Criminal Justice and Corrections (Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma) at College of Central Florida

Est. Earnings (1yr)

$49,774

Est. from FL median (20 programs)

Est. Median Debt

$9,563

Est. from FL median (13 programs)

Analysis

A certificate in criminal justice from College of Central Florida appears to track closely with the state median—similar programs across Florida suggest first-year earnings around $49,774 against estimated debt of $9,563. That's a manageable debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.19, meaning graduates would owe roughly two months' salary. For a program serving a largely working-class student body (40% receive Pell grants), these numbers reflect a practical entry point into law enforcement or corrections work.

The caveat worth noting: Florida's criminal justice certificate programs show considerable variation in outcomes. Top performers like Palm Beach State and Hillsborough Community College report earnings 25-40% higher than the state median, suggesting that program quality, local job markets, or the specific roles graduates pursue make a real difference. College of Central Florida sits in Ocala, a smaller metro area that may not offer the same law enforcement salary scales as Tampa or West Palm Beach, which could explain why this program tracks closer to the middle of the pack.

For families evaluating this certificate, the low debt load is the strongest selling point—it's about $4,000 below the national median for this credential. If your child is certain about a career in corrections or law enforcement and values staying local, this represents an affordable way in. Just recognize that the earnings ceiling may be lower than at Florida's stronger-performing programs, particularly if local job opportunities are limited.

Where College of Central Florida Stands

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

Compare to Similar Programs in Florida

Criminal Justice and Corrections certificate's programs at peer institutions in Florida (40 total in state)

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School	In-State Tuition	Earnings (1yr)*	Earnings (4yr)	Median Debt*	Debt/Earnings
College of Central FloridaOcala	$2,710	$49,774*	—	$9,563*	—
Palm Beach State CollegeLake Worth	$3,050	$69,415*	$69,281	$16,000*	0.23
Hillsborough Community CollegeTampa	$2,506	$62,249*	$58,760	$18,924*	0.30
Indian River State CollegeFort Pierce	$2,764	$60,298*	$54,930	$6,352*	0.11
Florida State College at JacksonvilleJacksonville	$2,878	$60,055*	$52,154	$15,796*	0.26
Fort Myers Technical CollegeFort Myers	—	$58,949*	$46,386	—*	—
National Median	—	$48,388*	—	$13,355*	0.28

* 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 College of Central Florida, approximately 40% 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 20 similar programs in FL. Actual outcomes may vary.