To date, we’ve asked 43 current and past criminal justice and related studies students about their happiness with their degree. Turns out, they rate it above average.

Majors can be changed, but why not start out with the right one.

To help you reach the decision that is right for you, we asked students who have pursued a criminal justice and related studies degree to respond to questions concerning five dimensions of the educational track they chose:

  • Course material: Were they interested in the material they learned?
  • Intellectual fulfillment: Did they find the coursework intellectually stimulating?
  • Job prospects: Did they leave the program with job opportunities?
  • Personality: Was the degree a good fit for their personality?
  • Overall fit: Were they happy with the program overall?

We examined their responses and combined the rankings to give us an average satisfaction score across all students. This doesn't necessarily reflect how satisfied you would be with a criminal justice and related studies degree, but it’s a starting point to help you evaluate your options.

How satisfied are criminal justice and related studies students compared to other degrees?

Overall, criminal justice and related studies students rate their satisfaction with their degree a 3.7 out of 5. For context, criminal justice and related studies students rate their happiness similarly to students in Psychology, Criminal Justice and Biology.

Here are other degrees that have a similar satisfaction rating to criminal justice and related studies

DegreeAvg Grad SalarySatisfaction
Criminal Justice$61,258
Criminal Justice and Related Studies$57,677
Psychology$51,970
Biology$57,333

Let's break that down further.

Are criminal justice and related studies students satisfied with what they’re learning?

We asked students about their satisfaction with their course material and overall intellectual fulfillment. Here’s what they said:

We asked graduates how interesting they found the course material to be. Their response was:
4.4 out of 5 stars
48 ratings
5 stars
56%
4 stars
27%
3 stars
15%
2 stars
2%
1 stars
0%
We asked graduates how intellectually fulfilling they found the degree. Their response was:
4.0 out of 5 stars
51 ratings
5 stars
31%
4 stars
31%
3 stars
29%
2 stars
2%
1 stars
0%

These ratings are meant to give you an indication about what other people enrolled in criminal justice and related studies experienced. While their input is useful, keep in mind that different people have had vastly different experiences, all of which were impacted by their personal motivations, professors, and specific curriculum. Always keep your own goals at the center of your decision-making process when it comes to something as significant as your education.

Did criminal justice and related studies graduates leave school with good job prospects?

Of course, working towards a degree is also about pursuing your desired career. Here’s what criminal justice and related studies grads had to say about their job prospects:

We asked graduates how satisfied they were with their job prospects. Their response was:
3.1 out of 5 stars
49 ratings
5 stars
16%
4 stars
16%
3 stars
33%
2 stars
22%
1 stars
8%

These responses represent a wide range of opinions. Things like extracurricular activities, internships and work placements can set you up for success after graduation.

Were criminal justice and related studies students happy with their degree overall?

This rating takes into account all factors: how demanding the program is, whether graduates felt it was worthwhile, and how fulfilling they found their educational experience.

We asked graduates how satisfied they were with their degree as a whole. Their response was:
3.7 out of 5 stars
43 ratings
5 stars
26%
4 stars
28%
3 stars
28%
2 stars
14%
1 stars
0%

As you consider this information and input from others, remember above all that your choice should be based on your interests, goals, passions, and abilities. Consider the future and give yourself time. If you’re feeling unsure, click here to take our career assessment and see what path could be right for you.

Career Paths

Learn about your career prospects after graduation.

Read about Career Paths