Location: Saratoga Springs, NY•In-State Tuition: $7,630•Out-of-State Tuition: $17,540
Est. Earnings (1yr)
$43,613
Est. from NY median (4 programs)
Est. Median Debt
$23,250
Est. from national median (16 programs)

Analysis

In New York, homeland security programs show a wide earnings spread—from $27,000 to over $57,000 first-year—and Empire State's estimated $43,600 falls squarely in the middle of that range. Based on comparable NY programs, this sits at the state median but trails the national benchmark by about $5,000. The estimated debt load of $23,250 produces a manageable 0.53 debt-to-earnings ratio, meaning graduates would owe roughly half a year's salary.

The real question is what drives that $30,000 earnings gap between top and bottom performers in this field statewide. Location matters significantly in security and law enforcement careers—proximity to federal facilities, ports, or major metro areas can shape both job availability and starting pay. Empire State's online and distributed model means graduates land across the state rather than clustering near a single campus, which could explain why their outcomes track the state average rather than the higher marks seen at Utica or Canton.

For families weighing this investment: the debt load appears reasonable, but you're banking on your graduate landing in the upper half of the field's opportunity spectrum. With 35% of students receiving Pell grants, this program serves working adults and career-changers who may already have professional networks—a potential advantage over traditional campus programs where students start from scratch in the job market.

Where Empire State University Stands

Earnings vs. debt across all homeland security bachelors's programs nationally

Empire State University (estimated ±10%)Other homeland security programs

Dashed lines show national medians. Upper-left = best value.

Compare to Similar Programs in New York

Homeland Security bachelors's programs at peer institutions in New York (9 total in state)

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SchoolIn-State TuitionEarnings (1yr)*Earnings (4yr)Median Debt*Debt/Earnings
Empire State UniversitySaratoga Springs$7,630$43,613*—$23,250*—
Utica UniversityUtica$24,308$57,215*$61,736$27,846*0.49
SUNY College of Technology at CantonCanton$8,689$48,753*$54,844$24,617*0.50
University at AlbanyAlbany$10,408$38,472*—$23,250*0.60
Roberts Wesleyan UniversityRochester$37,504$27,387*—$27,000*0.99
National Median—$48,676*—$23,475*0.48
* Estimated from similar programs

Career Paths

Occupations commonly associated with homeland security graduates

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:

Managers, All Other

All managers not listed separately.

Regulatory Affairs Managers

Plan, direct, or coordinate production activities of an organization to ensure compliance with regulations and standard operating procedures.

Compliance Managers

Plan, direct, or coordinate activities of an organization to ensure compliance with ethical or regulatory standards.

Loss Prevention Managers

Plan and direct policies, procedures, or systems to prevent the loss of assets. Determine risk exposure or potential liability, and develop risk control measures.

Wind Energy Development Managers

Lead or manage the development and evaluation of potential wind energy business opportunities, including environmental studies, permitting, and proposals. May also manage construction of projects.

Brownfield Redevelopment Specialists and Site Managers

Plan and direct cleanup and redevelopment of contaminated properties for reuse. Does not include properties sufficiently contaminated to qualify as Superfund sites.

Postsecondary Teachers, All Other

All postsecondary teachers not listed separately.

First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives

Directly supervise and coordinate activities of members of police force.

First-Line Supervisors of Security Workers

Directly supervise and coordinate activities of security workers and security guards.

First-Line Supervisors of Protective Service Workers, All Other

All protective service supervisors not listed separately above.

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 Empire State University, approximately 35% 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 4 similar programs in NY. Actual outcomes may vary.