What You Can Do with a Criminal Justice Degree
24 February, 2016
Here's the thing about a criminal justice degree: it can be achieved in two to four years, and it's your ticket to a long-term career. And, there's a lot of choices when it comes to a criminal justice education. Education is an investment in yourself that will pay off, and a criminal justice education is one that will help you make a difference in the world. If you're looking for a career and not just another job, criminal justice has options for you.
Criminal Justice Education and Degree
Unlike other degrees, an education in criminal justice can be completed in two to four years. It takes roughly two years to obtain an associate's degree, and another year to two years of education to obtain a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice. Gwynedd Mercy reports that the median pay for police officers and detectives is $56,980, but the degree prepares you "for careers in a wide range of other areas within the criminal justice field, as well as for graduate or law school."
An Overview of Criminal Justice Careers
Probation Officer: A probation officer is someone who is involved with people who've had run-ins with the law, and are serving time by reporting to an officer. These individuals may be people or teens who've had minor convictions, or it could be someone recently released from prison after a serious crime. Probation officers assist the convicted criminals with substance abuse programs, vocational training, and they may have to violate these criminals if they reoffend. Probation officers also attend parole hearings to make suggestions to the parole board based on the criminal's behavior. The median salary for this position is $47,200.
Police Officer: Police officers are civil servants. They protect the public in a variety of ways, and there's a growing need for more police officers. There's plenty of jobs within the police department to fill, and as previously stated the median pay for officers and detectives is $56,980.
FBI Agent: FBI agents require extensive on-the-job training. Once you've garnered your criminal justice degree, you'll need to also attend the FBI academy. It's difficult to get into, and the training consists of 1000 hours of operations training, academics, case exercises, and firearms training. There are many different areas in which FBI agents work, including terrorism, major thefts, and cybercrime. The median salary of an FBI agent is $62,927.
DEA Agent: DEA stands for drug enforcement agency, so it's obvious what these criminal justice professionals do. They're tasked with investigating, arresting, tracking, and dismantling drug traffickers around the world. As a DEA agent, you may be asked to participate in both covert and overt operations. A beginning DEA agent makes roughly $49,746, but this can grow quickly. Special agents and investigators can make upwards of $100,000 per year.
Those are just four examples of career paths you can take with a criminal justice degree. Other careers include corrections jobs, bailiff, forensics, crime scene investigations, and more. If you have an interest in obtaining a criminal justice degree, it's one that can and will pay off. If you truly want something, you absolutely must do whatever you can to achieve your dream. Take classes online if you have to, obtain the education you're seeking, and become someone who makes a difference in society.
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