Criminal Justice and Corrections at Chemeketa Community College
OR · Associate's Degree · CIP 43.01
Executive Summary
Graduates with a Criminal Justice and Corrections degree from Chemeketa Community College earn a median salary of $49,223 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in OR, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $43,065. The degree typically pays for itself in 12.1 years.
Quick Insights
How this degree looks at a glance
A fast read on salary range, break-even speed, living-cost impact, and where graduates from this school usually land.
Salary Ranges
Starting Range
$35,902
Typical Career
$49,223
Top Performers
$70,502
Estimated break-even: 12.1 years.
Debt-to-Income Check
$328
Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment
Typical monthly pay is approximately $4,102. Most students can comfortably afford about a $328 monthly loan payment with this degree.
Comparison Bench
This degree earns 1.3x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.6x more than the average college graduate.
Purchasing Power Context
A dollar in Oregon buys what costs $1.14 nationally.
Industry Breadcrumbs
Top industries for bachelor's graduates from this school: Health Care & Social Assistance, Public Administration, Educational Services.
Where Associate's Graduates from This School Work
Institution-wide industry mix for graduates, 5 years after graduation. This is not major-specific. Source: Census PSEO Flows.
5-Year Median Salary — National Purchasing Power Equivalent
$43,065
Nominal: $49,223 in Oregon (COL 114.3% of national avg) · 12.5% lower purchasing power
10-Year Earnings Curve
Break-Even Timeline
How long until cumulative earnings advantage exceeds total college investment (tuition + opportunity cost vs. entering workforce directly after high school).
Total Investment
$155,168
4yr tuition + 4yr opportunity cost
HS Graduate Baseline
$38,792/yr
BLS 2023 median, HS diploma
View Raw Data: Median Earnings by Year
| Timeframe | 25th Pct. | Median (50th) | 75th Pct. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Year After Graduation | $26,405 | $36,812 | $51,953 |
| 5 Years After Graduation | $35,902 | $49,223 | $70,502 |
| 10 Years After Graduation | $44,849 | $61,198 | $85,664 |
Source: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO), 2025 release. Earnings shown for Bachelor's degree graduates (all cohorts combined).
How We Calculate Purchasing Power
The median salary of $49,223 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in OR, which has a cost-of-living index of 114.3% of the national average.
Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $49,223 × (1.0 ÷ 1.1430)
= $43,065 National Average equivalent.
COL index source: BLS Regional Consumer Price Index & MIT Living Wage Project, 2023. Full methodology →
Career Verdict
The primary industries that graduates enter are predominantly within Health Care & Social Assistance, accounting for 50.8%, 25.6%, and 22.7% of employment, respectively. Given the estimated break-even point of approximately 13.8 years compared to a high school-only path, the return on investment for this program may be considered moderate. Students should weigh the potential earnings against the time and financial commitment required for their education to determine if this career path aligns with their long-term goals.
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Other Degrees at Chemeketa Community College
Data sources: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO). Cost-of-living index: BLS Regional CPI & MIT Living Wage Project. Cost of attendance: IPEDS. For informational use only; data may be suppressed for small cohort sizes.