What Can You Do With a Criminal Justice Degree?

Eager to make a difference in your community? Or, maybe you're interested in protecting the country as a whole. Regardless, pursuing a degree in criminal justice could be the first step toward a rewarding and fulfilling career in the criminal justice system.

With a better understanding of the kinds of career opportunities you may be able to explore with a criminal justice degree, you may be able to determine whether this career path could be right for you.

Understanding a Criminal Justice Degree

A criminal justice degree at the undergraduate level focuses on the so-called "three Cs" of the field:

• Cops
• Courts
• Corrections

In a criminal justice degree program, students study the role of law enforcement in preventing and responding to crime. They also explore the role of the court system in holding criminals accountable while serving justice for victims. Finally, a study of the corrections system looks at how jails, prisons, and other programs (like parole and probation) aim to rehabilitate offenders while preparing them to re-enter society.

In addition to these core components of criminal justice, degree programs may cover other areas of study. From criminology (the study of criminal behavior) to forensic science and beyond, students in a criminal justice degree program can explore the topics that are most relevant to their future work in the criminal justice field.

Career Paths in Criminal Justice

We'll dive deeper into some specific criminal justice careers in the next section, but here's a more general idea of some common paths you can take in the field:

• Law Enforcement - These criminal justice professionals are responsible for enforcing laws and protecting the public, with common job titles including police officer or sheriff.
• Legal and Court Systems - Some criminal justice professionals end up working on the legal side of the field, from ensuring safety in the courtroom to assisting lawyers with research. Common job titles here include judge, bailiff, and paralegal.
• Corrections and Rehabilitation - Working in corrections involves supervising and overseeing people who have been convicted of crimes. These professionals may work as correctional officers, probation/parole officers, and in other public safety roles.
• Homeland Security and Federal Agencies - Many government agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security and the FBI, employ criminal justice professionals in intelligence analyst and similar roles.
• Private Security and Risk Management - In the private sector, criminal justice professionals can explore roles in private security, private investigations, and even loss prevention.

Top Criminal Justice Jobs You Can Pursue

While this is by no means an exhaustive list of all the criminal justice jobs you may be able to explore with a criminal justice degree, it does give you a solid starting point. These roles range from law enforcement and corrections to the court system and private security.

Police Officer

Police officers are public safety officials who are responsible for protecting life and property, responding to crimes, and working with the public. They may respond to emergency calls, write reports, and even make arrests when needed to keep others safe.

FBI Agent

Working as an agent for the Federal Bureau of Investigations can take many forms. However, as federal law enforcement officers, the job of an FBI agent often entails gathering intelligence and evidence, working with other agencies, and making arrests for offenses at the federal level. Some FBI agents may specialize in areas like cyber crimes, financial crimes, or civil rights.

Crime Scene Investigator (CSI)

Crime scene investigators play an important role in investigating crime scenes, collecting evidence, and documenting all aspects of a crime scene. Often, CSIs are also called to testify in court and may provide expert support when it comes to investigating crimes.

Probation Officer

In some cases, offenders may be sentenced to probation in lieu of spending time in prison. When this occurs, offenders may be required to meet regularly with probation officers, who ensure that they are following the terms of their probation and staying out of trouble. Probation officers may be responsible for conducting regular drug tests, interviewing probationers, and aiding in rehabilitation efforts.

Correctional Officer

When people are convicted of crimes and sentenced to time in prison, correctional officers play an important role in supervising these prisoners and keeping facilities safe for offenders, visitors, and staff. Their work involves enforcing prison rules, supervising offenders, and conducting searches for contraband as needed.

Forensic Science Technician

Forensic science technicians often work at crime scenes and in laboratories to collect, analyze, and process evidence related to a crime. This may include taking photographs of crime scenes, reconstructing crime scenes, and preserving evidence along the chain of custody. Information collected and analyzed by forensic science technicians can be critical when it comes to building cases and reaching convictions.

