Criminal Justice and Corrections at Bryant & Stratton College-Wauwatosa

Wisconsin students considering this program should look closely at the state comparison data. Bryant & Stratton's graduates earn $32,602 four years out—roughly $7,000 below the state median for criminal justice programs and significantly less than Wisconsin's technical colleges, where graduates from schools like Southwest Wisconsin Technical College earn over $50,000. This places the program in just the 25th percentile statewide, meaning three-quarters of Wisconsin criminal justice programs produce better earnings outcomes.

The debt picture compounds the concern. While $22,960 isn't catastrophic, it's notably higher than both the state median ($13,750) and national average ($14,230) for this degree. Combined with below-average earnings and essentially flat income growth over four years, graduates face a debt load that takes longer to manage than peers at Wisconsin's technical colleges, who enter the workforce with less debt and substantially higher earning power.

For an anxious parent, this comes down to opportunity cost. Your child could attend a Wisconsin technical college—many with open enrollment and lower costs—and likely earn $8,000-$19,000 more annually in the same career field. Unless there are compelling reasons to choose Bryant & Stratton specifically (location, scheduling, support services), the state's technical college system offers demonstrably better return on investment for criminal justice careers in Wisconsin.