Criminal Justice and Corrections
Offered at 2,891 college programs that reported results. Here is what graduates earn and owe at each credential level, and which programs pay best.
By credential level
| Credential | Programs | Typical earnings, 1 yr | Typical earnings, 5 yrs | Typical debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Certificate | 621 | $55,239 | $57,293 | $14,622 |
| Associate | 981 | $39,832 | $49,239 | $14,816 |
| Bachelor's | 902 | $42,575 | $56,840 | $25,000 |
| Post-bacc certificate | 4 | — | $95,199 | — |
| Master's | 310 | $56,195 | $69,399 | — |
| Doctoral | 31 | $78,971 | — | — |
| Graduate certificate | 42 | — | — | — |
"Typical" is the median across programs of each program's median, counting only programs with unsuppressed data (at least three). It describes a typical program, not a national median for all graduates. Certificate figures include certificates earned at four-year colleges, often alongside a bachelor's; see degrees vs. certificates for a cleaner comparison. Source: College Scorecard field of study data.
One year after finishing, a typical certificate program in this field reports median earnings of $55,239, versus $42,575 for a typical bachelor's program.
Highest-earning certificate programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Los Medanos College | CA | — | $147,315 | — |
| 2 | Napa Valley College | CA | — | $125,789 | — |
| 3 | Montgomery County Community College | PA | $67,481 | $121,213 | $19,500 |
| 4 | Gavilan College | CA | $124,058 | $104,380 | — |
| 5 | Santa Rosa Junior College | CA | $129,818 | $103,052 | $10,500 |
| 6 | Erie Community College | NY | $83,582 | $100,945 | $17,500 |
| 7 | Metropolitan State University | MN | — | $96,273 | — |
| 8 | Delaware County Community College | PA | $70,951 | $95,004 | $17,125 |
| 9 | San Joaquin Delta College | CA | — | $94,727 | — |
| 10 | San Diego Miramar College | CA | $90,252 | — | $17,195 |
| 11 | Red Rocks Community College | CO | $80,900 | $89,714 | $13,750 |
| 12 | Community College of Aurora | CO | — | $88,999 | — |
| 13 | Blackhawk Technical College | WI | — | $88,271 | — |
| 14 | Oakland Community College | MI | $70,002 | $85,860 | $15,484 |
| 15 | Colorado Mesa University | CO | $62,476 | $84,996 | $20,126 |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning associate programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Red Rocks Community College | CO | — | $99,076 | — |
| 2 | City Colleges of Chicago-Wilbur Wright College | IL | — | $94,239 | — |
| 3 | Rio Salado College | AZ | $83,948 | — | $12,863 |
| 4 | Frederick Community College | MD | $79,351 | — | — |
| 5 | St Petersburg College | FL | — | $76,241 | — |
| 6 | De Anza College | CA | — | $74,428 | — |
| 7 | Daytona State College | FL | — | $71,645 | — |
| 8 | Schoolcraft Community College District | MI | $40,956 | $71,492 | — |
| 9 | Northland Community and Technical College | MN | $55,504 | $71,208 | — |
| 10 | Mid-State Technical College | WI | $33,558 | $70,170 | $10,300 |
| 11 | North Hennepin Community College | MN | $62,497 | $69,934 | $14,821 |
| 12 | Ridgewater College | MN | — | $69,796 | $16,196 |
| 13 | Prince George's Community College | MD | — | $69,543 | — |
| 14 | Lakeshore Technical College | WI | $52,334 | $69,508 | — |
| 15 | Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College | MN | $53,731 | $69,490 | $12,000 |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning bachelor's programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fisher College | MA | $48,983 | $105,347 | $29,156 |
| 2 | George Washington University | DC | $54,080 | $95,396 | $19,500 |
| 3 | Calumet College of Saint Joseph | IN | $54,078 | $91,238 | $14,125 |
| 4 | Endicott College | MA | $42,409 | $84,754 | $27,000 |
| 5 | Salve Regina University | RI | $43,275 | $80,520 | $27,000 |
| 6 | Merrimack College | MA | $50,663 | $80,465 | $27,000 |
| 7 | California Lutheran University | CA | — | $80,171 | — |
| 8 | University of Scranton | PA | $35,920 | $79,839 | $27,000 |
| 9 | Quinnipiac University | CT | $42,494 | $79,807 | $25,750 |
| 10 | University of New Hampshire-Main Campus | NH | $74,618 | $79,250 | — |
| 11 | University of New Hampshire College of Professional Studies Online | NH | $74,618 | $79,250 | — |
| 12 | Concordia University Ann Arbor | MI | $43,440 | $78,459 | $27,000 |
| 13 | Concordia University-Wisconsin | WI | $43,440 | $78,459 | $27,000 |
| 14 | National University | CA | $66,056 | $78,396 | $28,354 |
| 15 | Worcester State University | MA | $51,957 | $78,239 | $25,100 |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning post-bacc certificate programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Louisville | KY | $112,084 | $116,815 | $18,080 |
| 2 | Salve Regina University | RI | — | $112,515 | — |
| 3 | CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice | NY | $58,269 | $77,883 | $16,985 |
| 4 | University of Central Florida | FL | — | $60,915 | — |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning master's programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of San Diego | CA | $140,376 | $151,111 | — |
| 2 | Curry College | MA | $104,342 | $136,593 | — |
| 3 | University of Chicago | IL | — | $130,706 | — |
| 4 | Northeastern University | MA | $62,000 | $114,721 | — |
| 5 | Northeastern University Professional Programs | MA | $62,000 | $114,721 | — |
| 6 | University of Massachusetts-Lowell | MA | $90,878 | $110,979 | — |
| 7 | Salve Regina University | RI | $71,920 | $106,824 | — |
| 8 | George Washington University | DC | — | $105,095 | — |
| 9 | University of St Thomas | MN | — | $102,480 | — |
| 10 | Lewis University | IL | $103,458 | $102,427 | — |
| 11 | Westfield State University | MA | $68,852 | $100,978 | — |
| 12 | Seattle University | WA | $61,990 | $96,074 | — |
| 13 | Columbus State University | GA | $85,412 | $93,431 | — |
| 14 | University of Louisville | KY | $72,692 | $90,262 | — |
| 15 | Texas Christian University | TX | $90,196 | — | — |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning doctoral programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CUNY Graduate School and University Center | NY | $95,023 | — | — |
| 2 | Capella University | MN | $78,971 | $83,982 | — |
| 3 | Walden University | MN | $73,321 | — | — |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning graduate certificate programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Massachusetts-Lowell | MA | $63,242 | $91,703 | — |
| 2 | Western Illinois University | IL | — | $88,399 | — |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Related fields
Quick answers
- How much do criminal justice and corrections graduates earn?
- One year after finishing, a typical bachelor's program in criminal justice and corrections reports median earnings of $42,575. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field of study data.