Homeland Security Officer

Homeland security officers or agents work for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), protecting the country from any number of threats by:

• Providing emergency response during natural disasters and other events.
• Responding to terrorist threats.
• Protecting against cyber threats that could impact national security.
• Securing transportation systems, such as airports/airlines through the TSA.

Private Investigator

In the private sector, some criminal justice professionals work in investigations or private detective roles. Here, they may gather evidence, analyze information, and share findings based on their clients' unique needs. Some private investigators may work to locate missing people or investigate suspected crimes (such as insurance fraud).

Security Manager

Some companies and organizations may also hire security managers in the criminal justice field. These professionals may work to implement procedures to increase physical and digital security, and conduct risk management assessments and lead compliance initiatives. Security managers may also be responsible for responding to critical incidents, such as cyber breaches.

Criminal Profiler

When crimes are committed, criminal profilers may be relied upon to help law enforcement and investigators determine the potential motive behind crimes. In some cases, the work of a criminal profiler can even be useful in developing a psychological profile of potential suspects. These professionals often work alongside law enforcement and have a strong background in criminology.

Skills You’ll Gain With a Criminal Justice Degree

The exact skills that you'll need to succeed in a criminal justice role will ultimately depend on the area of the field where you wish to work. For instance, a police officer may need to be able to keep calm under stress, whereas a detective may need to focus more on problem-solving and attention to detail. These skills are essential for success in the criminal justice field, no matter your specific role.

Regardless of where your future may lie in criminal justice, however, there are some essential skills that all criminal justice professionals should possess:

• Critical thinking & analysis - Professionals in this field often need to carefully analyze and assess complex scenarios, which requires excellent critical thinking skills.
• Research & investigation - Whether you're in a detective role or are responsible for policy analysis, criminal justice professionals can benefit from strong research and investigation skills. Specifically, being able to conduct thorough research and extract insights from large amounts of data can come in handy in this field.
• Communication skills - Nearly all criminal justice roles involve working with others in some capacity, which requires both communication and collaboration skills. Criminal justice professionals need to be able to communicate clearly both in verbal and written form, whether it be with others in the field, with victims, or with other members of the public.
• Problem-solving - Being able to come up with solutions to problems is also an essential part of working in criminal justice. Professionals may apply their problem-solving skills not only to solve crime, but to explain or even predict criminal behavior.
• Ethical decision-making - Ethical decision-making is at the core of maintaining public trust in the criminal justice system. Professionals in this field, then, need to maintain a sense of integrity, especially when it comes to making decisions that could affect the lives of others.

Job Outlook and Salary Potential

The job outlook and earnings potential for criminal justice professionals can vary greatly from one role to the next. To get a better feel for what you might expect entering the field, however, it may be helpful to explore Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) job outlook and salary data for a number of common criminal justice roles.

For example, police officers and detectives earned a median pay of $77,270 per year in 2024, and their job outlook is projected to grow 3 percent between 2024 and 2034.

Meanwhile, private detectives and investigators have a projected growth of 6 percent between 2024 and 2034, which is faster than the national average for all occupations. In 2024, the median pay for this occupation was $52,370 per year.

Forensic science technicians, including crime scene investigators, are projected to enjoy a 13 percent job outlook growth between 2024 and 2034. This is much faster than the national average. Meanwhile, the median pay for these professionals was $67,440 in 2024.

Start Your Journey Toward a Career in Criminal Justice

With so many criminal justice careers worth exploring, there's a good chance you can find your niche in the field. Of course, it all starts with the right education.

At Champlain College Online, we offer a bachelor's in criminal justice program that's designed with a career-focused curriculum. With coursework covering such critical topics as restorative justice, criminology, criminal law, and criminal procedure, graduates of our Criminal Justice degree program have the opportunity to build valuable skills that transfer to any number of criminal justice careers . Graduates are expected to be well-prepared to pursue a range of career opportunities across the public and private sectors.

Learn more about this convenient online program by reaching out today. You can also take the next step by completing your application for admission.