Homeland Security graduates earn $67,934 four years out. Related careers are growing at up to 21.0%, one of the stronger demand signals across all fields. Information Security Analyst is among the highest-growth roles in the field.
This page covers Homeland Security as a course of study: what it costs, where it is taught, and what graduates go on to earn. It sits inside the wider field of Criminal Justice and how it pays overall, which is the better comparison if you are still choosing between subjects.
Homeland Security is a focused area of study within Criminal Justice. Pick this and you can expect to earn around $67,934 four years out, a solid return for a focused credential. You will not have trouble finding it: 104 colleges offer this program, from community colleges to research universities. About 1,416 students complete it each year, most walking away with a bachelor's. Coursework pairs research methods with the applied study of people and institutions.
Four years after finishing Homeland Security, a typical graduate earns $67,934, above the national median for college graduates. Half of earners land somewhere between $47,381 and $91,386, so where you end up depends on the job and the employer. Do not judge the field on a starting paycheck alone: pay tends to jump in the first few years, climbing from $46,440 at one year out to $67,934 by year four. Source: College Scorecard.
What that figure means in practice depends on what the degree cost to get, which is a matter of lifetime earnings against total outlay.
Starting salaries only. Earnings in this field grow substantially in the first 3 to 5 years.
Above the national median for college graduates.
Median of per-school medians. Each reporting college counts equally, regardless of size.
Not every Homeland Security graduate ends up in the same place. Earnings spread out widely, so know what pushes people to one end or the other. Degree level and sector drive the gap. Graduate-level government and research roles anchor the top; entry-level social services and nonprofit roles anchor the bottom.
Strong ROI. At median 4-year earnings of $67,934 against an estimated $76,960 four-year net cost, most graduates break even against baseline wages in under two years.
Based on outcomes from 36 schools. Colleges with fewer than 30 graduates are excluded from national averages.
Of the 1,416 students who complete Homeland Security programs each year, the majority (52%) earn a bachelor's degree. The breakdown below shows the full credential distribution.
This degree does not lock you into one job. Homeland Security graduates show up in 8 different occupations, and Information Security Analyst pays the most at $129,180/yr median. Expand any card below to see daily responsibilities, in-demand skills, and 10-year growth projections.
The best-paid of these is what an Information Security Analyst earns and how fast the role is growing, though entry requirements vary across the list.
Not sure where to study Homeland Security? These 20 colleges graduate the most students in it each year. Scroll right to compare acceptance rate, net price, and median earnings side by side.
Ranked by score, that list starts with the cost and outcomes at Virginia Commonwealth University, and the rest follow the same measures.
| # | College | Graduates | Acceptance | Net Price/yr | Earnings 10yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Virginia Commonwealth University Richmond, VA · Public | 116 | 92.6% | $23,433 | $58,128 |
| 2 | Eastern Kentucky University Richmond, KY · Public | 89 | 77.6% | $11,040 | $45,795 |
| 3 | Massachusetts Maritime Academy Buzzards Bay, MA · Public | 86 | 94.7% | $21,582 | $82,392 |
| 4 | Tiffin University Tiffin, OH · Nonprofit | 65 | 80.1% | $26,500 | $35,942 |
| 5 | Webster University Saint Louis, MO · Nonprofit | 63 | 86.2% | $27,047 | $50,876 |
| 6 | Michigan State University East Lansing, MI · Public | 57 | 84.8% | $19,680 | $67,253 |
| 7 | University of New Haven West Haven, CT · Nonprofit | 47 | 60.4% | $34,192 | $60,126 |
| 8 | Florida Atlantic University Boca Raton, FL · Public | 42 | 66.1% | $8,752 | $56,746 |
| 9 | Tulane University of Louisiana New Orleans, LA · Nonprofit | 41 | 14% | $39,949 | $63,268 |
| 10 | Klamath Community College Klamath Falls, OR · Public | 40 | Open | $7,050 | $34,357 |
| 11 | Neumann University Aston, PA · Nonprofit | 34 | 81.3% | $27,804 | $57,817 |
| 12 | Pennsylvania State University-World Campus University Park, PA · Public | 23 | 91.2% | $19,550 | $63,435 |
| 13 | University of Massachusetts-Lowell Lowell, MA · Public | 20 | 83% | $17,163 | $64,874 |
| 14 | Ivy Tech Community College Indianapolis, IN · Public | 19 | Open | $7,258 | $37,186 |
| 15 | California State University-Long Beach Long Beach, CA · Public | 15 | 46.3% | $10,440 | $64,403 |
| 16 | Anne Arundel Community College Arnold, MD · Public | 15 | Open | $14,915 | $46,219 |
| 17 | ICPR Junior College Hato Rey, PR · For-Profit | 12 | Open | $7,096 | $18,694 |
| 18 | Catawba Valley Community College Hickory, NC · Public | 11 | Open | $10,528 | $36,977 |
| 19 | Canisius University Buffalo, NY · Nonprofit | 10 | 72.4% | $17,940 | $60,681 |
| 20 | Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus University Park, PA · Public | 5 | 60.6% | $32,875 | $63,435 |
Ranked by Homeland Security graduate volume. Scroll right to compare key stats. Read our methodology →
Decide with data, not guesswork. These tools turn the numbers on this page into a personal plan. Estimate the real cost of a Homeland Security program, compare colleges side-by-side, weigh the long-term payoff, and find schools that match your profile.
See if a Homeland Security degree pays off. Weighs each college's cost against the earnings its graduates actually see.
Enter a budget and see the colleges whose net price fits, with the out-of-pocket cost and likely loan load for each.
Put any 2–4 colleges side-by-side. Admissions, cost, outcomes, and earnings, all on one screen, no tab-hopping.
Answer six quick questions and see your best-fit colleges ranked by budget, field of study, and what matters most to you.
Strong earnings and positive career growth make Homeland Security a solid option. The 4 strengths and 0 trade-offs below are data-sourced from College Scorecard, BLS, and IPEDS.
The highest-earning college major out-pays the lowest by a factor of two and a half. The full ranking of all 38 fields by median graduate earnings, with job growth alongside.
A popular claim holds that the applied engineering-tech degree pays more than the theoretical one. Across every program, engineering wins by about $10,000.
Across 88 STEM programs the top one out-earns the bottom by $65,000 a year. Operations research pays $122,531; environmental design pays $57,461.
Browse our full directory: every college, major, program, and career we track, all built from verified government data.
Scout uses AI and can make mistakes. Verify important numbers on the page.
