Iowa · Criminal Justice and Corrections

Best Criminal Justice and Corrections institutions in Iowa, ranked by earnings

The Criminal Justice and Corrections program focuses on the various functions carried out by government agencies related to the punishment, treatment, and supervision of individuals convicted of crimes. This program is ideal for students…

Institutions
30
offering CIP 43.01
States offered
9
with a program page
Degrees / yr
546
IPEDS completions 2026
Median grad earnings
$43,547
1 year after graduation
With earnings data
13
College Scorecard
Median net price
$21,680
IPEDS 2026
Avg graduation rate
52%
IPEDS 2026
State pay · Correctional Officers and Jailers
$54,720
BLS OEWS 2024

Top 10 institutions, ranked by graduate earnings

Earnings = median 1 year after graduation (College Scorecard).

#InstitutionGrad earnings (1 yr)CompletionsGrad rateNet priceMedian debt
1Hawkeye Community College
Waterloo Public · Associate degree
$49,5723343%$11,000
2Loras College
Dubuque Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$47,413668%$19,227$27,000
3University of Dubuque
Dubuque Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$46,3071940%$21,324$27,000
4Grand View University
Des Moines Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$45,1751554%$20,840$26,485
5University of Northern Iowa
Cedar Falls Public · Bachelor's degree
$43,7481968%$19,500
6Western Iowa Tech Community College
Sioux City Public · Associate degree
$43,5472050%$11,500
7Simpson College
Indianola Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$42,8621863%$20,710$27,000
8Waldorf University
Forest City Private for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$42,7353321%$22,328$27,000
9Des Moines Area Community College
Ankeny Public · Associate degree
$42,5557739%$12,000
10Iowa State University
Ames Public · Bachelor's degree
$41,6249875%$23,250

Career outlook

What this program leads to: Correctional Officers and Jailers (SOC 33-3012).

Projected growth (2024–2034)
-7.8%
Decline
Openings / yr (US)
~30,100
BLS Employment Projections
US median wage
$57,970
typically High school diploma or equivalent

Top skills

Active ListeningMonitoringSpeakingCritical ThinkingReading ComprehensionActive Learning

What Correctional Officers and Jailers earn in Iowa

Jobs in Iowa
3,210
BLS OEWS May 2024
State average pay
$54,720
median $51,420
Best-paying metro
$72,110
Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL

Related careers

Security Guards
$40,310 avg · 6,450 jobs
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers
$75,390 avg · 5,110 jobs
Child, Family, and School Social Workers
$56,840 avg · 3,450 jobs
Compliance Officers
$76,440 avg · 3,410 jobs
Correctional Officers and Jailers
$54,720 avg · 3,210 jobs

Common questions

Answers for students comparing Criminal Justice and Corrections programs in Iowa.

Which Criminal Justice and Corrections program in Iowa has the highest-earning graduates?+

By median earnings one year after graduation (College Scorecard), Hawkeye Community College tops the list at $49,572. Compare it against completions, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.

How much do Correctional Officers and Jailers earn in Iowa?+

The average annual wage for Correctional Officers and Jailers in Iowa is $54,720 (median $51,420), across about 3,210 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2024.

What is the focus of the Criminal Justice and Corrections program?+

The Criminal Justice and Corrections program focuses on the various functions carried out by government agencies related to the punishment, treatment, and supervision of individuals convicted of crimes. This program is ideal for students…

What skills will I develop in this program?+

You will develop active listening, monitoring, speaking, critical thinking, and related professional skills.

What is the job outlook for Correctional Officers and Jailers?+

The national job outlook is about -7.8% growth with around 30,100 annual openings (BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034).

What is the typical education requirement?+

A High school diploma or equivalent is the typical entry-level education for this field (BLS).

Explore every U.S. college in one conversation

Clema turns plain-language questions into sourced answers across every U.S. institution — earnings, aid, acceptance, graduation, safety, and athletics from IPEDS, College Scorecard, and 10+ federal datasets, built in.

Free for teams up to 3 · No credit card