Criminal Justice and Corrections at North Central State College

North Central State College's Criminal Justice program posts first-year earnings of $47,397—outperforming not just the national median by over $14,000, but also ranking in the 60th percentile among Ohio's 57 similar programs. That's strong state-level performance for an associate's degree, particularly when graduates carry just $10,782 in debt (well below Ohio's typical $16,799). The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.23 suggests most graduates can manage their loans comfortably on typical starting salaries.

However, treat these numbers cautiously. With fewer than 30 graduates tracked, a handful of exceptional outcomes—perhaps graduates hired by well-paying law enforcement agencies—could be skewing the picture upward. The program's 95th percentile national ranking looks impressive on paper, but it's less meaningful with such a limited sample. What matters more is whether these outcomes prove sustainable as more students complete the program.

For an anxious parent, this represents a low-risk pathway if your child is serious about corrections or law enforcement work. The debt load won't become burdensome even if actual earnings settle closer to Ohio's $38,497 median over time. Just recognize you're making this decision with incomplete information—asking the school about placement rates and typical employer partners would add useful context the federal data can't provide.