Criminal Justice at Alexandria Technical & Community College

Alexandria, MN · Public · Associate Degree · Criminal Justice and Corrections

a smaller institution with 1,438 students in Alexandria, MN.

Program Analysis

First-year earnings of $46,511 at Alexandria Technical & Community College come in 18% above the national median of $39,484 for Criminal Justice programs.

Every dollar of tuition returns an estimated 49.1x in decade earnings — an exceptional ratio that places this among the highest-ROI Criminal Justice programs nationally.

Some AI exposure exists in Criminal Justice's career paths, with 36% of job tasks potentially affected. The pessimistic scenario still projects solid returns, with a 22% gap from the optimistic case.

With first-year pay of $46,511 far exceeding the $12,000 median debt, the payback timeline is measured in months, not years.

At #165 of 469 Criminal Justice programs, Alexandria Technical & Community College scores above the median — competitive but not a standout.

Earnings grow from $46,511 to $59,835 over five years — a 29% increase that's moderate and in line with typical trade career progression.

Criminal Justice offers 17 registered apprenticeship pathways — an unusually broad set of earn-while-you-learn alternatives to the classroom track.

74 /100
TradeSchoolOutlook Score
70
Low End
74
Score
76
High End
Earnings $46,511/yr (18% vs median)
AI-Proof Resilient (64% shielded)
Job Market Very Large (480,600 openings/yr)

Earnings Overview

Projected 10-Year Earnings
$628K
6.5% annual growth
Earnings Multiple
50.5x
10-year earnings ÷ tuition
Viable Career Paths
20 of 20
Occupations with strong AI resilience

Projected 10-Year Earnings

Based on actual graduate salary data and Bureau of Labor Statistics growth projections.

Program Tuition
$12,426
Median Debt at Graduation
$12,000
3.1 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$59,835
29% growth from Year 1

Top Career Paths

Top career paths for Criminal Justice graduates by median salary.

Career Path Median Salary Growth AI-ProofAI
Managers, all other $136,550 +4.5% 53%
First-line supervisors of police and detectives $105,980 +2.9% 67%
Detectives and criminal investigators $93,580 -0.7% 47%
Managers, all other
$136,550
+4.5% growth 53% AI-proof
First-line supervisors of police and detectives
$105,980
+2.9% growth 67% AI-proof
Detectives and criminal investigators
$93,580
-0.7% growth 47% AI-proof

View all 20 career paths with full salary data →

Criminal Justice Career Guide

From day-one roles to senior positions, Criminal Justice careers span a range of specializations. Read the complete outlook for graduates entering criminal justice & public safety.

Read the full Criminal Justice career guide →

Compare & Explore

Criminal Justice Overview

Criminal Justice at Other Schools

Other Majors at Alexandria Technical & Community College

Explore the Degree Alternative

Not sure if a trade program or four-year degree fits better? Compare both paths.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does Alexandria Technical & Community College's Criminal Justice program score?
At 74/100, this is a high-performing trade program. The TradeSchoolOutlook Score combines earnings, AI resilience, and ROI — and this program delivers on all three.
How affordable is Criminal Justice at Alexandria Technical & Community College?
Median debt of just $12,000 against $46,511/yr in starting salary means graduates can clear their loans in under 3 months. This is one of the more affordable paths in our dataset.
What apprenticeship pathways exist for Criminal Justice graduates?
If Alexandria Technical & Community College's tuition gives you pause, consider that 17 DOL-registered apprenticeship pathways exist for Criminal Justice. You'd earn while training, avoiding student debt entirely — though completion takes longer than a certificate program.
Will Criminal Justice graduates from Alexandria Technical & Community College find jobs?
The career paths mapped to Criminal Justice have roughly 480,600 combined annual openings nationally, making this a very large job market. Demand is driven by public safety staffing needs and retirement-driven turnover.
Data from College Scorecard, BLS, and AI resilience research. Methodology & sources →