Criminal Justice and Corrections at Minnesota State College Southeast

The reported four-year earnings figure of $28,849 creates immediate concern—it's far below both the estimated first-year figure of $50,959 and dramatically trails the Minnesota median for criminal justice associate programs. This dramatic drop suggests either incomplete data capture (graduates may have moved out of state or into roles not tracked by the reporting system) or genuine struggles in career progression that parents need to weigh carefully.

Based on comparable criminal justice programs across Minnesota, the estimated debt load of $15,665 would represent a manageable 0.31 ratio to first-year earnings if those initial salary levels hold true. That's actually better positioning than the national benchmark, where median debt runs $14,230 against $33,269 in typical earnings. Minnesota's criminal justice programs generally show stronger outcomes than the national picture, with the state median hitting $50,959 compared to the national $33,269.

The challenge is trusting any projection when the only concrete data point—that four-year figure—looks so discouraging. If your child is committed to law enforcement or corrections in Minnesota, peer programs like Century College and Minnesota North show proven earnings above $54,000, offering more certainty. Until Minnesota State College Southeast has trackable graduate outcomes that align with state norms, this program carries more financial uncertainty than families typically want to accept, even at relatively modest debt levels.