Criminal Justice and Corrections at Atlanta Metropolitan State College

Atlanta Metropolitan State College's criminal justice program offers middle-of-the-road outcomes at a lower debt burden than most Georgia competitors. First-year graduates earn $37,342—essentially matching the state median but landing in the 60th percentile among Georgia programs. More importantly, they leave with $26,529 in debt, about $4,000 less than the typical Georgia criminal justice graduate. For a school where 54% of students receive Pell grants, keeping debt manageable matters.

The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.71 means graduates owe roughly nine months' salary, which is reasonable for this field. While top Georgia programs like Herzing and Reinhardt push earnings into the $60,000s, they likely come with steeper price tags. The real concern here is the small sample size—fewer than 30 graduates in the data—which means these numbers could shift significantly year to year and may not represent the typical experience.

For families seeking an affordable entry point into law enforcement or corrections work, this program delivers adequate preparation without excessive debt. The earnings won't impress, but they're competitive with state norms, and the manageable debt load gives graduates breathing room while they build their careers. Just recognize you're looking at limited data that might not tell the full story.