Est. Earnings (1yr)
$48,676
Est. from national median (29 programs)
Est. Median Debt
$27,000
Est. from national median (9 programs)

Analysis

Indiana Tech's Homeland Security bachelor's degree operates in a field where outcomes vary considerably, but based on comparable programs nationally, the financial picture appears manageable. First-year earnings around $49,000 align with the national median for this credential, suggesting this program delivers typical market value for homeland security graduates. With over half of students receiving Pell grants, the school clearly serves a population where these numbers matter deeply.

The estimated $27,000 in debt sits slightly above the national median of $23,500 for homeland security programs, yielding a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.55—meaning graduates would owe about seven months of their first-year salary. That's reasonable territory for a bachelor's degree, though not exceptional. The challenge lies in homeland security's reputation as a field with wide salary dispersion: some graduates land well-paying federal positions while others struggle in lower-tier security roles. Whether this program connects students to the higher-paying track remains unclear from these estimates.

For families weighing this investment, the core question is whether Indiana Tech's specific curriculum and placement network justify choosing this program over alternatives. The estimated figures suggest adequate but unspectacular returns—not a red flag, but also not evidence of exceptional value. Direct conversations with the school about job placement rates and employer relationships would help determine if this particular program opens doors that justify the slightly-above-average debt load.

Where Indiana Institute of Technology-College of Professional Studies 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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SchoolIn-State TuitionEarnings (1yr)*Earnings (4yr)Median Debt*Debt/Earnings
Indiana Institute of Technology-College of Professional StudiesFort Wayne$9,900$48,676*$27,000*
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 Indiana Institute of Technology-College of Professional Studies, approximately 53% 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.