Criminal Justice and Corrections at Grand Rapids Community College

At $48,049 in first-year earnings, Grand Rapids Community College graduates from this program start well above both national and state medians—but there's an unusual pattern here. By year four, earnings drop to $39,367, an 18% decline that's hard to explain without more information. This could reflect career changes, part-time work transitions, or simply the noise you'd expect from a small sample (under 30 graduates tracked).

The debt picture is straightforward: at $12,101, it's manageable and below both state and national averages. That 0.25 debt-to-earnings ratio means graduates owe roughly three months of first-year salary—a comfortable starting point. Within Michigan, this program sits at the 60th percentile for earnings, trailing top performers like Northwestern Michigan College ($52,976) but still competitive. Nationally, it ranks in the 95th percentile, though that says more about how low earnings are in this field across the country than about exceptional performance here.

The backwards earnings trajectory is the real puzzle. If you're considering this program, you'd want to understand whether graduates are switching careers, facing limited advancement in local criminal justice jobs, or if this is just statistical noise from tracking too few people. The low debt makes this a relatively safe bet financially, but the earnings decline suggests the career path may not be straightforward for everyone who completes this degree.