Criminal Justice and Corrections (Associate's Degree) at Southwestern Oregon Community College

Est. Earnings (1yr)

$37,992

Est. from OR median (3 programs)

Est. Median Debt

$12,000

Est. from national median (212 programs)

Analysis

Similar programs across Oregon suggest this associate's degree tracks toward first-year earnings around $38,000—comfortably above the national median for criminal justice programs and aligned with what community colleges like Central Oregon report. With estimated debt around $12,000, considerably lower than both the state ($24,000) and national ($14,230) medians for this credential, the financial fundamentals look manageable. A debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.32 means graduates might reasonably pay off their loans within a year or two while building career momentum in law enforcement, corrections, or related fields.

The caveat is that these figures come entirely from peer programs rather than tracked outcomes from Southwestern Oregon specifically, so individual results will vary based on local job markets and career paths. Coos Bay's rural location may offer different opportunities than Oregon's urban centers—Portland Community College graduates earn about $7,000 more in their first year, likely reflecting metropolitan salary scales. However, the lower debt burden here could offset any initial earnings gap, and criminal justice careers often include structured advancement with public sector employers.

For families weighing this program, the estimated numbers point toward a low-risk investment if your student is committed to public safety work. The real test will be understanding local hiring patterns in southwest Oregon and whether staying in the region aligns with career goals.

Where Southwestern Oregon Community College Stands

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

Compare to Similar Programs in Oregon

Criminal Justice and Corrections associates's programs at peer institutions in Oregon (15 total in state)

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School	In-State Tuition	Earnings (1yr)*	Earnings (4yr)	Median Debt*	Debt/Earnings
Southwestern Oregon Community CollegeCoos Bay	$6,840	$37,992*	—	$12,000*	—
Portland Community CollegePortland	$5,040	$45,061*	$38,215	$24,000*	0.53
Central Oregon Community CollegeBend	$4,941	$37,992*	$38,112	—*	—
Chemeketa Community CollegeSalem	$6,210	$33,406*	$42,766	—*	—
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 Southwestern Oregon Community College, approximately 36% 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 OR. Actual outcomes may vary.