Criminal Justice and Corrections (Associate's Degree) at Herzing University-Brookfield

Est. Earnings (1yr)

$39,298

Est. from WI median (14 programs)

Median Debt

$18,188

28% above national median

Analysis

Herzing's criminal justice program faces a challenging comparison: while first-year earnings data from similar Wisconsin programs suggest around $39,000, the four-year mark shows graduates reaching $50,132—yet top-performing technical colleges like Southwest Wisconsin and Rasmussen report first-year earnings well above that figure. This gap matters because the technical colleges also typically cost less, with Wisconsin's median debt for these programs at $13,750 versus Herzing's $18,188. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.46 is manageable on paper, but it assumes those estimated first-year figures hold true for Herzing specifically.

The four-year earnings data offers some reassurance that income grows substantially after that initial period. By year four, graduates appear to reach middle-class stability. However, with 60% of students receiving Pell grants, many families here are borrowing to reach outcomes that nearby technical colleges deliver for less upfront cost. The question isn't whether $18,000 in debt is catastrophic—it's whether this particular path justifies the premium when Wisconsin's technical college system produces comparable or better results in this field.

For families weighing this program, the safest move is treating those estimated first-year earnings as uncertain and planning accordingly. If your student can access one of Wisconsin's technical colleges with proven track records in criminal justice, that's likely the more predictable investment.

Where Herzing University-Brookfield Stands

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

Earnings Over Time

How earnings evolve from 1 year to 4 years after graduation

School	1 Year	4 Years	Growth
Herzing University-Brookfield	—	$50,132	—
Fox Valley Technical College	$39,571	$49,106	+24%
Gateway Technical College	$38,881	$45,787	+18%
Chippewa Valley Technical College	$37,671	$45,578	+21%
Rasmussen University-Wisconsin	$47,447	$45,519	-4%

Compare to Similar Programs in Wisconsin

Criminal Justice and Corrections associates's programs at peer institutions in Wisconsin (23 total in state)

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School	In-State Tuition	Earnings (1yr)*	Earnings (4yr)	Median Debt	Debt/Earnings
Herzing University-BrookfieldBrookfield	$13,420	$39,298*	$50,132	$18,188	—
Southwest Wisconsin Technical CollegeFennimore	$4,796	$51,806*	$43,336	$12,750	0.25
Rasmussen University-WisconsinGreen Bay	$11,982	$47,447*	$45,519	$24,408	0.51
Northwood Technical CollegeRice Lake	$4,524	$44,966*	—	$10,252	0.23
Waukesha County Technical CollegePewaukee	$4,720	$41,591*	$39,899	$14,125	0.34
Blackhawk Technical CollegeJanesville	$4,170	$40,164*	$36,298	$10,493	0.26
National Median	—	$33,269*	—	$14,230	0.43

* 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 Herzing University-Brookfield, approximately 60% 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 14 similar programs in WI. Actual outcomes may vary.