Criminal Justice and Corrections at Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania

Before you write that tuition check for this certificate, understand that Shippensburg's criminal justice program trails far behind Pennsylvania alternatives—and these numbers come from a very small sample of graduates that may not reflect typical outcomes.

The concerning part isn't just that graduates earn $38,907 while Pennsylvania's median for this certificate sits at $53,553. It's that nearby community colleges are seeing dramatically different results: Montgomery County Community College grads from similar programs earn $69,937, and even Delaware County Community College's $57,464 is nearly 50% higher than Shippensburg's figure. Among Pennsylvania's 22 programs in this field, Shippensburg lands in the 25th percentile—meaning three-quarters of comparable in-state programs produce better earnings. The debt load of $23,500, while representing excellent low debt nationally, still requires paying 60% of that first year's salary toward loans.

The very small sample size (under 30 graduates) means these numbers could shift significantly with a different graduating class, but that uncertainty cuts both ways. If your child is considering criminal justice certification in Pennsylvania, the data suggests exploring community college options first, where lower tuition costs and stronger earnings outcomes appear to deliver substantially better return on investment.