Criminal Justice and Corrections at Indiana Institute of Technology

Indiana Institute of Technology loads graduates with nearly $40,000 in debt—almost three times the national average for this program and substantially higher than Indiana's typical debt of $25,537. That's a serious problem when earnings start at just $34,328 and then actually decline to $29,473 by year four. You're looking at debt exceeding 130% of that fourth-year salary, which makes monthly payments extremely difficult on a corrections officer's income.

The earnings trajectory is the real red flag here. While the program performs slightly above the national median initially, it falls below the Indiana state median and sits in just the 40th percentile among Indiana programs. Compare this to Purdue University Global's criminal justice graduates earning over $50,000, or even Indiana Wesleyan at $38,495. The backward slide in earnings suggests many graduates either aren't advancing in their careers or are leaving the field entirely—neither scenario justifies borrowing $39,000.

For an associate's degree in a field where many entry-level positions don't require any degree at all, this debt load creates a financial trap. If your child is set on this path, they'd be better served attending a community college with minimal debt or pursuing one of the stronger programs in Indiana where graduates earn more and borrow less.