by our College Data Analytics Team
[Criminology](/majors/social-sciences/criminology/) graduates earn very different salaries depending on where they study. The highest-paying schools turn a criminology degree into the strongest early-career earnings.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 5 schools on the early-career earnings of their criminology graduates.
What’s on this page:
Below are the schools whose criminology graduates go on to earn the most.
University Of Wisconsin Stout tops our 2026 list of the highest-paying criminology schools in Wisconsin. University Of Wisconsin Stout is a public school located in the town of Menomonie. After graduating, criminology degree recipients from University Of Wisconsin Stout typically earn about $49,004 annually.
A rank of #2 makes Lakeland College one of the highest-paying schools for criminology. Located in the rural area of Plymouth, Lakeland College is a private not-for-profit institution. Criminology graduates of Lakeland College earn a median of about $51,709 a year early in their careers.
University Of Wisconsin Whitewater produces some of the highest-paid graduates in criminology, landing the #3 spot this year. University Of Wisconsin Whitewater is a public school located in the town of Whitewater. Criminology graduates of University Of Wisconsin Whitewater earn a median of about $54,285 a year early in their careers.
University Of Wisconsin River Falls produces some of the highest-paid graduates in criminology, landing the #4 spot this year. University Of Wisconsin River Falls is a public school located in the town of River Falls. Early-career criminology graduates from University Of Wisconsin River Falls make a median of around $45,113 per year.
Students chasing top earnings in criminology will find them at Marquette University, which ranked #5. Marquette University is a private not-for-profit school located in the city of Milwaukee. After graduating, criminology degree recipients from Marquette University typically earn about $58,887 annually.
This list is compiled by College Factual, 2026 edition. The methodology measures the salaries criminology graduates go on to earn early in their careers, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard field-of-study earnings and IPEDS).
Ranking method: College Major Earnings · 5 schools evaluated.
*Salary figures reflect median early-career earnings (about 5 years after graduation) and may vary by how long a person takes to complete their degree.
More about our data sources and methodologies.