Criminal Justice Salaries

Remember that your experience and geographic location will also influence the amount of money you earn, as certain states and large cities tend to pay more to offset the higher cost of living. Also consider that working for a state or federal agency might pay you more than equivalent jobs at the local level.

Here are average salary ranges in the United States for a variety of criminal justice careers.

Paralegal Salaries

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, paralegals earned an average salary of about $50,080, including bonuses. The highest 10 percent of paralegals earned an average of $75,700.

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Legal secretaries earned an average salary of $42,940 in 2009, but the highest 10 percent earned more than $63,980.

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According to Payscale.com, law office managers made between $36,186 and $58,907 in 2009, but this salary range may include bonuses and profit sharing. Your salary may also vary depending on the size and type of law firm you work for, as well as your geographic location.

In its 2010 salary survey, the Internet Legal Research Group reports that law office managers in small law firms made between $48,250 and $63,250 in 2009, while those who worked for large law offices made between $82,250 and $135,750. Of course, with higher salaries generally come greater responsibilities.

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The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that mediators earned an average income of $63,250 in 2009, but the top 10 percent earned $109,950.

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According to the Medical-Legal Consulting Institute, many legal nurse consultants earn $125 to $150 per hour.

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According to the BLS, court reporters earned an average annual salary of $52,460 in 2009, but the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $89,240. Many salaried court reporters supplement their income by doing additional freelance work. Freelance court reporters are paid per job and receive a per-page fee for transcripts.

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Police Officer Salaries

Police and sheriff's patrol officers had average annual earnings of $55,180, in 2009, but the highest 10 percent earned more than $83,550. As you work up the chain of command at the police department, your salary also increases significantly. Competition is keen for the higher-paying jobs with state and federal agencies and police departments in more affluent areas.

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According to the U.S. Department of Justice, ATF, DEA, IRS, and INS, Secret Service Agents and Deputy U.S. Marshals generally enter the salary schedule at anywhere between $26,000 and $50,000, and salary increases from there with seniority and responsibility. Pay is often increased depending on your locality as you are paid more where the cost of living is higher.

A 2008 BLS report shows the median annual wage for law enforcement agents working for the federal government was $73,170.

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According to the FBI, new FBI agents earn between $61,100 and $69,900, depending upon the region of the country to which they are assigned. This includes both locality and availability pay adjustments. New special agents moving to more expensive cities may also receive a one-time relocation bonus of over $20,000 to help offset the more expensive real estate and cost of living in certain cities.

In other words, special agents can enter federal service with a base salary of $48,159, yet earn over $60,000 a year (with overtime). They can advance to nonsupervisory assignments at a base salary of $75,414, which is worth $94,268 with overtime. FBI supervisory, management, and executive positions pay a base salary of about $89,115 or $104,826 a year, respectively, and totaled $111,394 or $131,033 per year with overtime.

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Detectives and private investigators earned an average annual salary of $47,130 in 2009, but the highest 10 percent earned more than $75,970. Wages of private detectives vary a lot depending on employer, specialty, and geographic area.

Detectives and investigators working for government agencies earned a median income of $62,500.

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Security guards earned average annual wages of $26,430 in 2009, but the highest 10 percent earned more than $40,230.

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According to a 2010 survey by payscale.com, criminologists with one to four years of experience earn between $42,513 and $54,045 per year.

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Forensic Science Technician Salaries

Forensic scientists earned an average salary of $55,070 per year in 2009, according to the BLS. The top 10 percent earned $84,260. Federal salaries are usually at the higher end of the scale.

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According to a 2010 survey by payscale.com, forensic psychologists with one to four years of experience earn between $40,674 and $68,490. With more experience, salaries for forensic psychologists can exceed $100,000.

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Corrections Officer Salaries

Corrections officers earned an average annual salary of $42,610 in 2009, but the highest 10 percent earned more than $64,850.

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Supervisors and managers of corrections officers earned an average of $59,810 in 2009. The middle 50 percent earned between $42,870 and $73,500, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $90,140.

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Correctional treatment specialists and probation officers earned an average salary of $50,500, but the highest 10 percent earned more than $78,860. Higher wages are generally found in urban areas.

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Source: All statistics are as of May 2009 from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, unless otherwise indicated.