Criminal Justice and Corrections at Northern Essex Community College

Northern Essex Community College's Criminal Justice program delivers something rare: strong earnings with minimal debt. Graduates start at $39,426—well above both the national median ($33,269) and Massachusetts median ($37,533) for associate's-level criminal justice programs. The $7,432 median debt means borrowers face just 19 cents of debt for every dollar earned in year one, an exceptionally manageable burden compared to the national median of $14,230.

Within Massachusetts, this program sits in the 60th percentile, meaning it outearns most similar programs in the state but trails the top performers. Bunker Hill and MassBay graduates earn roughly $5,000-$8,000 more annually, though Northern Essex's debt levels remain far below average. The 13% earnings growth over four years is steady if unremarkable, bringing graduates to $44,559—a respectable trajectory for law enforcement and corrections careers that often include structured pay scales.

The catch: this data comes from fewer than 30 graduates, which means one exceptional or struggling cohort could skew the picture significantly. Still, the debt-to-earnings fundamentals make this a low-risk investment for students serious about public safety careers, especially compared to alternatives with similar outcomes but double the debt load.