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Criminal Justice at Community College of Rhode Island

Warwick, RI · Public · Associate Degree · Criminal Justice and Corrections

enrolling 11,455 students in Warwick, RI.

Program Analysis

At $30,219 per year, Criminal Justice graduates from Community College of Rhode Island earn below the $39,484 national average. Lower costs or geographic factors may offset the earnings gap.

Every dollar of tuition returns an estimated 47.2x 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 40% gap from the optimistic case.

The median debt load of $10,500 represents less than half a year of starting salary — among the lightest debt-to-income ratios in vocational education.

Ranked #306 of 469 Criminal Justice programs, Community College of Rhode Island falls below the median. Stronger options exist, though cost and location may compensate.

Five-year earnings of $54,149 show a 79% jump from the $30,219 starting point — strong upward trajectory suggesting real career acceleration in this trade.

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

65 /100
TradeSchoolOutlook Score
58
Low End
65
Score
67
High End
Earnings $30,219/yr (-23% vs median)
AI-Proof Resilient (64% shielded)
Job Market Very Large (480,600 openings/yr)

Earnings Overview

Projected 10-Year Earnings
$530K
12.0% annual growth
Earnings Multiple (In-State)
49.8x
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 (In-State)
$10,652
Out-of-state: $28,420
Median Debt at Graduation
$10,500
4.2 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$54,149
79% 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

What can you do with a Criminal Justice credential from Community College of Rhode Island? Our career guide maps every occupation path with earnings and growth data.

Read the full Criminal Justice career guide →

Compare & Explore

Criminal Justice Overview

View all 469 schools offering Criminal Justice →

Criminal Justice at Other Schools

Santa Rosa Junior College ($111,649) San Bernardino Valley College ($94,285) San Diego Miramar College ($91,647) Monroe Community College ($85,061) Moreno Valley College ($81,339) Gateway Technical College ($73,818) Butte College ($73,170) Red Rocks Community College ($72,583)

Other Majors at Community College of Rhode Island

Nursing ($66,988) Dental Assisting ($58,860) Allied Health Professions ($58,304) Clinical Laboratory Science ($54,495) Medical Assisting ($37,087) Business Administration ($36,468) Clinical Laboratory Science ($34,786) Computer Programming ($33,781)

How Does a Bachelor's Degree Compare?

Compare Criminal Justice degree programs on DegreeOutlook →

Four-year programs take longer but may unlock different career trajectories. See the data.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does Community College of Rhode Island's Criminal Justice program score?
At 65/100, the score looks reasonable — but Criminal Justice is a high-scoring trade overall. Compared to peers, this program's earnings and ROI fall below the median.
Why are Criminal Justice earnings lower at Community College of Rhode Island?
Starting salary is one data point. If Community College of Rhode Island's tuition is significantly below average, the ROI calculation can still work — lower earnings paired with lower costs can be a reasonable trade.
Can I learn Criminal Justice through an apprenticeship instead of Community College of Rhode Island?
Beyond Community College of Rhode Island's classroom route, 17 registered apprenticeships map to Criminal Justice careers — including Correction Officer. Apprenticeships trade shorter program length for longer on-the-job training, typically 2-4 years.
How could AI change the job market for Criminal Justice graduates?
The 40% scenario spread reflects genuine uncertainty. Some career paths within Criminal Justice are more exposed than others — the aggregate score blends resistant and vulnerable roles.
Is there demand for Criminal Justice workers?
At 480,600 annual openings, Criminal Justice has a very large employment base. Community College of Rhode Island graduates benefit from broad demand, particularly given public safety staffing needs and retirement-driven turnover.
Data from College Scorecard, BLS, and AI resilience research. Methodology & sources →