Location: Terre Haute, IN•In-State Tuition: $9,992•Out-of-State Tuition: $21,734•Admission Rate: 92%
Est. Earnings (1yr)
$48,676
Est. from national median (29 programs)
Est. Median Debt
$23,250
Est. from national median (16 programs)

Analysis

Indiana State's Homeland Security bachelor's relies entirely on national peer data—both the $48,676 first-year earnings and $23,250 debt estimates come from similar programs nationwide, not actual outcomes tracked for ISU graduates. That debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.48 sits comfortably below the typical 1.0 threshold, suggesting manageable repayment if the estimates hold, but the lack of school-specific tracking means you're betting on national averages applying locally.

The national benchmark shows considerable variation in Homeland Security outcomes, with top programs producing $62,313 in first-year earnings—nearly 30% higher than the median. Without knowing where ISU falls in that range, families are navigating blind. Indiana has six programs offering this degree, but none report sufficient graduate data for comparison, making it impossible to assess ISU's competitive position within the state job market.

For a program serving a largely Pell-eligible student body (39%), the estimated debt level appears reasonable if those earnings materialize. The real question is whether ISU's curriculum, internship networks, and employer connections deliver outcomes matching the national average or lag behind. Ask the department directly about graduate placement rates, typical hiring agencies, and whether they track alumni outcomes independently—that information matters more here than these borrowed benchmarks.

Where Indiana State University Stands

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

Indiana State University (estimated ±10%)Other homeland security programs

Dashed lines show national medians. Upper-left = best value.

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 State UniversityTerre Haute$9,992$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 Indiana State University, approximately 39% 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.