Criminal Justice and Corrections at North Country Community College
NY · Associate's Degree · CIP 43.01
Executive Summary
Graduates with a Criminal Justice and Corrections degree from North Country Community College earn a median salary of $51,223 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in NY, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $38,805. The degree typically pays for itself in 11.7 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
$33,519
Typical Career
$51,223
Top Performers
$67,922
Estimated break-even: 11.7 years.
Debt-to-Income Check
$341
Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment
Typical monthly pay is approximately $4,269. Most students can comfortably afford about a $341 monthly loan payment with this degree.
Comparison Bench
This degree earns 1.3x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.7x more than the average college graduate.
Purchasing Power Context
A dollar in New York buys what costs $1.32 nationally.
Industry Breadcrumbs
Top industries for bachelor's graduates from this school: Health Care & Social Assistance, Public Administration, Retail Trade.
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
$38,805
Nominal: $51,223 in New York (COL 132.0% of national avg) · 24.2% 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 | $22,626 | $28,030 | $38,771 |
| 5 Years After Graduation | $33,519 | $51,223 | $67,922 |
| 10 Years After Graduation | $42,660 | $65,458 | $88,097 |
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 $51,223 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in NY, which has a cost-of-living index of 132.0% of the national average.
Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $51,223 × (1.0 ÷ 1.3200)
= $38,805 National Average equivalent.
COL index source: BLS Regional Consumer Price Index & MIT Living Wage Project, 2023. Full methodology →
Career Verdict
Graduates predominantly enter the Health Care & Social Assistance sectors, with 72.6% and 40.2% of them employed in related roles, alongside 10.8% in Public Administration. The estimated break-even point for pursuing this degree versus a high-school-only path is approximately 11.7 years, suggesting that while the long-term earnings potential is favorable, the initial years may require careful financial planning. Overall, the return on investment for this program appears moderate, with significant industry opportunities but a longer time frame to recoup educational costs.
Compare with Another School
See how the Criminal Justice and Corrections degree at North Country Community College stacks up against another institution side-by-side.
Ready to apply?
Start your application for Criminal Justice and Corrections at North Country Community College.
Explore More
Other Degrees at North Country 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.