Criminal Justice and Corrections at Connecticut State Community College
CT · Associate's Degree · CIP 43.01
Executive Summary
Graduates with a Criminal Justice and Corrections degree from Connecticut State Community College earn a median salary of $47,767 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in CT, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $41,428. The degree typically pays for itself in 13.4 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
$37,379
Typical Career
$47,767
Top Performers
$58,497
Estimated break-even: 13.4 years.
Debt-to-Income Check
$318
Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment
Typical monthly pay is approximately $3,981. Most students can comfortably afford about a $318 monthly loan payment with this degree.
Comparison Bench
This degree earns 1.2x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.6x more than the average college graduate.
Purchasing Power Context
A dollar in Connecticut buys what costs $1.15 nationally.
Industry Breadcrumbs
Top industries for bachelor's graduates from this school: Health Care & Social Assistance, Educational Services, Finance & Insurance.
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
$41,428
Nominal: $47,767 in Connecticut (COL 115.3% of national avg) · 13.3% 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 | $25,247 | $34,560 | $50,539 |
| 5 Years After Graduation | $37,379 | $47,767 | $58,497 |
| 10 Years After Graduation | $40,680 | $58,363 | $77,146 |
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 $47,767 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in CT, which has a cost-of-living index of 115.3% of the national average.
Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $47,767 × (1.0 ÷ 1.1530)
= $41,428 National Average equivalent.
COL index source: BLS Regional Consumer Price Index & MIT Living Wage Project, 2023. Full methodology →
Career Verdict
The majority of graduates enter the Health Care & Social Assistance sector, with 53.3% employed in this field shortly after graduation. This trend continues with 46.8% and 29.5% remaining in similar industries over time. The estimated break-even point for graduates compared to those with only a high school diploma is approximately 13.4 years, suggesting that while the return on investment may take over a decade, the long-term career prospects in a growing industry could provide a solid foundation for future earnings and job stability.
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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.