What the IPEDS & College Scorecard Data Shows for Criminal Justice and Corrections
Criminal Justice and Corrections is tracked across 1,096 U.S. postsecondary institutions in the College Scorecard field-of-study file, which links CIP code classifications from IPEDS to Treasury earnings records. This profile covers the associate's credential level specifically, because the Department of Education reports program-level outcomes separately for associate, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral awards. The CIP (Classification of Instructional Programs) taxonomy lets analysts roll up specialties into broader families, which is why earnings medians across schools can be compared on a common basis.
Across all reporting institutions, the mean of school-level medians is $58,320, calculated from 100 schools with published earnings data. The earnings distribution stretches from $53,803 at the low end to $72,849 at the top, with a 25th-75th percentile band between $55,297 and $60,623 around a median of $56,926. The top-reporting institution in this program is Prince George's Community College at $72,849. These numbers reflect earnings measured roughly a year after completion, using Social Security Administration tax records linked to federal financial aid applicants.
Variation across schools matters more than a single national figure. Completers counts reported per school indicate how many graduates’ earnings feed the median, which means small programs produce more volatile numbers. Median debt at the program level, when paired with earnings, yields a debt-to-earnings ratio that is the College Scorecard’s standard affordability signal – ratios under 1.0 indicate earnings exceed cumulative debt. Use the school-by-school table to spot institutions where Criminal Justice and Corrections graduates out-earn peers at comparable cost, and to surface gainful-employment patterns that only become visible at the CIP-code level.
Criminal Justice and Corrections associate's credential median debt varies 4.0× across entities
Criminal Justice and Corrections associate's credential median debt ranges from $7,449 (lowest) to $29,745 (highest), a spread of $22,296. That spread is wider than typical and predicts noticeable gaps in service quality between the highest and lowest areas. Median debt counts only those students who borrowed federal loans, students who paid out-of-pocket or received institutional grants are excluded from the borrower median, which can flatter low-debt schools.
Criminal Justice and Corrections debt-to-earnings ratio is 0.26 — well below typical (typically associated with unusually small scale or exceptionally high per-unit investment)
debt-to-earnings ratio is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: this ratio uses federal loan principal, not all education debt, private loans, parent PLUS loans not in the borrower’s name, and institutional debt are excluded Values this far below typical often correlate with unusually small scale or population characteristics rather than higher resource budgets per se — worth checking whether the underlying denominator is itself an outlier.
Criminal Justice and Corrections operates 1,096 institutions offer this program — among the most fragmented governance structures in the country
Each institutions offer this program has independent budgeting, hiring, and service delivery authority. The fragmentation reflects broad CIP coverage that puts the field within reach of most U.S. postsecondary students, competition for top-tier employer pipelines is high but base credential access is essentially universal. Per-region variation is largest in fragmented systems because each institutions offer this program sets its own budget, contracts, and priorities without higher-level coordination above the regulatory floor.
How much do Criminal Justice and Corrections graduates earn? ▼
Criminal Justice and Corrections graduates earn $58,320 on average across 1,096 schools. Earnings range from $53,803 to $72,849 depending on the institution.
Which school pays the most for Criminal Justice and Corrections? ▼
Prince George's Community College has the highest reported median earnings for Criminal Justice and Corrections graduates at $72,849, based on College Scorecard data.
What credential do you get in Criminal Justice and Corrections? ▼
Criminal Justice and Corrections programs typically award a Associate's credential. Earnings vary by school and credential level.
Top Schools for Criminal Justice and Corrections
Closest schools offering this program – compare earnings side by side
Earnings data comes from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard Field of Study file. Median earnings represent graduates who received federal financial aid, drawn from U.S. Treasury tax records linked to federal student aid applicants. Completers count and debt figures reflect program-level data reported through IPEDS. Data is updated annually.