Homeland Security (Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma) at Arizona State University Campus Immersion

Median Earnings (1yr)

$38,140

25th percentile

60th percentile in Arizona

Median Debt

$20,843

At national median

Analysis

Arizona State's Homeland Security certificate produces first-year earnings about 10% below the national median for this credential, landing at $38,140—though that places graduates in the middle of the pack among Arizona programs. The $20,843 debt load translates to a manageable 0.55 debt-to-earnings ratio, meaning graduates typically carry about half a year's salary in loans. For context, this is average debt for the program nationally, suggesting ASU hasn't found ways to reduce costs that peers have matched elsewhere.

The state ranking tells an interesting story: while this program sits at just the 25th percentile nationally, it reaches the 60th percentile among Arizona programs. That spread suggests either Arizona's homeland security education market skews lower overall, or that competition for these jobs in the state keeps starting salaries compressed. Either way, if your student plans to work in Arizona after graduation, this program performs reasonably well relative to local alternatives.

The real question is whether a certificate makes sense for this field at all. At under $39,000 in first-year earnings, graduates face a modest return that may limit how quickly they can tackle that debt or build financial security. For families comfortable with this earning trajectory and confident their student will complete the credential quickly, the numbers work—just recognize this isn't a shortcut to higher-wage opportunities that some certificate programs promise.

Where Arizona State University Campus Immersion Stands

Earnings vs. debt across all homeland security certificate's programs nationally

Earnings Distribution

How Arizona State University Campus Immersion graduates compare to all programs nationally

Compare to Similar Programs in Arizona

Homeland Security certificate's programs at peer institutions in Arizona (9 total in state)

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School	In-State Tuition	Earnings (1yr)	Earnings (4yr)	Median Debt	Debt/Earnings
Arizona State University Campus ImmersionTempe	$12,051	$38,140	—	$20,843	0.55
Arizona State University Digital ImmersionScottsdale	—	$38,140	—	$20,843	0.55
National Median	—	$42,210	—	$20,843	0.49

Career Paths

Occupations commonly associated with homeland security graduates

Emergency Management Directors

Plan and direct disaster response or crisis management activities, provide disaster preparedness training, and prepare emergency plans and procedures for natural (e.g., hurricanes, floods, earthquakes), wartime, or technological (e.g., nuclear power plant emergencies or hazardous materials spills) disasters or hostage situations.

$86,130/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Teachers, Postsecondary

Teach courses in criminal justice, corrections, and law enforcement administration. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

$83,980/yrJobs growth:

Managers, All Other

All managers not listed separately.

Regulatory Affairs Managers

Plan, direct, or coordinate production activities of an organization to ensure compliance with regulations and standard operating procedures.

Compliance Managers

Plan, direct, or coordinate activities of an organization to ensure compliance with ethical or regulatory standards.

Loss Prevention Managers

Plan and direct policies, procedures, or systems to prevent the loss of assets. Determine risk exposure or potential liability, and develop risk control measures.

Wind Energy Development Managers

Lead or manage the development and evaluation of potential wind energy business opportunities, including environmental studies, permitting, and proposals. May also manage construction of projects.

Brownfield Redevelopment Specialists and Site Managers

Plan and direct cleanup and redevelopment of contaminated properties for reuse. Does not include properties sufficiently contaminated to qualify as Superfund sites.

Postsecondary Teachers, All Other

All postsecondary teachers not listed separately.

First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives

Directly supervise and coordinate activities of members of police force.

First-Line Supervisors of Security Workers

Directly supervise and coordinate activities of security workers and security guards.

First-Line Supervisors of Protective Service Workers, All Other

All protective service supervisors not listed separately above.

About This Data

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (October 2025 release)

Population: Graduates who received federal financial aid (Title IV grants or loans). At Arizona State University Campus Immersion, approximately 30% of students receive Pell grants. Students who did not receive federal aid are not included in these figures.

Earnings: Median earnings from IRS W-2 data for graduates who are employed and not enrolled in further education, measured 1 year after completion. Earnings are pre-tax and include wages, salaries, and self-employment income.

Debt: Median cumulative federal loan debt at graduation. Does not include private loans or Parent PLUS loans borrowed on behalf of students.

Sample Size: Based on 34 graduates with reported earnings and 42 graduates with debt data. Small samples may not be representative.