Criminal Justice and Corrections (Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma) at Glendale Community College

Est. Earnings (1yr)Estimated

$40,886

Est. from AZ median (6 programs)

Est. Median DebtEstimated

$15,414

Est. from national median (99 programs)

Based on U.S. Department of Education data (October 2025 release). Some figures are estimates based on similar programs — see details below.

Analysis

Similar criminal justice programs in Arizona produce first-year earnings around $40,900, which falls short of the $48,400 national median—and significantly trails the state's top performers. Yavapai College graduates earn nearly $60,000, while Pima and Rio Salado both exceed $51,000. At an estimated $15,400 in debt, this certificate would take roughly five months of gross income to repay, which isn't catastrophic but represents more borrowing than the Arizona median of $8,500 for these programs.

The disconnect between estimated debt and typical state borrowing levels matters here. If you're financing this credential substantially, you're paying more for below-average outcomes. Criminal justice certificates work best as low-cost entry points to law enforcement or corrections work, where agencies often value the credential but compensation depends heavily on the specific employer and location. Phoenix-area policing and corrections jobs vary widely in pay and hiring standards.

Before committing, understand that these estimates come from peer programs rather than Glendale's actual graduate outcomes. Get specific about which jobs this certificate qualifies your student for locally and what those positions actually pay. If the debt required approaches that $15,400 figure, consider whether other Arizona community colleges might deliver better value for the same credential—or whether working first and paying as you go makes more financial sense.

Where Glendale Community College Stands

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

Compare to Similar Programs in Arizona

Criminal Justice and Corrections certificate's programs at peer institutions in Arizona (24 total in state)

Scroll to see more →

School	In-State Tuition	Earnings (1yr)*	Earnings (4yr)	Median Debt*	Debt/Earnings
Glendale Community CollegeGlendale	$2,358	$40,886*	—	$15,414*	—
Yavapai CollegePrescott	$2,838	$59,511*	$55,534	$17,625*	0.30
Pima Community CollegeTucson	$2,370	$53,544*	—	—*	—
Rio Salado CollegeTempe	$2,358	$51,384*	$49,854	$11,500*	0.22
Carrington College-Phoenix NorthPhoenix	—	$30,388*	—	$8,481*	0.28
Carrington College-MesaMesa	—	$30,388*	—	$8,481*	0.28
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 Glendale Community College, approximately 26% 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 6 similar programs in AZ. Actual outcomes may vary.