Criminal Justice and Corrections (Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma) at Des Moines Area Community College

Est. Earnings (1yr)

$48,388

Est. from national median (165 programs)

Est. Median Debt

$15,414

Est. from national median (99 programs)

Analysis

A debt load around $15,000 for a certificate program demanding estimated first-year earnings of $48,000 creates financial breathing room that many four-year degrees can't match. Based on comparable criminal justice certificate programs nationally, graduates would need roughly four months of gross income to cover their total debt—a manageable burden that suggests this pathway could make sense for students looking to enter law enforcement or corrections quickly.

The challenge lies in the estimation itself. With no reported outcomes from Iowa programs and reliance on national medians, there's real uncertainty about whether Des Moines Area Community College's specific program delivers at these levels. Criminal justice careers vary enormously by local hiring patterns, civil service exam performance, and competition for positions. Iowa's law enforcement and corrections job market may differ substantially from the national picture these estimates reflect.

For a certificate program, this estimated debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.32 falls within reasonable bounds, particularly if it genuinely leads to immediate employment in the field. But parents should verify actual placement rates and starting wages with the program directly—ask where recent graduates are working and what they're earning locally, not nationally. Without school-specific outcomes, you're betting that this program performs at least as well as the typical certificate program in criminal justice across the country.

Where Des Moines Area Community College Stands

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

Compare to Similar Programs Nationally

Criminal Justice and Corrections certificate's programs at top institutions nationally

Scroll to see more →

School	In-State Tuition	Earnings (1yr)*	Earnings (4yr)	Median Debt*	Debt/Earnings
Des Moines Area Community CollegeAnkeny	$5,550	$48,388*	—	$15,414*	—
Santa Rosa Junior CollegeSanta Rosa	$1,318	$111,649*	$92,628	$14,125*	0.13
San Bernardino Valley CollegeSan Bernardino	$1,185	$94,285*	$37,833	$19,500*	0.21
San Diego Miramar CollegeSan Diego	$1,150	$91,647*	—	$13,738*	0.15
Monroe Community CollegeRochester	$5,856	$85,061*	—	$16,500*	0.19
Moreno Valley CollegeMoreno Valley	$1,420	$81,339*	—	—*	—
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 Des Moines Area Community College, approximately 16% 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 national median of 165 similar programs. Actual outcomes may vary.