WhatGradsMake
Associate+13% vs national median235 grads tracked

Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting and Related Protective Services, Other at Tidewater Community College

Ranked 3rd of 18 associate programs in Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting and Related Protective Services, Other by 5-year earnings.

Median · 1 year out
$51,929
middle 50%: $32,333 – $77,901
Median · 5 years out
$59,848
middle 50%: $39,695 – $82,669
Median · 10 years out
$63,270
middle 50%: $45,030 – $90,888

Salary trajectory

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

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

Homeland Security and Law Enforcement graduates earn $52k in their first year. Salaries rise to $60k at five years and $63k after a decade.

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
6.6 yrs
≈ $7,111 total interest

Same major at other universities

Northern Virginia Community College
$66,976 · 5 yrs out
J Sargeant Reynolds Community College
$64,868 · 5 yrs out
Brightpoint Community College
$59,105 · 5 yrs out
Virginia Peninsula Community College
$53,793 · 5 yrs out
New River Community College
$53,181 · 5 yrs out
Piedmont Virginia Community College
$52,963 · 5 yrs out
Danville Community College
$49,855 · 5 yrs out
Germanna Community College
$47,119 · 5 yrs out
Mountain Empire Community College
$46,663 · 5 yrs out
Virginia Western Community College
$45,881 · 5 yrs out
Southside Virginia Community College
$45,881 · 5 yrs out
Central Virginia Community College
$45,751 · 5 yrs out

Other majors at Tidewater Community College

Engineering (Associate)
$81,090 · 5 yrs out
Engineering, General (Associate)
$81,090 · 5 yrs out
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Certificate)
$80,325 · 5 yrs out
Fire Protection (Associate)
$78,072 · 5 yrs out
Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians (Associate)
$76,554 · 5 yrs out
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Associate)
$74,996 · 5 yrs out
Construction Trades (Associate)
$74,643 · 5 yrs out
Electrical and Power Transmission Installers (Associate)
$74,643 · 5 yrs out
Environmental Control Technologies/Technicians (Certificate)
$74,301 · 5 yrs out
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Associate)
$72,218 · 5 yrs out
Visual and Performing Arts (Certificate)
$70,012 · 5 yrs out
Electrical/Electronics Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians (Associate)
$69,841 · 5 yrs out

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