Est. Earnings (1yr)
$39,857
Est. from MI median (17 programs)
Est. Median Debt
$26,000
Est. from MI median (11 programs)

Analysis

Bay Mills Community College's bachelor's program in criminal justice comes with an estimated $26,000 in debt, remarkably close to both the state and national medians for this field. With around 42% of students receiving Pell grants, this tribal college serves a population where borrowing this amount represents a significant investment. Based on what peer programs in Michigan produce, first-year earnings around $39,857 would put graduates roughly at the state medianβ€”middle of the pack but well below what the state's top performers deliver. Programs at Siena Heights and Ferris State, for instance, lead to substantially higher starting salaries.

The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.65 suggests manageable repayment in theory, but the reality depends heavily on whether Bay Mills graduates actually achieve outcomes comparable to the state average. Criminal justice is a crowded field in Michigan with 24 bachelor's programs competing for similar positions in law enforcement, corrections, and related fields. The consistency between estimated debt here and what similar schools report is reassuring, but the earnings figure remains uncertain for this specific program. Without actual graduate outcomes, you're essentially betting that Bay Mills can match what other Michigan programs deliverβ€”a reasonable assumption, but still an assumption.

If your child is committed to criminal justice and values the community college setting or tribal college mission, this program's estimated costs align with field norms. Just recognize you're making decisions with limited visibility into how Bay Mills graduates specifically fare in the job market.

Where Bay Mills Community College Stands

Earnings vs. debt across all criminal justice and corrections bachelors's programs nationally

Compare to Similar Programs in Michigan

Criminal Justice and Corrections bachelors's programs at peer institutions in Michigan (24 total in state)

Scroll to see more β†’

SchoolIn-State TuitionEarnings (1yr)*Earnings (4yr)Median Debt*Debt/Earnings
Bay Mills Community CollegeBrimley$3,320$39,857*β€”$26,000*β€”
Siena Heights UniversityAdrian$29,778$67,009*$57,804$22,250*0.33
The University of OlivetOlivet$33,076$48,328*$46,814$27,000*0.56
Ferris State UniversityBig Rapids$13,630$44,897*$52,189$25,260*0.56
Lake Superior State UniversitySault Ste Marie$14,266$43,937*$55,447$22,852*0.52
Baker CollegeOwosso$12,810$42,341*$49,289$47,500*1.12
National Medianβ€”$37,856*β€”$26,130*0.69
* Estimated from similar programs

Career Paths

Occupations commonly associated with criminal justice and corrections graduates

Financial Examiners

Enforce or ensure compliance with laws and regulations governing financial and securities institutions and financial and real estate transactions. May examine, verify, or authenticate records.

$90,400/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

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:

Compliance Officers

Examine, evaluate, and investigate eligibility for or conformity with laws and regulations governing contract compliance of licenses and permits, and perform other compliance and enforcement inspection and analysis activities not classified elsewhere.

$78,420/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Environmental Compliance Inspectors

Inspect and investigate sources of pollution to protect the public and environment and ensure conformance with Federal, State, and local regulations and ordinances.

$78,420/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Equal Opportunity Representatives and Officers

Monitor and evaluate compliance with equal opportunity laws, guidelines, and policies to ensure that employment practices and contracting arrangements give equal opportunity without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability.

$78,420/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Government Property Inspectors and Investigators

Investigate or inspect government property to ensure compliance with contract agreements and government regulations.

$78,420/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Regulatory Affairs Specialists

Coordinate and document internal regulatory processes, such as internal audits, inspections, license renewals, or registrations. May compile and prepare materials for submission to regulatory agencies.

$78,420/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Customs Brokers

Prepare customs documentation and ensure that shipments meet all applicable laws to facilitate the import and export of goods. Determine and track duties and taxes payable and process payments on behalf of client. Sign documents under a power of attorney. Represent clients in meetings with customs officials and apply for duty refunds and tariff reclassifications. Coordinate transportation and storage of imported goods.

$78,420/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Detectives and Criminal Investigators

Conduct investigations related to suspected violations of federal, state, or local laws to prevent or solve crimes.

$77,270/yrJobs growth:

Police Identification and Records Officers

Collect evidence at crime scene, classify and identify fingerprints, and photograph evidence for use in criminal and civil cases.

$77,270/yrJobs growth:

Intelligence Analysts

Gather, analyze, or evaluate information from a variety of sources, such as law enforcement databases, surveillance, intelligence networks or geographic information systems. Use intelligence data to anticipate and prevent organized crime activities, such as terrorism.

$77,270/yrJobs growth:
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 Bay Mills Community College, approximately 42% 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.

Estimated Earnings: Actual earnings data is not available for this program (typically due to privacy thresholds when fewer than 30 graduates reported earnings). The estimate shown is based on the median of 17 similar programs in MI. Actual outcomes may vary.