Criminal Justice and Corrections at City Colleges of Chicago - Richard J. Daley College
IL · Associate's Degree · CIP 43.01
Executive Summary
Graduates with a Criminal Justice and Corrections degree from City Colleges of Chicago - Richard J. Daley College earn a median salary of $47,167 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in IL, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $51,380. The degree typically pays for itself in 11.9 years.
Quick Insights
How this degree looks at a glance
A fast read on salary range, break-even speed, living-cost impact, and where graduates from this school usually land.
Salary Ranges
Starting Range
$33,720
Typical Career
$47,167
Top Performers
$73,217
Estimated break-even: 11.9 years.
Debt-to-Income Check
$314
Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment
Typical monthly pay is approximately $3,931. Most students can comfortably afford about a $314 monthly loan payment with this degree.
Comparison Bench
This degree earns 1.2x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.6x more than the average college graduate.
Purchasing Power Context
A dollar in Illinois buys what costs $0.92 nationally.
Industry Breadcrumbs
Top industries for bachelor's graduates from this school: Health Care & Social Assistance, Educational Services, Public Administration.
Where Associate's Graduates from This School Work
Institution-wide industry mix for graduates, 5 years after graduation. This is not major-specific. Source: Census PSEO Flows.
5-Year Median Salary — National Purchasing Power Equivalent
$51,380
Nominal: $47,167 in Illinois (COL 91.8% of national avg) · 8.9% higher purchasing power
10-Year Earnings Curve
Break-Even Timeline
How long until cumulative earnings advantage exceeds total college investment (tuition + opportunity cost vs. entering workforce directly after high school).
Total Investment
$155,168
4yr tuition + 4yr opportunity cost
HS Graduate Baseline
$38,792/yr
BLS 2023 median, HS diploma
View Raw Data: Median Earnings by Year
| Timeframe | 25th Pct. | Median (50th) | 75th Pct. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Year After Graduation | $25,211 | $34,133 | $47,802 |
| 5 Years After Graduation | $33,720 | $47,167 | $73,217 |
| 10 Years After Graduation | $45,751 | $65,194 | $97,191 |
Source: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO), 2025 release. Earnings shown for Bachelor's degree graduates (all cohorts combined).
How We Calculate Purchasing Power
The median salary of $47,167 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in IL, which has a cost-of-living index of 91.8% of the national average.
Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $47,167 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9180)
= $51,380 National Average equivalent.
COL index source: BLS Regional Consumer Price Index & MIT Living Wage Project, 2023. Full methodology →
Career Verdict
The top industries for graduates predominantly include Health Care & Social Assistance, accounting for 35.7% and 30.5% of employment, followed by Construction at 24.2%. The estimated break-even point for graduates compared to those with only a high school diploma is approximately 13 years, suggesting a reasonable return on investment for those pursuing this educational path. Overall, the data indicates that a degree in Criminal Justice and Corrections can lead to stable employment and a gradual increase in earnings over time.
Compare with Another School
See how the Criminal Justice and Corrections degree at City Colleges of Chicago - Richard J. Daley College stacks up against another institution side-by-side.
Ready to apply?
Start your application for Criminal Justice and Corrections at City Colleges of Chicago - Richard J. Daley College.
Explore More
Other Degrees at City Colleges of Chicago - Richard J. Daley College
Data sources: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO). Cost-of-living index: BLS Regional CPI & MIT Living Wage Project. Cost of attendance: IPEDS. For informational use only; data may be suppressed for small cohort sizes.