEDS DCY2025-26
- Borrowers making progress / in default, 2 years in
- not reported / ≤ 20%
- NSLDS AY2016-17, AY2017-18 pooled cohorts measured in 2018-19, 2019-20
Change income, residency or loans Compare Criminal Justice and Corrections at other schools
⚖️ Getting ready in high school
Students heading toward law, government & society majors like this one often take these classes. Every school offers a different mix, so check with your counselor.
AP classes
- AP U.S. Government and Politics
- AP U.S. History
- AP English Language and Composition
- AP Comparative Government and Politics
IB Higher Level
- History HL
- Global Politics HL
Build my roadmap 🗺️ Middle school to career, plus high schools near you that offer these classes.
Other majors at University of Arkansas-Fort Smith
- Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's)$82,688
- Engineering, General (Associate's)$75,794
- Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's)$73,708
- Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Bachelor's)$72,074
- Health and Medical Administrative Services (Master's)$70,074
- Chemistry (Bachelor's)$66,817
- Dental Support Services and Allied Professions (Bachelor's)$65,470
- Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Associate's)$58,435
- Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's)$50,020
- Biology, General (Bachelor's)$48,712
- Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas (Bachelor's)$45,378
- Social Work (Bachelor's)$45,275
Criminal Justice and Corrections at other schools in Arkansas
- University of Arkansas Grantham$54,793
- Strayer University-Arkansas$53,916
- University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff$53,255
- University of Arkansas$49,690
- Harding University$48,992
- University of Arkansas at Monticello$47,929
- Southern Arkansas University Main Campus$44,523
- University of Arkansas at Little Rock$43,990
- Arkansas Tech University$41,471
- Philander Smith University$41,119