Homeland Security (Bachelor's Degree) at Idaho State University

Est. Earnings (1yr)

$48,676

Est. from national median (29 programs)

Est. Median Debt

$23,250

Est. from national median (16 programs)

Analysis

Is a bachelor's in Homeland Security worth nearly $24,000 in debt when similar programs nationally suggest first-year earnings around $48,700? That's the calculation facing parents considering Idaho State's program. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.48 falls within manageable territory—graduates from peer programs typically earn about twice what they owe—but this assumes the national pattern holds in Idaho's smaller law enforcement and security market.

The challenge here is visibility. As the only bachelor's-level Homeland Security program in Idaho, there's no state data to benchmark against, and the small cohort size means the Department of Education can't report actual outcomes for ISU graduates. That $48,700 earnings figure comes from the national median across 29 similar programs, which may or may not reflect what Idaho-specific positions pay. Security and emergency management salaries can vary significantly based on whether graduates land federal positions (often higher-paying) or remain in state and local roles.

For families committed to careers in homeland security or emergency management, the estimated debt load is moderate enough not to derail financial stability, assuming those earnings materialize. But with only national comparisons available, parents should press the school for placement specifics: Where do graduates actually work? What percentage secure federal versus local positions? Without that ground-truth data, you're investing based on what happens elsewhere, not what's happened here.

Where Idaho State University Stands

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

Compare to Similar Programs Nationally

Homeland Security bachelors's programs at top institutions nationally

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School	In-State Tuition	Earnings (1yr)*	Earnings (4yr)	Median Debt*	Debt/Earnings
Idaho State UniversityPocatello	$8,356	$48,676*	—	$23,250*	—
George Mason UniversityFairfax	$13,815	$90,956*	—	$21,741*	0.24
Bethel UniversityMcKenzie	$18,168	$78,275*	$62,271	$31,919*	0.41
Grand Canyon UniversityPhoenix	$17,450	$68,503*	$73,431	$28,787*	0.42
Columbia CollegeColumbia	$21,450	$67,338*	—	$27,855*	0.41
Waldorf UniversityForest City	$25,220	$66,446*	—	$23,437*	0.35
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 Idaho State University, approximately 27% 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 29 similar programs. Actual outcomes may vary.