Homeland Security at Lake Superior State University

Lake Superior State's Homeland Security associate program reports impressive four-year earnings of $54,450, but the 95th percentile national ranking needs context—it's based on a very small graduating class. More telling is that graduates start at $42,663, which matches both the national and state medians exactly. Among Michigan's limited homeland security programs (just two schools offer it), this ranks at the 60th percentile, suggesting it's competitive but not exceptional within the state.

The debt load of $21,875 translates to a 0.51 debt-to-earnings ratio, meaning graduates owe roughly half their first year's salary. That's manageable territory, and the 28% earnings growth over four years shows decent career progression. However, with fewer than 30 graduates in the data, these numbers could swing dramatically year to year—a few career outliers can skew the median significantly at this sample size.

For families considering this path, the fundamentals look reasonable: moderate debt paired with steady early earnings. But the small program size means you're betting on limited data. If your child is drawn to homeland security work, this program won't bury them in debt, but verify current employment outcomes directly with the school before committing. The impressive-looking national ranking may simply reflect the small data set rather than a proven track record.