ASSOCIATE'S DEGREE · NATIONAL DEGREE OUTCOMES
Is a associate's degree in Criminal Justice and Corrections worth it?
Compare cost, debt and earnings across 480 college programs with reportable data.
Based onObserved earnings + college priceEstimate10-year payoff
Estimated 10-year payoff
Negative payoff
−$93,315 over 10 years
National scenario across reporting associate's degree programs, using median year-4 earnings, their institutions’ average net prices and a typical 2-year duration.
58.1 yrsTime to earn back the modeled cost
−83%Estimated return after 10 years
$46,940Observed earnings · year 4
Not reachedHighest annual price before payoff reaches $0
Start with your decision
What do you need to compare?
PRICE SENSITIVITY
The price can change the verdict.
Hold observed earnings constant and see how the modeled ten-year payoff changes as annual price rises.
← Negative payoff$0Positive payoff →
$0Annual price−$70,600
$8,000Annual price−$86,600
$11,000Current college-wide context−$92,600
$16,000Annual price−$102,600
$24,000Annual price−$118,600
$32,000Annual price−$134,600
$40,000Annual price−$150,600
Outcomes at a glance
$46,940Typical earnings four years after completion
$44,995Average earnings five years after completion
$14,250Typical federal student debt
47thEarnings percentile among the same degree level
4Degrees awarded in 2024–25
460College programs reporting earnings
Degree counts come from the IPEDS Fall 2025 provisional release and cover 4 matched college records. Colleges without a match are not estimated.
Four useful answers about Criminal Justice and Corrections
How much do Criminal Justice and Corrections associate's degree graduates earn?
The national median is $46,940 four years after completion across reportable associate's degree programs in this federal field.
How much federal debt do graduates have?
The median reported federal debt is $14,250. The figure excludes private loans and does not describe every graduate.
Does the college matter for Criminal Justice and Corrections?
Yes. The middle half of reporting programs ranges from $41,540 to $52,827 in observed year-4 earnings.
What careers are related to Criminal Justice and Corrections?
DegreeVerdict links this field to 12 displayed occupations using the official federal CIP–SOC crosswalk. Occupational wages are career context, not graduate salary promises.
More schooling changes both the cost and the outcome.
Compare the same field at each degree level with reportable data. These are separate groups of graduates, so the differences do not prove that an additional degree caused higher earnings.
OPEN PROFILE
Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma
- Year-4 earnings
- $56,070
- Federal debt
- $14,063
- Programs in the comparison
- 187
Associate's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $46,940
- Federal debt
- $14,250
- Programs in the comparison
- 480
Bachelor's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $54,228
- Federal debt
- $26,000
- Programs in the comparison
- 724
Post-baccalaureate Certificate
- Year-4 earnings
- $104,592
- Federal debt
- $20,182
- Programs in the comparison
- 3
Master's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $64,860
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Programs in the comparison
- 119
Doctoral Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $96,102
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Programs in the comparison
- 3
Graduate/Professional Certificate
- Year-4 earnings
- $75,547
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Programs in the comparison
- 3
Non-Credential Program (Preparatory Coursework/Teacher Certification)
- Year-4 earnings
- $61,271
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Programs in the comparison
- 5
Where the middle half of programs lands
Year‑4 earnings differ by college. This band shows the 25th percentile, national median and 75th percentile among reporting programs.
Median
25th percentile$41,540National median$46,94075th percentile$52,827
460 programs report year‑4 earnings.BEFORE YOU CHOOSE
Compare price, debt and earnings together
SHORTLIST BY QUESTION
Three useful places to start
Each choice answers a different question. These are observed signals, not an overall winner.
Highest observed earnings
Prince George's Community College
$72,849 four years after completionLargo, MD · inspect the full program →Lowest reported federal debtHawkeye Community College
$11,000 among completer borrowersWaterloo, IA · inspect the full program →Largest recent graduating classNorthern Virginia Community College
174 reported awards in 2024–25Annandale, VA · inspect the full program →PRICE × EARNINGS MAP
Where colleges sit for this exact degree
Move left for a lower annual college-wide net price and up for higher observed year-4 earnings.
$67,066Observed year-4 earnings$59,884
Prince George's Community College$8,672 price · $72,849 earningsSouthwestern Illinois College$10,427 price · $68,288 earningsAlexandria Technical & Community College$13,691 price · $67,066 earningsOklahoma State University-Oklahoma City$7,081 price · $66,287 earningsColumbia Southern University$14,580 price · $66,000 earningsNorth Hennepin Community College$12,186 price · $65,910 earningsNorthland Community and Technical College$13,975 price · $64,953 earningsInver Hills Community College$11,636 price · $64,621 earningsGrand Rapids Community College$8,621 price · $64,550 earningsJefferson College$7,378 price · $64,131 earningsLakeshore Technical College$9,653 price · $63,684 earningsRidgewater College$10,046 price · $63,210 earningsFond du Lac Tribal and Community College$12,677 price · $63,056 earningsNorthern Virginia Community College$9,919 price · $63,015 earningsHawkeye Community College$9,649 price · $62,551 earningsCentury College$10,906 price · $62,166 earningsWaukesha County Technical College$11,101 price · $62,093 earningsSouthwest Wisconsin Technical College$12,896 price · $61,297 earningsNorthwestern Michigan College$6,231 price · $61,003 earningsMadison Area Technical College$14,238 price · $60,863 earningsGrayson College$5,880 price · $60,661 earningsMount Wachusett Community College$7,931 price · $60,626 earningsFox Valley Technical College$11,407 price · $60,438 earningsChippewa Valley Technical College$12,285 price · $60,431 earningsJ Sargeant Reynolds Community College$5,168 price · $60,396 earningsWashtenaw Community College$3,249 price · $60,343 earningsMarion Technical College$7,417 price · $60,187 earningsWestern Technical College$11,008 price · $59,884 earningsDiablo Valley College$8,312 price · $59,444 earnings
$5,168Annual college-wide average net price$13,975
Choose colleges offering this exact degree
Start with the highest-earning reported programs below, or open the full directory to search every college.
