Criminal Justice and Corrections at San Diego Miramar College

The small sample size here is crucial context, but the available data suggests this program struggles to deliver competitive outcomes. Graduates earn $22,722 in their first year—roughly $10,000 below both the California and national medians for associate-level criminal justice programs. That places this program in the bottom 10% statewide, a significant gap when other California community colleges are launching graduates into careers earning $33,000 or more from the start.

The bright spot is manageable debt at $8,250, roughly half what typical California programs charge. However, that advantage doesn't overcome the earnings shortfall. Even four years out, graduates are making just $26,284—still trailing the starting salaries at better-performing programs. The 16% earnings growth shows some progression, but graduates are playing catch-up from a difficult starting position in a field where entry-level earnings matter considerably for career trajectory.

Given the limited data and weak performance metrics, parents should investigate why outcomes lag so far behind other California programs. Is this primarily serving part-time students who continue working in unrelated fields? Are local law enforcement hiring patterns different? Without clearer answers, families might look at alternative criminal justice programs in California where graduates consistently start above $32,000, making the same career path more financially viable from day one.