Criminal Justice and Corrections at Delgado Community College

Delgado's Criminal Justice program carries a significant warning sign: graduates take on $30,687 in debt—more than double the state median and nearly three times what students typically borrow for this associate's degree nationwide. With first-year earnings of just $29,276, you're looking at a debt load that essentially equals a full year's salary. Even though earnings grow to $31,403 by year four, that's barely enough to make a dent in loan payments while covering basic living expenses in New Orleans.

The earnings picture itself tells two different stories. Nationally, this program ranks in just the 24th percentile, meaning most criminal justice graduates elsewhere earn more. But within Louisiana, it sits at the 60th percentile—middle of the pack for in-state options. Baton Rouge Community College offers notably better outcomes at $36,000, but Delgado isn't the worst choice if geography matters. The real problem isn't the salary; it's the mismatch between what you'll owe and what you'll earn.

For families without other funding sources, this debt load is hard to justify. The numbers work only if your child can minimize borrowing through grants (62% of students here receive Pell grants), family support, or working through school. If taking on $30,000+ in loans is unavoidable, the Baton Rouge campus offers a clearer path to managing that debt burden.