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Careers in criminal justice
Written by Michael Feder
Criminal justice is a field that encompasses more careers than you might think. With this degree, you could be prepared to pursue careers as a court officer, a corrections officer or positions within the criminal justice, security and public administration fields. And as competition increases for these roles, a degree can offer more than valuable understanding of the field.
Why choose careers in criminal justice?
Why would students want to pursue one of the many careers in criminal justice? Depending on career goals, a criminal justice degree may be worth the investment. A degree isn’t necessary for some jobs in law enforcement, corrections and other legal professions. However, criminal justice degrees can provide the foundational skills for those planning on a career in the criminal justice system.
Education for careers in criminal justice
Though a degree may not be necessary for entry-level law enforcement or corrections jobs, some employers may prefer to hire applicants with a degree. A criminal justice degree can also be helpful for individuals planning to continue their studies or move to a specialized law enforcement profession. Completion of a criminal justice program can also help you prepare for federal agency jobs.
Criminal justice degrees are available at the associate, bachelor's and master’s degree levels (doctoral programs in criminal justice are also available at some universities). These programs provide knowledge to help individuals succeed in the complex world of modern law enforcement, security and corrections. Courses may include ethics and cultural competency in addition to report writing, de-escalation techniques and other skills necessary for criminal justice careers.
Finally, a criminal justice degree can prepare graduates to pursue a variety of different careers in criminal justice-related fields. In addition to working as a patrol officer or investigator, a degree can prepare someone for public administration, corporate security 
, loss prevention or corrections and parole officer jobs. Criminal justice degrees may also provide educational benefits for those pursuing law school or other legal careers.
Associate degree
An associate degree in criminal justice generally takes two years to complete. Students will likely learn the fundamentals of this subject area, including criminal thinking and the nature of crimes.
Some programs allow students to take specialized courses in their areas of interest. For example, a student may be able to learn technical skills to use in a career as a case manager, corrections specialist, regulatory affairs manager or police captain.
Associate degree programs also include liberal arts, math and other general education courses. These courses can offer the credits necessary to pursue a bachelor’s degree in the future.
Bachelor's degree
It takes four years to earn a bachelor's degree in criminal justice. In addition to introductory crime-related courses, students learn about the law, ethics and research procedures.
Some federal law enforcement agencies may require a bachelor's degree. Additionally, a bachelor's in criminal justice can be a start on one’s educational journey toward law school or another post-graduate degree.
Master's Degree
It typically takes one-and-a-half to two years to earn a master's degree in criminal justice. At this level of study, students can select a specialty, such as public administration or justice and security, to pursue leadership positions within an agency or department after graduation.
What are some careers in criminal justice?
After graduating from a criminal justice program, graduates can pursue one of many careers in criminal justice, including law enforcement, corrections or investigative specialties. Here are a few criminal justice career options for those who are interested.
Detective
Detectives enforce the law, support the community and investigate criminal activity. These positions require at least a high school diploma and specialized police training. Employers may prefer an associate or bachelor's degree.
As of May 2024, police and detectives earned between $48,230 and $120,460, with a median wage of $74,910 , according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Employment of police and detectives is projected to grow 4 percent from 2023 to 2033 , about as fast as the average for all occupations.
About 63,000 openings for police and detectives are projected each year, on average, over the decade.
Salary ranges are not specific to students or graduates of University of Phoenix. Actual outcomes vary based on multiple factors, including prior work experience, geographic location and other factors specific to the individual. University of Phoenix does not guarantee employment, salary level or career advancement. BLS data is geographically based. Information for a specific state/city can be researched on the BLS website.
BLS Occupational Employment Projections, 2023-2033 is published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. This data reflects BLS’ projections of national (not local) conditions. These data points are not specific to University of Phoenix students or graduates.
Private detective and investigator
Private detectives and investigators work for clients instead of law enforcement agencies. They may conduct surveillance and perform research for individuals, lawyers or companies.
As of May 2024, private detectives and investigators earned between $37,250 and $98,770 annually, with a median wage of $52,370 , according to BLS. Employment of private detectives and investigators is projected to grow 5 percent from 2023 to 2033 , about as fast as the average for all occupations. About 3,600 openings for private detectives and investigators are projected each year, on average, over the decade.
Detective sergeant
As part of law enforcement, this role includes working alongside other police officers at crime scenes, investigating felonies and putting that Criminal Justice degree to work to catch perpetrators of both violent and nonviolent crimes. But this job also entails a high level of collaboration.
Detective Sergeants routinely work within the criminal justice system (including occasionally testifying in courtrooms) to help lawyers and law enforcement assess and enforce justice. Be aware that a Criminal Justice degree may only help someone pursue this career if they’re already a police officer and it may require outside training. University of Phoenix does not promise this outcome through its programs.
As of May 2023, police officers and detectives make between $45,790 and $117,100 , with a media wage of $74,910, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), which also notes that this role is growing by about three percent per year nationally.
Police sergeant
Much like a detective sergeant, criminal justice knowledge and solid management skills can be helpful in this role, but it may be required that applicants are already officers or possess certain training. Police sergeants often supervise and coordinate detectives, police officers and other law enforcement staff, which is a significant responsibility. Accordingly, police sergeants often work their way up to becoming majors or even police department commissioners.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, police and detective applicants require a high school diploma , but some agencies or departments may require a college degree . No salary information is available for this job.
Correctional treatment specialist
Another of the many careers in criminal justice is correctional treatment specialist. These professionals work with prisoners and recently released inmates who are trying to integrate back into society.
As of May 2024, probation officers and correctional treatment specialists earned between $45,390 and $106290, with a median wage of $64,520 , according to BLS. Employment of probation officers and correctional treatment specialists is projected to grow 4 percent from 2023 to 2033 , about as fast as the average for all occupations. About 7,400 openings for probation officers and correctional treatment specialists are projected each year, on average, over the decade.
Loss prevention manager
Criminal justice careers don’t always include a background in law enforcement. Loss prevention managers, for example, often work in retail, warehouses and for companies that sell thousands of products each day.
Loss prevention managers keep an eye on customers and employees to prevent "shrinkage," or theft of inventory, money and other company resources. They oversee programs and policymaking, and often manage monitoring equipment, all to ensure minimal or reduced losses due to theft. Additionally, loss prevention managers frequently handle internal investigations into routine losses of specific products, and they work with police officers responding to major thefts or armed robberies.
No salary information is available for this job.
Learn more about online programs for careers in criminal justice
Are you interested in learning more about careers in criminal justice? University of Phoenix offers online programs , including an online associate degree in criminal justice , a bachelor of science in criminal justice administration , an undergraduate public administration degree online , an online public administration master’s degree , and an administration of justice degree .
Contact University of Phoenix for more information .
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
A graduate of Johns Hopkins University and its Writing Seminars program and winner of the Stephen A. Dixon Literary Prize, Michael Feder brings an eye for detail and a passion for research to every article he writes. His academic and professional background includes experience in marketing, content development, script writing and SEO. Today, he works as a multimedia specialist at University of Phoenix where he covers a variety of topics ranging from healthcare to IT.
This article has been vetted by University of Phoenix's editorial advisory committee.
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