Criminal Justice Degrees and Careers

Learn about the best criminal justice programs, including convenient online degree options.

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Top Jobs in Law Enforcement

police detective symbolizing criminal justice degrees

Criminal justice degrees give you opportunity for a career as a security guard or private investigator. Security guards keep a watchful eye to prevent theft and protect people from aggression. Private detectives work for individuals who would rather not go to the police. They do investigative work on cases ranging from corporate fraud to spousal infidelity and employee theft, among others.

It's up to you to decide which field is right for you before choosing a degree so you can focus on getting the skills you need to succeed in the field of law enforcement.

Job Outlook

If you are looking into criminal justice degrees, it’s important to know that job opportunities in most local police departments will be favorable for qualified applicants, but there will be more competition for law enforcement jobs at the state and federal level. If you work as a criminologist, job opportunities will depend on your arena, but competition for the top jobs can be intense.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), jobs for private detectives will increase by 22 percent through 2018, which is much faster than the average job growth. However, there will still be strong competition for these jobs. Keep in mind that, regardless of the career path you choose, you’ll stand out in the crowd if you have earned higher level criminal justice degrees.

Law Enforcement Salaries

Salaries you can earn with criminal justice degrees vary, but as always, the more education you get, the higher your salary potential. The following is a list of average annual salaries for some common law enforcement jobs in 2010, according to the BLS:

Police Officers: $53,540
Police and detective supervisors: $78,260
FBI Agents: $75,390
Private Detectives: $42,870
Security Guards: $23,920

For more information on police salaries as you work up the chain of command, see our article on police officer careers.