Criminal Justice and Corrections (Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma) at Madison Area Technical College

Est. Earnings (1yr)

$60,737

Est. from WI median (9 programs)

Est. Median Debt

$18,750

Est. from WI median (7 programs)

Analysis

Wisconsin's technical colleges turn out some of the highest-earning criminal justice certificate holders in the country, and Madison Area Technical College appears to land right in the middle of this strong pack. Based on comparable programs across the state, graduates typically earn around $60,700 in their first year—well above the $48,400 national median and placing this program in the top tier nationally. The estimated $18,750 in debt is higher than the national benchmark, but the debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.31 means graduates would need less than four months of gross pay to cover what they borrowed.

The real question is whether this certificate positions students competitively within Wisconsin's own market. Peer programs at Gateway and Waukesha County Technical Colleges produce graduates earning $10,000 more annually, suggesting the credential's value depends heavily on which technical college issues it. Madison's central location and government employment opportunities could work in graduates' favor, but without actual outcome data for this specific program, families should verify whether Madison's graduates land comparable law enforcement or corrections positions.

For a short-term credential with manageable debt, the fundamentals look reasonable—but parents should confirm that this certificate meets hiring requirements for their child's target agencies and consider whether proximity to Madison's state government jobs justifies choosing this program over higher-earning alternatives elsewhere in Wisconsin.

Where Madison Area Technical College Stands

Earnings vs. debt across all criminal justice and corrections certificate's programs nationally

Compare to Similar Programs in Wisconsin

Criminal Justice and Corrections certificate's programs at peer institutions in Wisconsin (16 total in state)

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School	In-State Tuition	Earnings (1yr)*	Earnings (4yr)	Median Debt*	Debt/Earnings
Madison Area Technical CollegeMadison	$4,780	$60,737*	—	$18,750*	—
Gateway Technical CollegeKenosha	$4,853	$73,818*	$73,034	$18,750*	0.25
Waukesha County Technical CollegePewaukee	$4,720	$69,115*	—	$19,500*	0.28
Blackhawk Technical CollegeJanesville	$4,170	$68,669*	—	$19,381*	0.28
Fox Valley Technical CollegeAppleton	$4,916	$64,741*	—	$22,250*	0.34
Chippewa Valley Technical CollegeEau Claire	$4,724	$60,737*	$55,746	$15,335*	0.25
National Median	—	$48,388*	—	$13,355*	0.28

* Estimated from similar programs

Career Paths

Occupations commonly associated with criminal justice and corrections graduates

Financial Examiners

Enforce or ensure compliance with laws and regulations governing financial and securities institutions and financial and real estate transactions. May examine, verify, or authenticate records.

$90,400/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

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:

Compliance Officers

Examine, evaluate, and investigate eligibility for or conformity with laws and regulations governing contract compliance of licenses and permits, and perform other compliance and enforcement inspection and analysis activities not classified elsewhere.

$78,420/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Environmental Compliance Inspectors

Inspect and investigate sources of pollution to protect the public and environment and ensure conformance with Federal, State, and local regulations and ordinances.

$78,420/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Equal Opportunity Representatives and Officers

Monitor and evaluate compliance with equal opportunity laws, guidelines, and policies to ensure that employment practices and contracting arrangements give equal opportunity without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability.

$78,420/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Government Property Inspectors and Investigators

Investigate or inspect government property to ensure compliance with contract agreements and government regulations.

$78,420/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Regulatory Affairs Specialists

Coordinate and document internal regulatory processes, such as internal audits, inspections, license renewals, or registrations. May compile and prepare materials for submission to regulatory agencies.

$78,420/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Customs Brokers

Prepare customs documentation and ensure that shipments meet all applicable laws to facilitate the import and export of goods. Determine and track duties and taxes payable and process payments on behalf of client. Sign documents under a power of attorney. Represent clients in meetings with customs officials and apply for duty refunds and tariff reclassifications. Coordinate transportation and storage of imported goods.

$78,420/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Detectives and Criminal Investigators

Conduct investigations related to suspected violations of federal, state, or local laws to prevent or solve crimes.

$77,270/yrJobs growth:

Police Identification and Records Officers

Collect evidence at crime scene, classify and identify fingerprints, and photograph evidence for use in criminal and civil cases.

$77,270/yrJobs growth:

Intelligence Analysts

Gather, analyze, or evaluate information from a variety of sources, such as law enforcement databases, surveillance, intelligence networks or geographic information systems. Use intelligence data to anticipate and prevent organized crime activities, such as terrorism.

$77,270/yrJobs growth:

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 Madison Area Technical College, approximately 19% 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 median of 9 similar programs in WI. Actual outcomes may vary.