Criminal Justice and Corrections (Associate's Degree) at Shorter College

Est. Earnings (1yr)

$36,076

Est. from AR median (3 programs)

Est. Median Debt

$22,119

Est. from national median (49 programs)

Analysis

Drawing from three Arkansas criminal justice associate programs, this credential appears to offer a modest but realistic entry point into law enforcement and corrections work. The estimated $36,000 first-year earnings align exactly with Arkansas's state median for this field, suggesting graduates can expect typical outcomes for the region—roughly $3,000 above the national benchmark for criminal justice associate degrees.

The estimated $22,000 debt figure presents both good and challenging news. It sits well below Arkansas's typical debt load of $25,500 for this program and significantly higher than the national median of $14,200. With a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.61, graduates would need to dedicate just over seven months of gross income to repay their loans—manageable but tight for entry-level public sector salaries. The fact that 83% of students receive Pell grants underscores that most families here are banking on this degree creating economic mobility.

The comparison with top Arkansas programs reveals limited upside: even University of Arkansas Grantham's stronger outcomes only reach $39,000. For families weighing this investment, the question is whether a $22,000 pathway to steady but modest earnings makes sense when the ceiling appears fixed regardless of which school you choose. If your student is committed to corrections or law enforcement work in Arkansas, these estimated numbers suggest Shorter could deliver comparable results to pricier alternatives—but this isn't a field where associate degrees lead to dramatic salary growth.

Where Shorter College Stands

Earnings vs. debt across all criminal justice and corrections associates's programs nationally

Compare to Similar Programs in Arkansas

Criminal Justice and Corrections associates's programs at peer institutions in Arkansas (28 total in state)

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School	In-State Tuition	Earnings (1yr)*	Earnings (4yr)	Median Debt*	Debt/Earnings
Shorter CollegeN Little Rock	$6,246	$36,076*	—	$22,119*	—
University of Arkansas GranthamLIttle Rock	$8,280	$39,043*	$35,612	$25,422*	0.65
Arkansas Tech UniversityRussellville	$8,508	$36,076*	$37,671	$25,570*	0.71
National Park CollegeHot Springs	$5,600	$34,904*	$31,096	—*	—
National Median	—	$33,269*	—	$14,230*	0.43

* Estimated from similar programs

Career Paths

Occupations commonly associated with criminal justice and corrections graduates

Financial Examiners

Enforce or ensure compliance with laws and regulations governing financial and securities institutions and financial and real estate transactions. May examine, verify, or authenticate records.

$90,400/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Emergency Management Directors

Plan and direct disaster response or crisis management activities, provide disaster preparedness training, and prepare emergency plans and procedures for natural (e.g., hurricanes, floods, earthquakes), wartime, or technological (e.g., nuclear power plant emergencies or hazardous materials spills) disasters or hostage situations.

$86,130/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Teachers, Postsecondary

Teach courses in criminal justice, corrections, and law enforcement administration. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

$83,980/yrJobs growth:

Compliance Officers

Examine, evaluate, and investigate eligibility for or conformity with laws and regulations governing contract compliance of licenses and permits, and perform other compliance and enforcement inspection and analysis activities not classified elsewhere.

$78,420/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Environmental Compliance Inspectors

Inspect and investigate sources of pollution to protect the public and environment and ensure conformance with Federal, State, and local regulations and ordinances.

$78,420/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Equal Opportunity Representatives and Officers

Monitor and evaluate compliance with equal opportunity laws, guidelines, and policies to ensure that employment practices and contracting arrangements give equal opportunity without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability.

$78,420/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Government Property Inspectors and Investigators

Investigate or inspect government property to ensure compliance with contract agreements and government regulations.

$78,420/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Regulatory Affairs Specialists

Coordinate and document internal regulatory processes, such as internal audits, inspections, license renewals, or registrations. May compile and prepare materials for submission to regulatory agencies.

$78,420/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Customs Brokers

Prepare customs documentation and ensure that shipments meet all applicable laws to facilitate the import and export of goods. Determine and track duties and taxes payable and process payments on behalf of client. Sign documents under a power of attorney. Represent clients in meetings with customs officials and apply for duty refunds and tariff reclassifications. Coordinate transportation and storage of imported goods.

$78,420/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Detectives and Criminal Investigators

Conduct investigations related to suspected violations of federal, state, or local laws to prevent or solve crimes.

$77,270/yrJobs growth:

Police Identification and Records Officers

Collect evidence at crime scene, classify and identify fingerprints, and photograph evidence for use in criminal and civil cases.

$77,270/yrJobs growth:

Intelligence Analysts

Gather, analyze, or evaluate information from a variety of sources, such as law enforcement databases, surveillance, intelligence networks or geographic information systems. Use intelligence data to anticipate and prevent organized crime activities, such as terrorism.

$77,270/yrJobs growth:

About This Data

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (October 2025 release)

Population: Graduates who received federal financial aid (Title IV grants or loans). At Shorter College, approximately 83% of students receive Pell grants. Students who did not receive federal aid are not included in these figures.

Earnings: Median earnings from IRS W-2 data for graduates who are employed and not enrolled in further education, measured 1 year after completion. Earnings are pre-tax and include wages, salaries, and self-employment income.

Debt: Median cumulative federal loan debt at graduation. Does not include private loans or Parent PLUS loans borrowed on behalf of students.

Estimated Earnings: Actual earnings data is not available for this program (typically due to privacy thresholds when fewer than 30 graduates reported earnings). The estimate shown is based on the median of 3 similar programs in AR. Actual outcomes may vary.