Home › Dutchess Community College › Criminal Justice

Criminal Justice at Dutchess Community College

Poughkeepsie, NY · Public · Associate Degree · Criminal Justice and Corrections

with a smaller student body of 3,696 in Poughkeepsie, NY.

Program Analysis

Dutchess Community College's Criminal Justice graduates start at $26,891/yr, trailing the $39,484 national average by 32%. The program's value hinges on affordability.

Every dollar of tuition returns an estimated 41.9x 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 40% gap from the optimistic case.

Loan repayment is a non-issue here — $11,000 in median debt clears fast against $26,891 in annual earnings.

Ranked #371 of 469 Criminal Justice programs, Dutchess Community College falls below the median. Stronger options exist, though cost and location may compensate.

Five-year earnings of $47,438 show a 76% jump from the $26,891 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.

61 /100
TradeSchoolOutlook Score
54
Low End
61
Score
63
High End
Earnings $26,891/yr (-32% vs median)
AI-Proof Resilient (64% shielded)
Job Market Very Large (480,600 openings/yr)

Earnings Overview

Projected 10-Year Earnings
$472K
12.0% annual growth
Earnings Multiple (In-State)
44.1x
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)
$10,692
Out-of-state: $20,292
Median Debt at Graduation
$11,000
4.9 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$47,438
76% 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 Dutchess Community College

Nursing ($80,603) Clinical Laboratory Science ($33,341) Business Administration ($25,712) Human Services ($24,622) Liberal Arts & Humanities ($22,095) Communication & Media ($17,585)

Trade Certificate vs. Bachelor's Degree

Compare Criminal Justice degree programs on DegreeOutlook →

Weigh shorter time-to-career against higher earning ceilings. The numbers tell the story.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does a 61/100 TradeSchoolOutlook Score mean for Criminal Justice at Dutchess Community College?
A score of 61/100 reflects decent absolute metrics, but Dutchess Community College trails the majority of Criminal Justice programs on relative rankings. Context matters more than the raw number.
Is Dutchess Community College a good choice for Criminal Justice despite lower starting pay?
First-year earnings trail the national median, but starting salary isn't the full picture. Regional cost of living, career trajectory, and tuition cost all factor in. Check the five-year earnings data when available.
Can I learn Criminal Justice through an apprenticeship instead of Dutchess Community College?
If Dutchess 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.
What's the AI uncertainty for Criminal Justice careers?
Our model shows a 40% gap between best and worst-case decade earnings. AI is unlikely to eliminate Criminal Justice careers, but it could reduce positions in some specializations.
Will Criminal Justice graduates from Dutchess 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 →