9 Criminal Justice colleges in Illinois with strong social mobility outcomes. Average earnings: $58,742.
Top Criminal Justice graduates on this list earn over $71,530—and these schools actually serve the students who need them most. With mobility scores at the 60th percentile or above, these 9 programs deliver both access and results.
Loyola University Chicago leads the rankings, producing Criminal Justice graduates earning $71,530 while maintaining a 78th percentile mobility score. University Of Illinois Chicago follows at $68,740 with an exceptional 99th percentile mobility ranking, demonstrating that schools serving low-income students can compete on outcomes.
University Of Illinois Chicago exemplifies the double win: serving 50% Pell Grant recipients while graduates face just an 8.4% payment burden, earning 'Good' affordability status. Southern Illinois University-Carbondale delivers even better value with a 3.6% payment burden in the 'Excellent' category, meaning graduates keep most of their earnings.
Earnings: $71,530 | Mobility: 78th percentile
54% Pell students with $52,234 earnings
3.6% payment burden | Excellent - payment under 8% of discretionary
7.4% family burden | Excellent - payment under 8% of discretionary
| Rank | School | Graduate Earnings | Student Debt | Student GPS | Parent Debt | Parent GPS | Mobility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Loyola University ChicagoPrivate | $71,530 | $24,157 | Good | $54,045 | High | 76th percentile mobility |
| #2 | $68,740 | $16,704 | Excellent | $24,323 | Manageable | 98th percentile mobility | |
| #3 | $62,117 | $20,482 | Excellent | $28,767 | Challenging | 94th percentile mobility | |
| #4 | $58,169 | $18,618 | Excellent | $13,991 | Manageable | 78th percentile mobility | |
| #5 | $56,346 | $20,500 | Excellent | $21,500 | Manageable | 89th percentile mobility | |
| #6 | $54,163 | $25,251 | Excellent | $20,764 | Manageable | 70th percentile mobility | |
| #7 | $53,390 | $21,543 | Excellent | $19,500 | Excellent | 88th percentile mobility | |
| #8 | $52,234 | $14,600 | Excellent | $13,578 | Manageable | 80th percentile mobility | |
| #9 | $51,989 | — | — | — | — | 71th percentile mobility |
Our social mobility rankings answer: "Which schools deliver the best outcomes for students from low-income backgrounds?"
This is not simply "which schools admit the most low-income students" — it's which schools both serve low-income students and deliver strong earnings outcomes.
Data based on May 2026 refresh for 2026 rankings, based on Department of Education reporting standards. Learn about our methodology →
