WhatGradsMake
Associate+5% vs national median433 grads tracked

Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting and Related Protective Services at Southwestern Illinois College

Ranked 122nd of 359 associate programs in Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting and Related Protective Services by 5-year earnings.

Median · 1 year out
$35,167
middle 50%: $25,271 – $50,154
Median · 5 years out
$56,406
middle 50%: $40,093 – $83,557
Median · 10 years out
$71,392
middle 50%: $51,929 – $90,751

Salary trajectory

Median earnings vs the national median for Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting and Related Protective Services (associate) graduates.

This program (median)National median, same major & degreeMiddle 50% of graduates

Southwestern Illinois College alumni in protective services earn a $35k median in year one. Salaries grow to $56k after five years and reach $71k by the tenth year.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau PSEO, release V4.13.0 2025Q4. Earnings are for graduates working in covered states; figures are medians in nominal dollars.

Will the degree pay for itself?

Drag the sliders — payback uses this program's actual salary curve.

Assumes a 6.5% APR loan and this program's median salary trajectory (interpolated between years 1, 5 and 10).

Paid off in
7.7 yrs
≈ $9,147 total interest

Same major at other universities

Hawkeye Community College
$56,668 · 5 yrs out
Manchester Community College
$56,601 · 5 yrs out
Middlesex Community College
$56,595 · 5 yrs out
Lakeland Community College
$56,588 · 5 yrs out
Rochester Community and Technical College
$56,516 · 5 yrs out
Cuyahoga Community College
$56,500 · 5 yrs out
Cedar Valley College
$56,170 · 5 yrs out
Triton College
$56,086 · 5 yrs out
Roxbury Community College
$55,817 · 5 yrs out
South Plains College
$55,789 · 5 yrs out
CUNY Borough of Manhattan Community College
$55,728 · 5 yrs out
Connecticut State Community College
$55,699 · 5 yrs out

Other majors at Southwestern Illinois College

Fire Protection (Associate)
$99,192 · 5 yrs out
Computer Programming (Certificate)
$80,595 · 5 yrs out
Precision Production (Certificate)
$72,907 · 5 yrs out
Precision Metal Working (Certificate)
$72,907 · 5 yrs out
Fire Protection (Certificate)
$72,441 · 5 yrs out
Carpenters (Certificate)
$70,557 · 5 yrs out
Construction Trades (Associate)
$70,365 · 5 yrs out
Electrical and Power Transmission Installers (Associate)
$69,946 · 5 yrs out
Computer Programming (Associate)
$69,154 · 5 yrs out
Construction Trades (Certificate)
$68,650 · 5 yrs out
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Associate)
$68,526 · 5 yrs out
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Certificate)
$67,570 · 5 yrs out

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