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Criminal Justice at Delgado Community College

New Orleans, LA · Public · Associate Degree · Criminal Justice and Corrections

serving 11,182 students in New Orleans, LA.

Program Analysis

Starting salaries of $29,276/yr fall 26% below the $39,484 national median for Criminal Justice. The financial case depends heavily on whether tuition compensates.

Every dollar of tuition returns an estimated 36.9x 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 13% gap from the optimistic case.

Median debt of $24,719 represents roughly 10 months of the $29,276 starting salary — a manageable burden by trade school standards.

Ranked #368 of 469 Criminal Justice programs, Delgado Community College falls below the median. Stronger options exist, though cost and location may compensate.

Five-year earnings of $34,181 are relatively flat compared to the $29,276 starting salary — typical of trades with stable but capped salary bands.

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

61 /100
TradeSchoolOutlook Score
58
Low End
61
Score
63
High End
Earnings $29,276/yr (-26% vs median)
AI-Proof Resilient (64% shielded)
Job Market Very Large (480,600 openings/yr)

Earnings Overview

Projected 10-Year Earnings
$351K
4.0% annual growth
Earnings Multiple
37.5x
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
$9,356
Median Debt at Graduation
$24,719
10.1 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$34,181
17% 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

Criminal Justice opens doors to multiple career tracks. Our pillar guide covers every mapped occupation with salary data and AI resilience ratings.

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 Delgado Community College

Nursing ($75,597) Allied Health Professions ($57,847) Allied Health Professions ($47,284) Medical Assisting ($45,773) Practical Nursing ($42,416) Vehicle Repair Technology ($37,769) Business ($37,206) Health Administration ($33,664)

Considering a 4-Year Degree Instead?

Compare Criminal Justice degree programs on DegreeOutlook →

Compare how bachelor's degree graduates fare on earnings, ROI, and AI resilience.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does a 61/100 TradeSchoolOutlook Score mean for Criminal Justice at Delgado Community College?
A score of 61/100 reflects decent absolute metrics, but Delgado Community College trails the majority of Criminal Justice programs on relative rankings. Context matters more than the raw number.
Can you still earn well with Criminal Justice from Delgado Community College?
Lower starting pay at Delgado Community College may reflect local labor market conditions rather than program quality. Many graduates see convergence with national averages within 3-5 years.
Are there apprenticeship options for Criminal Justice?
Yes — 17 registered apprenticeship programs are mapped to Criminal Justice career paths, including Correction Officer. Apprenticeships offer paid on-the-job training as an alternative or complement to a program at Delgado Community College.
Is there demand for Criminal Justice workers?
Job availability for Criminal Justice is strong — 480,600 positions open annually across the mapped career paths. For Delgado Community College graduates specifically, local market conditions in LA may shift the picture.
Data from College Scorecard, BLS, and AI resilience research. Methodology & sources →