Key Takeaways:
- Criminal justice offers diverse career options including police officers, forensic technicians, and legal roles.
- Education requirements vary: high school diplomas to bachelor’s degrees, depending on the role.
- Job growth differs by role; detectives and forensic technicians are in higher demand than correctional officers.
In this guide, we explore the criminal justice job outlook, highlighting careers in criminal justice, employment trends, and growth opportunities in the field. The criminal justice degree job market offers a range of roles, including police officers, detectives, probation officers, lawyers, and deputies, all essential to maintaining public safety and justice. With steady demand and expanding opportunities, the future of criminal justice careers remains promising for those entering this dynamic field.
Criminal justice is a field that offers a wide variety of career opportunities. While we often think of police officers when we hear the words “criminal justice,” there are so many possibilities for an individual with a criminal justice degree. Many of these careers can be intertwined or changed. For instance, an individual who earns a criminal justice degree may be hired as a police officer and later be employed as a state trooper or correctional officer.
What Careers Are Available in Criminal Justice?
Here are some of the many careers available to criminal justice graduates.
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• Police officer
• Probation officer
• DEA agent
• Computer forensics investigator
• Security guard
• FBI agent
• Forensic science technician
• Crime scene investigator
• Correctional officer
• Attorney
• State trooper
• Parole officer
• US Marshal
• Private detective
• Fish and game warden
Degrees Required for a Criminal Justice Career
Some criminal justice jobs may be found without an actual degree if the candidate has some work experience. In such cases, the individual may receive on-the-job training. This may be the case with dispatchers or security guards. However, an associate or bachelor’s degree is required for most criminal justice careers.
Police officers and detectives may be hired with just a high school diploma, but most agencies prefer either a college degree or a policy academy certificate. They may also have other requirements, such as being at least 21 years old and demonstrating proficiency in certain physical activities. Individuals wishing to work for the federal government must have a degree and complete an intensive training program.
A correctional officer or bailiff may be hired with just a high school diploma unless the individual wants to work for a federal prison, where a bachelor’s degree is generally required. Probation officers are usually required to have a bachelor’s degree.
Job Outlook for Criminal Justice
The job outlook and wage potential for criminal justice professionals vary by job, and the level of education and training the individual has obtained. Here is a list of several different criminal justice jobs with projected job growth for 2018-2028, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The average annual earnings nationwide for each position as of May 2018 are also listed.
• Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officers – 5 percent – $65400
• Probation Officers & Correctional Treatment Specialists – 3 percent – $58,790
• Correctional Officers & Bailiffs – -7 (decline) percent – $49,300
• Detectives & Investigators – 8 percent – $63,380
• Forensic Science Technician – 14 percent – $58,230
As the rate of crime continues to grow, so will the need for criminal justice professionals, whether it’s to stop crimes, solve crimes, defend criminals, or provide housing for prisoners. Individuals specializing in criminal justice often find this field very gratifying because the job outlook for criminal justice is good, and they can choose from various job opportunities. If you want to take advantage of the job growth for any of these professions as soon as possible, an online accelerated associate’s degree could be a great way to do that.
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