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Criminal Justice at Southeast New Mexico College

Carlsbad, NM · Public · Associate Degree · Criminal Justice and Corrections

with a smaller student body of 426 in Carlsbad, NM.

Program Analysis

Starting salaries of $27,638/yr fall 30% 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 161.3x 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 26% gap from the optimistic case.

At $8,550 in median debt against $27,638 in first-year earnings, graduates can expect to clear their loan balance quickly — a hallmark of affordable trade programs.

At #152 of 469 Criminal Justice programs, Southeast New Mexico College scores above the median — competitive but not a standout.

Earnings grow from $27,638 to $36,982 over five years — a 34% 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.

75 /100
TradeSchoolOutlook Score
69
Low End
75
Score
76
High End
Earnings $27,638/yr (-30% vs median)
AI-Proof Resilient (64% shielded)
Job Market Very Large (480,600 openings/yr)

Earnings Overview

Projected 10-Year Earnings
$392K
7.5% annual growth
Earnings Multiple (In-State)
166.7x
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)
$2,352
Out-of-state: $8,016
Median Debt at Graduation
$8,550
3.7 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$36,982
34% 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

Explore what Criminal Justice graduates do, from entry-level roles to long-term career paths across 469 programs nationwide.

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 Southeast New Mexico College

Nursing ($78,510) Allied Health Professions ($56,196) Data Processing ($38,559) Business ($30,628) Precision Metalworking ($27,920) Health Administration ($27,876) Liberal Arts & Humanities ($27,868)

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 is the TradeSchoolOutlook Score for Criminal Justice at Southeast New Mexico College?
At 75/100, this is a high-performing trade program. The TradeSchoolOutlook Score combines earnings, AI resilience, and ROI — and this program delivers on all three.
Is Southeast New Mexico College a good choice for Criminal Justice despite lower starting pay?
Starting salary is one data point. If Southeast New Mexico College'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 Southeast New Mexico College?
Beyond Southeast New Mexico College'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.
Will Criminal Justice graduates from Southeast New Mexico College find jobs?
With approximately 480,600 annual openings across mapped careers, Criminal Justice offers a very large employment pool. Southeast New Mexico College graduates enter a market shaped by public safety staffing needs and retirement-driven turnover.
Data from College Scorecard, BLS, and AI resilience research. Methodology & sources →