30 shortlist matchesSelect up to four · 25 shown
Search every reporting program →
See the spread, not just the national number.
1Prince George's Community College$72,8492Southwestern Illinois College$68,2883Alexandria Technical & Community College$67,0664Oklahoma State University-Oklahoma City$66,2875Excelsior University$66,2116Columbia Southern University$66,0007North Hennepin Community College$65,9108Northland Community and Technical College$64,9539Inver Hills Community College$64,62110Grand Rapids Community College$64,550Observed year-4 earnings · top displayed records are not a universal ranking
Jobs this degree may lead to
Federal education-to-career links identify related occupations. They do not imply that every graduate enters the same job.
Pay and projected demand
Related careers do not share one outlook
Bubble size = annual openings2025–35 national projection
Higher median wage ↑
-9%Projected employment growth →12%
Occupation wages describe workers in these jobs, not graduates of this degree. BLS projections are national estimates and do not guarantee hiring.
Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Teachers, Postsecondary$76,590 median wage13,150 jobs nationwide+1.5% projected growth through 2035 · 1,100 openings a yearTypical entry education: Doctoral or professional degree$45,000–$140,240 typical wage rangeFirst-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives$106,040 median wage154,610 jobs nationwide+3.3% projected growth through 2035 · 10,600 openings a yearTypical entry education: High school diploma or equivalent$63,350–$165,110 typical wage rangeDetectives and Criminal Investigators$93,790 median wage114,430 jobs nationwide+0.2% projected growth through 2035 · 7,800 openings a yearTypical entry education: High school diploma or equivalent$55,390–$160,540 typical wage rangePolice and Sheriff’s Patrol Officers$76,210 median wage670,520 jobs nationwide+3.5% projected growth through 2035 · 51,500 openings a yearTypical entry education: High school diploma or equivalent$47,510–$115,120 typical wage rangePrivate Detectives and Investigators$51,220 median wage35,580 jobs nationwide+5.5% projected growth through 2035 · 3,200 openings a yearTypical entry education: High school diploma or equivalent$36,740–$97,630 typical wage rangeFirst-Line Supervisors of Correctional Officers$77,970 median wage53,380 jobs nationwide-2.5% projected growth through 2035 · 3,700 openings a yearTypical entry education: High school diploma or equivalent$52,330–$127,780 typical wage rangeCorrectional Officers and Jailers$58,940 median wage380,500 jobs nationwide-7.4% projected growth through 2035 · 28,400 openings a yearTypical entry education: High school diploma or equivalent$42,760–$93,220 typical wage rangeManagers, All Other$141,900 median wage622,190 jobs nationwide+4.9% projected growth through 2035 · 100,900 openings a yearTypical entry education: Bachelor's degree$74,300–$238,270 typical wage rangeEmergency Management Directors$93,330 median wage13,500 jobs nationwide+3.9% projected growth through 2035 · 1,100 openings a yearTypical entry education: Bachelor's degree$54,210–$166,430 typical wage rangeFirst-Line Supervisors of Protective Service Workers, All Other$76,400 median wage20,690 jobs nationwide+1.9% projected growth through 2035 · 1,700 openings a yearTypical entry education: High school diploma or equivalent$41,110–$103,420 typical wage rangeLife, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All Other$62,280 median wage73,910 jobs nationwide+4.4% projected growth through 2035 · 11,200 openings a yearTypical entry education: Associate's degree$39,000–$102,690 typical wage rangeFirst-Line Supervisors of Security Workers$55,940 median wage81,480 jobs nationwide+3.7% projected growth through 2035 · 6,800 openings a yearTypical entry education: High school diploma or equivalent$37,300–$92,260 typical wage range
BLS May 2025 wages and 2025–35 projections. Career figures describe occupations, not graduates of a specific college.
Where this degree has enough data to compare
State pages are published only when at least five operating colleges report year-4 earnings for this exact field and credential.
CA54 programs$46,752 average earningsNY43 programs$46,240 average earningsTX32 programs$44,792 average earningsOH32 programs$47,947 average earningsPA22 programs$44,674 average earningsWI19 programs$54,584 average earningsMI18 programs$53,158 average earningsNJ15 programs$47,711 average earningsMN15 programs$59,556 average earningsNC14 programs$43,697 average earningsMA13 programs$53,109 average earningsFL11 programs$48,802 average earnings
This page keeps the field and credential level fixed. Federal categories can still combine multiple catalog programs or concentrations. Automated ROI is limited to associate and bachelor’s degrees because institution-wide annual net price is not a reliable proxy for short certificate prices. ROI is an illustrative scenario, not a federal determination.