Criminal Justice and Corrections at Community College of Philadelphia

Community College of Philadelphia's Criminal Justice program performs slightly better than most in Pennsylvania, landing in the 60th percentile statewide—a meaningful distinction in a state with 39 competing programs. Starting at $34,224, graduates earn about 6% more than the typical Pennsylvania grad and beat the national median by nearly $1,000. The debt load of $14,250 is reasonable, translating to a 0.42 debt-to-earnings ratio that should be manageable for most graduates.

The 23% earnings growth over four years is encouraging, taking graduates to $42,119 by year four. This trajectory suggests the degree opens doors to advancement, though it's worth noting that top performers in the state (like Montgomery County CC at $47,990) demonstrate there's significant variation in outcomes. For context, over half of students here receive Pell grants, indicating this program serves a predominantly working-class population looking to break into law enforcement or corrections careers.

This represents a solid community college investment—affordable debt combined with earnings that exceed state and national benchmarks. For families concerned about minimizing debt while building toward a stable career path, these numbers suggest the program delivers on its promise without strapping graduates with unmanageable loans.