Read Current Criminal Justice Salary Info
Learn how much you can earn in a variety of different criminal justice careers.
Legal and Criminal Justice Salaries
Legal, law enforcement and corrections jobs are hot commodities in today's job market, and a college degree or diploma will certainly give you a great advantage over non-college graduates. And a criminal justice salary goes up with a college degree.
Whether you're looking for a job as a forensic scientist, police officer, private investigator, a legal secretary, or another criminal justice job, increasing your education will increase your salary.
Here are average criminal justice salary ranges in the U.S. for a variety of criminal justice jobs.
Salaries in the Legal Profession
| Job Title | Median Annual Salary* |
|---|---|
| Paralegal | $46,680 |
| Legal Secretary | $42,940 |
| Law Office Manager (mid-size firm) | $83,375 |
| Mediator | $55,800 |
| Legal Nurse Consultant | $89,540 |
| Court Reporter | $47,700 |
Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data published March 27, 2012; Paralegals and Legal Assistants; Secretaries and Administrative Assistants; Administrative Services Managers; Arbitors, Mediators and Conciliators; Registered Nurses; Court Reporters.
Salaries for Law Enforcement Agents
| Job Title | Median Annual Salary* |
|---|---|
| Police Officer | $53,540 |
| Federal Law Enforcement Agent | $52,085 |
| FBI Agent | $48,159 |
| Private Investigator | $42,870 |
| Security Guard | $23,920 |
| Criminologist | $59,060 |
Salaries for Forensics
| Job Title | Median Annual Salary* |
|---|---|
| Forensic Science Technician | $51,570 |
| Forensic Psychologist | $89,900 |
Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data published March 27, 2012; Forensic Science Technicians; Psychologists.
Corrections Salaries
| Job Title | Median Annual Salary* |
|---|---|
| Corrections Officer | $39,040 |
| Correctional Administrator | $55,910 |
| Treatment Specialists/Probation Officer | $47,200 |
Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data published March 27, 2012; Correctional Officers; First-Line Supervisors of Correctional Officers; Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists.
*The salary information listed is based on a national average, unless noted. Actual salaries may vary greatly based on specialization within the field, location, years of experience and a variety of other factors.
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