Location: Saint Paul, MN•In-State Tuition: $9,780•Admission Rate: 96%•Avg SAT: 1020
Est. Earnings (1yr)
$57,943
Est. from MN median (4 programs)
Median Debt
$33,000
147% above national median

Analysis

Metropolitan State's criminal justice certificate carries $33,000 in debt—substantially higher than the $25,125 median for Minnesota criminal justice certificate programs and more than double the $13,355 national median. That's concerning debt for an undergraduate certificate, even if similar Minnesota programs suggest first-year earnings around $58,000.

The estimated debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.57 means graduates would owe roughly seven months of their first year's salary—a manageable figure in isolation. But compare this to the alternatives: Rasmussen University's criminal justice certificate graduates earn $67,135 with similar credentials, while Hennepin Technical College produces comparable outcomes at likely lower debt loads. Metropolitan State serves a high-need population (44% Pell recipients), but that doesn't justify debt levels that exceed state norms by 31%.

The progression from estimated $57,943 in year one to actual $69,532 by year four shows solid earnings growth. However, you're betting on those gains to justify the upfront debt burden. For a certificate program—designed to be a quick, affordable credential—$33,000 in debt undermines the value proposition. Unless Metropolitan State offers unique advantages like scheduling flexibility or specific employer connections that peer programs lack, this debt level makes it difficult to recommend over Minnesota's more affordable alternatives.

Where Metropolitan State University Stands

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

Metropolitan State University (estimated ±10%)Other criminal justice and corrections programs

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

Earnings Over Time

How earnings evolve from 1 year to 4 years after graduation

School1 Year4 YearsGrowth
Metropolitan State University—$69,532—
Santa Rosa Junior College$111,649$92,628-17%
Hennepin Technical College$56,699$64,280+13%
Rasmussen University-Minnesota$67,135$62,028-8%
Alexandria Technical & Community College$54,355$61,930+14%

Compare to Similar Programs in Minnesota

Criminal Justice and Corrections certificate's programs at peer institutions in Minnesota (18 total in state)

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SchoolIn-State TuitionEarnings (1yr)*Earnings (4yr)Median DebtDebt/Earnings
Metropolitan State UniversitySaint Paul$9,780$57,943*$69,532$33,000—
Rasmussen University-MinnesotaSt. Cloud$10,899$67,135*$62,028$25,6860.38
Minnesota North CollegeHibbing$6,004$59,186*—$25,1250.42
Hennepin Technical CollegeBrooklyn Park$5,881$56,699*$64,280$19,8540.35
Alexandria Technical & Community CollegeAlexandria$6,213$54,355*$61,930$18,7990.35
National Median—$48,388*—$13,3550.28
* 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 Metropolitan State University, approximately 44% 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 4 similar programs in MN. Actual outcomes may vary.