Criminal Justice and Corrections at Northcentral Technical College

Wausau, WI · Public · Associate Degree

with a smaller student body of 3,479 in Wausau, WI.

Program Analysis

Northcentral Technical College's Criminal Justice and Corrections program produces graduates earning $39,421/yr — within striking distance of the $39,484 national average for this trade.

With a 65.9x return on tuition over ten years, the financial case for this program is compelling by virtually any measure.

The 21% difference between AI scenarios reflects partial automation exposure. Some Criminal Justice and Corrections career paths face changes, but the trade's physical demands provide a buffer.

Loan repayment is a non-issue here — $8,000 in median debt clears fast against $39,421 in annual earnings.

A #156 ranking among 469 Criminal Justice and Corrections programs places Northcentral Technical College in the middle-to-upper range. Solid, not exceptional.

A 27% earnings increase from $39,421 to $49,985 over five years is solid — not a moonshot, but evidence of normal career advancement.

The 17 apprenticeship pathways connected to Criminal Justice and Corrections reflect strong industry infrastructure for this trade. Apprenticeships typically lead to journeyman-level wages.

75 /100
TradeSchoolOutlook Score
70
Low End
75
Score
77
High End
Earnings $39,421/yr (-0% vs median)
AI-Proof Resilient (64% shielded)
Job Market Very Large (480,600 openings/yr)

Earnings Overview

Projected 10-Year Earnings
$522K
6.1% annual growth
Earnings Multiple (In-State)
67.7x
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)
$7,722
Out-of-state: $11,230
Median Debt at Graduation
$8,000
2.4 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$49,985
27% growth from Year 1

Top Career Paths

Top career paths for Criminal Justice and Corrections 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 →

About Criminal Justice and Corrections Careers

Your career in criminal justice often begins on the front lines, where demand is steady. You might start as a security guard, patrolling a corporate campus, monitoring surveillance feeds, and logging daily activity. Many graduates pursue a path as a police or sheriff's patrol officer, where your "office" is a patrol car and your daily tasks involve responding to calls, community engagement, and detailed incident reporting back at the station.

Read the full Criminal Justice and Corrections career guide →

Compare & Explore

Criminal Justice and Corrections Overview

Criminal Justice and Corrections at Other Schools

Other Majors at Northcentral Technical College

Trade Certificate vs. Bachelor's Degree

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

Frequently Asked Questions

How does Northcentral Technical College's Criminal Justice and Corrections program score?
A score of 75/100 indicates strong financial outcomes. Northcentral Technical College's Criminal Justice and Corrections graduates fare well on earnings, job market size, and return on investment.
How affordable is Criminal Justice and Corrections at Northcentral Technical College?
Median debt of just $8,000 against $39,421/yr in starting salary means graduates can clear their loans in under 2 months. This is one of the more affordable paths in our dataset.
Can I learn Criminal Justice and Corrections through an apprenticeship instead?
Criminal Justice and Corrections connects to 17 apprenticeship pathways. These DOL-registered programs combine structured training with paid employment — a strong alternative for students who prefer hands-on learning over classroom instruction.
Is there demand for Criminal Justice and Corrections workers?
With approximately 480,600 annual openings across mapped careers, Criminal Justice and Corrections offers a very large employment pool. Physical trades tend to have steady demand driven by infrastructure and construction cycles.
Data from College Scorecard, BLS, and AI resilience research. Methodology & sources →