Criminal Justice and Corrections at Rasmussen University-Illinois

Rasmussen's Criminal Justice program in Rockford delivers something rare: top-tier graduate earnings combined with manageable debt. At $47,447 in first-year earnings, graduates significantly outpace both the Illinois median ($31,453) and the national benchmark ($33,269)—placing this program in the 95th percentile among all Criminal Justice associate's programs in the state. The debt load of $24,408, while above typical for this field, translates to a 0.51 debt-to-earnings ratio that remains workable for most graduates.

The concerning element is the earnings trajectory: graduates see a 4% decline from year one to year four, dropping to $45,519. This suggests either job instability in the field or that the initial placement advantage doesn't compound over time. However, even with this dip, fourth-year earnings still exceed what most Criminal Justice associate's degree holders earn right out of school elsewhere in Illinois.

For a program serving a predominantly Pell-eligible population (63%), these outcomes represent genuine economic mobility. Your child would be borrowing roughly half of their first-year salary to access earnings that outperform 95% of similar programs statewide. That's a solid value proposition, though you should understand they're unlikely to see significant salary growth in the first few years after graduation. The program works if the goal is immediate, above-average earnings in the criminal justice field.