Criminal Justice and Corrections at Brookline College-Tucson

Brookline College-Tucson's criminal justice graduates earn roughly $5,000 less than the median for Arizona programs—a significant gap in a field where most professionals already start near the bottom of the pay scale. With first-year earnings of $33,962 and debt nearly matching that amount at $38,878, graduates face an immediate financial squeeze that looks particularly stark when you consider that comparable programs at ASU and Grand Canyon produce graduates earning $8,000-$14,000 more annually.

The modest 7% earnings growth over four years does little to improve the picture. Even after gaining experience, these graduates trail the state median by about $5,000, suggesting the initial earnings disadvantage persists. While 67% of students receive Pell grants, indicating this program serves lower-income students who may have fewer educational options, the debt load is unusually high for a criminal justice program—sitting at the 10th percentile nationally, meaning 90% of comparable programs saddle graduates with less debt.

The small sample size here warrants caution, but the pattern is concerning enough that Arizona families should seriously consider the state's public university options. ASU's programs, for instance, deliver substantially better earnings outcomes with similar or lower debt levels, making this particular program a questionable investment unless circumstances prevent access to those alternatives.