Security Science and Technology: is it worth it?
A 0–100 score blending this major’s national earnings, ROI and typical debt. How it’s scored.
National picture across 62 college programs, at a typical net price.
Graduate earnings clearly outpace the cost and debt — this degree pays back quickly.
What Security Science and Technology pays
Career outlook for Security Science and Technology graduates
The job market for the occupations Security Science and Technology graduates typically enter, projected through 2034 — from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. This is the demand side, complementing the IRS-verified graduate earnings above.
Top jobs for this major
| Occupation | U.S. jobs | Growth to 2034 | Median pay | Typical entry |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accountants and auditors | 1,579,800 | +4.6% | $81,680 | Bachelor's degree |
| Managers, all other | 1,333,700 | +4.5% | $136,550 | Bachelor's degree |
| Police and sheriff's patrol officers | 698,800 | +3.1% | $76,290 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Computer occupations, all other | 472,000 | +8.2% | $108,970 | Bachelor's degree |
| Information security analysts | 182,800 | +28.5% | $124,910 | Bachelor's degree |
| First-line supervisors of police and detectives | 160,800 | +2.9% | $105,980 | High school diploma or equivalent |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections (2024–34) & the NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk. Occupation pay is the national median wage for the role — not the same as graduate earnings, which we draw from IRS records.
Security Science and Technology vs similar majors
How Security Science and Technology stacks up against the closest fields in Homeland Security & Law Enforcement on pay, debt, ROI and the DR Rating. The best figure in each row is highlighted.
| Security Science and Technology Homeland Security & Law Enforcement · this major | Homeland Security | Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting and Related Protective Services, Other | Fire Protection | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DR Rating | 43 D | 74 B | 75 B | 75 B |
| ROI verdict | Strong return | Strong return | Strong return | Strong return |
| Median earnings (5 yr) | $60,548 | $73,738 | $72,056 | $70,408 |
| Median earnings (1 yr) | $46,433 | $64,499 | $57,850 | $59,248 |
| ROI vs cost | +88% | +245% | +234% | +223% |
| Typical debt | $29,984 | $31,346 | $24,468 | $18,165 |
| Colleges offering it | 62 | 42 | 23 | 73 |
Security Science and Technology earnings over time
National median earnings one year after graduating, by cohort year — the consistent measure available across the federal data’s history.
Best colleges for Security Science and Technology
Ranked by the ROI of this major at each college — its graduate earnings against the cost.
| # | College | Credential | Earnings (5 yr) | Median debt | 10-yr ROI | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice New York, NY | Professional | $83,952 | — | +2,940% | Strong return |
| 2 | CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice New York, NY | Associate's | $65,413 | $15,500 | +1,593% | Strong return |
| 3 | University of New Haven West Haven, CT | Certificate | $75,772 | — | +800% | Strong return |
| 4 | Grossmont College El Cajon, CA | Certificate | $49,565 | — | +760% | Strong return |
| 5 | Robert Morris University Moon Township, PA | Associate's | $88,795 | $26,948 | +685% | Strong return |
| 6 | Marshall University Huntington, WV | Certificate | $68,221 | — | +674% | Strong return |
| 7 | Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania Bloomsburg, PA | Associate's | $74,400 | $25,000 | +626% | Strong return |
| 8 | Farmingdale State College Farmingdale, NY | Associate's | $63,061 | $15,000 | +564% | Strong return |
| 9 | The University of Texas at El Paso El Paso, TX | Associate's | $63,300 | $24,060 | +564% | Strong return |
| 10 | Utica University Utica, NY | Certificate | $104,483 | $37,746 | +560% | Strong return |
| 11 | University of California-Davis Davis, CA | Certificate | $83,518 | — | +553% | Strong return |
| 12 | University of Maryland Global Campus Adelphi, MD | Certificate | $111,361 | $39,520 | +547% | Strong return |
| 13 | George Mason University Fairfax, VA | Certificate | $95,510 | $41,000 | +483% | Strong return |
| 14 | University of Maryland Global Campus Adelphi, MD | Associate's | $74,828 | $25,391 | +459% | Strong return |
| 15 | Champlain College Burlington, VT | Associate's | $89,716 | $27,000 | +448% | Strong return |
| 16 | University of Baltimore Baltimore, MD | Certificate | $83,188 | $41,175 | +442% | Strong return |
| 17 | Towson University Towson, MD | Certificate | $79,468 | — | +395% | Strong return |
| 18 | Texas A&M University-College Station College Station, TX | Associate's | $64,108 | — | +348% | Strong return |
| 19 | West Virginia University Institute of Technology Beckley, WV | Associate's | $55,315 | $24,121 | +276% | Strong return |
| 20 | National University San Diego, CA | Certificate | $79,500 | $34,433 | +232% | Strong return |
| 21 | Indiana University-Indianapolis Indianapolis, IN | Associate's | $55,794 | $27,000 | +225% | Strong return |
| 22 | Grand Canyon University Phoenix, AZ | Associate's | $62,726 | $27,000 | +224% | Strong return |
| 23 | George Washington University Washington, DC | Certificate | $96,800 | $61,500 | +207% | Strong return |
| 24 | University of Nebraska-Lincoln Lincoln, NE | Associate's | $58,664 | $25,125 | +206% | Strong return |
| 25 | Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus University Park, PA | Associate's | $66,934 | $27,000 | +190% | Strong return |
Related majors
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard. ROI is computed by Degree Return — see how. Read the methodology. Data as of 2024.