Criminal Justice and Corrections at American InterContinental University System

American InterContinental University's criminal justice associate's program carries debt levels nearly double the national median ($27,750 vs. $14,230), placing it in the 95th percentile for debt burden—among the highest in the country. That financial weight accompanies earnings that fall below both Arizona and national medians. While graduates see their income climb from $28,600 to $32,943 over four years, they're still earning less than what the typical Arizona criminal justice graduate makes right out of school at Pima Community College or University of Phoenix-Arizona.

The program does rank at the 40th percentile within Arizona, meaning roughly half of state programs produce similar or worse outcomes. But that moderate state positioning doesn't overcome the fundamental imbalance: graduates face nearly a dollar of debt for every dollar they earn in year one. For a family considering this program, community college alternatives like Pima deliver 28% higher starting salaries with presumably lower debt burdens, suggesting the for-profit premium isn't translating into better outcomes.

With 73% of students receiving Pell grants, most families here are already financially constrained. Taking on debt nearly twice the national average for this degree to earn below-median wages makes financial recovery difficult. Unless there are compelling personal circumstances specific to this institution, the numbers point toward exploring less expensive pathways into criminal justice careers.