North Carolina · Criminal Justice and Corrections

Best institutions to study Criminal Justice and Corrections in North Carolina

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
91
offering CIP 43.01
States & territories
57
with a program page
Degrees / yr
3,491
IPEDS completions 2024–25
Median grad earnings
$47,748
1 year after graduation
With earnings data
43
College Scorecard
Median net price
$21,585
IPEDS 2024–25
Avg graduation rate
43%
IPEDS 2024–25
State pay · Correctional Officers and Jailers
$51,390
BLS OEWS May 2025

Top 10 institutions, ranked by graduate earnings

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

#InstitutionGrad earnings (1 yr)CompletionsGrad rateNet priceMedian debt
1Cape Fear Community College
Wilmington Public · Certificate degree
$52,28210734%$16,042
2Gaston College
Dallas Public · Certificate degree
$50,0385963%
3Durham Technical Community College
Durham Public · Certificate degree
$49,8932645%$17,750
4Forsyth Technical Community College
Winston-Salem Public · Certificate degree
$48,3884034%$21,066
5Wilson Community College
Wilson Public · Certificate degree
$48,3045127%$17,060
6South Piedmont Community College
Polkton Public · Certificate degree
$47,7484238%$17,823
7Mitchell Community College
Statesville Public · Certificate degree
$47,0011428%
8Rowan - Cabarrus Community College
Salisbury Public · Certificate degree
$46,9932535%$10,625
9Central Piedmont Community College
Charlotte Public · Associate degree
$44,6165431%
10Western Piedmont Community College
Morganton Public · Certificate degree
$44,3971149%

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 North Carolina

Jobs in North Carolina
11,900
BLS OEWS May 2025
State average pay
$51,390
median $50,550
Best-paying metro
$56,800
Greenville, NC

Related careers

Security Guards
$39,090 avg · 29,830 jobs
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers
$61,390 avg · 22,370 jobs
Child, Family, and School Social Workers
$59,660 avg · 13,010 jobs
Correctional Officers and Jailers
$51,390 avg · 11,900 jobs
Compliance Officers
$84,660 avg · 11,320 jobs

Common questions

Answers for students comparing Criminal Justice and Corrections programs in North Carolina.

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

By median earnings one year after graduation (College Scorecard), Cape Fear Community College tops the list at $52,282. Compare it against completions, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.

How much do Correctional Officers and Jailers earn in North Carolina?+

The average annual wage for Correctional Officers and Jailers in North Carolina is $51,390 (median $50,550), across about 11,900 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.

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).

About the data on this page

Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.

IPEDSFall 2025–26 release, published July 28, 2026
Enrollment, completions, graduation rates, tuition, financial aid, staffing, and finance for every U.S. institution in federal student aid programs.
College ScorecardJune 10, 2026 release (merged 2025–26 files)
Institution and field-of-study costs, graduate earnings, debt, completion, and admissions outcomes compiled from federal aid records, tax data, and IPEDS.
PSEO graduate earnings2019–21 graduation cohorts (release V4.13.0)
Earnings and employment outcomes of graduates by institution, degree level, and field of study, measured from state wage records.
BLS wages & outlookOEWS May 2025 release
Occupational employment and wage estimates plus 10-year job outlook, used to connect programs to real-world earnings.
FVT/GE program performanceProvisional preview, May 18, 2026 release
Program-level debt-to-earnings and earnings-premium measures behind the FVT/GE and STATS accountability frameworks.

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