Criminal Justice and Corrections at Central Ohio Technical College

With first-year earnings of $40,065, Central Ohio Technical College's Criminal Justice program delivers solidly above both state ($38,497) and national ($33,269) medians for associate's degrees in this field. Students here are outearning peers at most comparable programs nationwide, landing in the 79th percentile nationally. The estimated debt of $16,575—based on Ohio associate's programs at similar schools—translates to a 0.41 debt-to-earnings ratio, meaning graduates would need roughly five months of their first year's salary to cover what they borrowed. That's a manageable starting point for an entry-level field.

The modest 4% earnings growth to year four is worth noting. While $41,542 represents solid income for an associate's degree holder, it suggests this credential may function more as a career entry point than a trajectory toward significantly higher pay. Some Ohio programs—particularly the Ohio University campuses—report first-year earnings above $44,000, indicating room for variation even within the state. Still, COTC's outcomes beat the typical program in this field by a meaningful margin, and the debt burden remains reasonable given what graduates actually earn out of the gate. For parents evaluating a practical, affordable pathway into criminal justice careers, this program's combination of above-average earnings and contained debt makes it a defensible choice.