Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting at Miami Dade College

Miami Dade College's criminal justice program costs half what most similar programs charge—just $12,000 in median debt versus $24,000 nationally—but graduates earn about $5,000 less than Florida's median for these degrees. That tradeoff puts starting salaries at $43,666, which lands below both the state median ($48,873) and the national benchmark ($46,440). Among Florida's six programs, this ranks 40th percentile, trailing schools like Florida State College at Jacksonville and St. Petersburg College by roughly $6,000-$7,000.

The debt picture, however, is exceptional. Graduating with $12,000 in loans rather than the typical $21,000+ means the debt-to-earnings ratio stays manageable at 0.27—substantially better than most programs nationally. For students entering law enforcement or public safety careers with known salary structures, the lower debt burden could matter more than the initial earnings gap, especially since nearly half of students here receive Pell grants and likely have limited ability to absorb large loan payments.

The practical calculus: if your child needs an affordable path into public safety work and plans to stay in Florida, this program delivers acceptable entry-level earnings with minimal debt risk. But if maximizing first-year salary matters most, comparable Florida colleges offer $5,000-$6,000 more in starting pay—though you'll likely double the student loan burden to get there.