Criminal Justice and Corrections at Vincennes University

Vincennes University's Criminal Justice associate's program shows reasonable numbers, but the small graduating class—fewer than 30 students—means one or two outliers could shift these figures dramatically. That said, the graduates who are represented here earn slightly above both national and Indiana medians, landing around $35,000 in their first year and climbing to just over $40,000 by year four.

The debt load of $14,143 creates a manageable 0.41 ratio to first-year earnings, meaning graduates owe less than half their starting salary. This is notably better than the state's typical debt burden of $25,537 for this program, suggesting Vincennes keeps costs in check. However, the earnings ceiling appears modest—even the top programs in Indiana like Purdue Global produce graduates earning 50% more, and the 16% earnings growth from year one to year four won't close that gap.

For families viewing this as an affordable entry point into law enforcement or corrections work, the numbers work if your child plans to pursue additional education or specialized training later. The low debt means they won't be trapped by payments while advancing their career. But if this associate's degree is the terminal credential, understand that $40,000 represents a relatively modest career trajectory in a field where higher salaries typically require bachelor's degrees or specialized certifications.