WhatGradsMake
Certificate (under 1 year)-40% vs national median164 grads tracked

Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting and Related Protective Services at Trident Technical College

Ranked 133rd of 138 certificate (under 1 year) programs in Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting and Related Protective Services by 5-year earnings.

Median · 1 year out
$34,840
middle 50%: $24,810 – $46,207
Median · 5 years out
$38,141
middle 50%: $27,360 – $50,539
Median · 10 years out
$42,746
middle 50%: $31,371 – $65,194

Salary trajectory

Median earnings vs the national median for Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting and Related Protective Services (certificate (under 1 year)) graduates.

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

Protective services graduates earn $35k in their first year. Median pay reaches $38k after five years.

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
10.9 yrs
≈ $12,512 total interest

Same major at other universities

Trinidad State College
$46,845 · 5 yrs out
Greenville Technical College
$46,435 · 5 yrs out
Southern State Community College
$45,999 · 5 yrs out
City Colleges of Chicago - Richard J. Daley College
$45,600 · 5 yrs out
Northeastern Technical College
$42,709 · 5 yrs out
Howard County Junior College District
$41,455 · 5 yrs out
Southwest Virginia Community College
$40,642 · 5 yrs out
William Rainey Harper College
$38,967 · 5 yrs out
Central Virginia Community College
$37,841 · 5 yrs out
Laurel Ridge Community College
$33,861 · 5 yrs out
City Colleges of Chicago - Olive-Harvey College
$31,905 · 5 yrs out
City Colleges of Chicago - Kennedy-King College
$29,704 · 5 yrs out

Other majors at Trident Technical College

Engineering (Certificate)
$91,987 · 5 yrs out
Engineering, General (Certificate)
$91,987 · 5 yrs out
Heavy/Industrial Equipment Maintenance Technologies/Technicians (Certificate)
$80,008 · 5 yrs out
Precision Production (Associate)
$78,415 · 5 yrs out
Precision Metal Working (Associate)
$78,415 · 5 yrs out
Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians (Certificate)
$75,634 · 5 yrs out
Electrical and Power Transmission Installers (Certificate)
$75,253 · 5 yrs out
Air Transportation (Certificate)
$75,035 · 5 yrs out
Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians (Certificate)
$74,986 · 5 yrs out
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Associate)
$74,635 · 5 yrs out
Transportation and Materials Moving (Certificate)
$73,565 · 5 yrs out
Construction Trades (Certificate)
$72,871 · 5 yrs out

Related fields of study

Criminal Justice and Corrections
Compare universities
Fire Protection
Compare universities
Homeland Security
Compare universities
Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting and Related Protective Services, Other
Compare universities
Security Science and Technology
Compare universities