Criminal Justice Degree

629 schools compared · Average earnings $38,544/yr

Students study the criminal justice system including law enforcement, courts, corrections, criminological theory, and the policies that govern public safety and criminal rehabilitation. Graduates typically pursue careers in law enforcement, federal agencies like the FBI and DEA, probation and parole, corrections administration, and private security management. Criminal justice offers diverse career paths from patrol officer to federal agent, with opportunities at every level of government.

What Criminal Justice Graduates Do

Your degree in Criminal Justice and Corrections prepares you for careers centered on public safety and order. Many graduates start on the front lines as police officers, where your day involves patrolling neighborhoods, responding to emergency calls, and meticulously documenting incidents. Others begin as correctional officers or security guards, focusing on maintaining a secure environment and enforcing rules through direct supervision. These hands-on roles require a physical presence and nuanced human judgment that technology can't easily replicate.

With experience, you can advance to become a first-line supervisor or detective, leading teams and complex investigations. Alternatively, you might pivot to a role like a compliance officer, ensuring a company adheres to laws. While roles in policing show steady growth, be aware that correctional officer positions face significant headwinds and are declining. AI is also changing the landscape; while its impact on patrol work is limited, it is fundamentally reshaping compliance roles. AI now handles routine document review, shifting the human job toward strategic analysis and making high-stakes judgments based on automated output.

Schools Offering
629
Avg Grad Earnings
$38,544/yr
Avg DegreeOutlook Score
51/100
AI Automation Risk
Moderate
40% task exposure

Common Career Paths

Where Criminal Justice graduates typically work, ranked by salary. Salary ranges show 25th–75th percentile spread. This field has roughly 475,100 combined openings per year.

Career Path Salary Range Openings/yr Growth AI Risk
Managers, all other
$136,550
$100K$179K
106,700 +4.5% 47%
First-line supervisors of police and detectives
$105,980
$81K$134K
10,900 +2.9% 33%
Detectives and criminal investigators
$93,580
$68K$120K
7,800 -0.7% 53%
Financial examiners
$90,400
$67K$127K
5,700 +18.5% 50%
Compliance officers
$78,420
$59K$105K
33,300 +3.0% 64%
First-line supervisors of correctional officers
$76,310
$57K$102K
4,300 -2.8% 28%
Police and sheriff's patrol officers
$76,290
$59K$97K
53,700 +3.1% 45%
First-line supervisors of protective service workers, all other
$74,960
$52K$91K
2,100 +1.6% 0%
Forensic science technicians
$67,440
$53K$89K
2,900 +12.8% 39%
Life, physical, and social science technicians, all other
$60,130
$46K$78K
10,600 +3.5% 55%
First-line supervisors of security workers
$58,610
$46K$75K
7,000 +2.7% 40%
Child, family, and school social workers
$58,570
$47K$74K
35,100 +3.4% 24%
Correctional officers and jailers
$57,970
$48K$75K
30,100 -7.8% 26%
Private detectives and investigators
$52,370
$42K$75K
3,900 +6.0% 39%
Security guards
$38,370
$35K–$47K
161,000 +0.4% 17%
Managers, all other
$136,550
$100K $179K
106,700 openings/yr +4.5% growth 47% AI risk
First-line supervisors of police and detectives
$105,980
$81K $134K
10,900 openings/yr +2.9% growth 33% AI risk
Detectives and criminal investigators
$93,580
$68K $120K
7,800 openings/yr -0.7% growth 53% AI risk
Financial examiners
$90,400
$67K $127K
5,700 openings/yr +18.5% growth 50% AI risk
Compliance officers
$78,420
$59K $105K
33,300 openings/yr +3.0% growth 64% AI risk
First-line supervisors of correctional officers
$76,310
$57K $102K
4,300 openings/yr -2.8% growth 28% AI risk
Police and sheriff's patrol officers
$76,290
$59K $97K
53,700 openings/yr +3.1% growth 45% AI risk
First-line supervisors of protective service workers, all other
$74,960
$52K $91K
2,100 openings/yr +1.6% growth 0% AI risk
Forensic science technicians
$67,440
$53K $89K
2,900 openings/yr +12.8% growth 39% AI risk
Life, physical, and social science technicians, all other
$60,130
$46K $78K
10,600 openings/yr +3.5% growth 55% AI risk
First-line supervisors of security workers
$58,610
$46K $75K
7,000 openings/yr +2.7% growth 40% AI risk
Child, family, and school social workers
$58,570
$47K $74K
35,100 openings/yr +3.4% growth 24% AI risk
Correctional officers and jailers
$57,970
$48K $75K
30,100 openings/yr -7.8% growth 26% AI risk
Private detectives and investigators
$52,370
$42K $75K
3,900 openings/yr +6.0% growth 39% AI risk
Security guards
$38,370
$35K–$47K
161,000 openings/yr +0.4% growth 17% AI risk

Source: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics, May 2024. Salary range shows 25th–median–75th percentile (national).

View the complete Criminal Justice school rankings — 629 programs analyzed →

Best Schools for Criminal Justice

Top 20 of 629 schools ranked by DegreeOutlook Score. Click any row for full AI scenario analysis and earnings projections.

# School DW Score Earnings ROI
1 Colorado State University Global
Aurora, CO
73
65–73
$61,786/yr 18.9x
2 Columbia Southern University
Orange Beach, AL
73
65–73
$60,461/yr 25.5x
3 American Public University System
Charles Town, WV
73
65–73
$57,409/yr 19.8x
4 University of Maryland Global Campus
Adelphi, MD
72
64–73
$55,479/yr 20.5x
5 California State University-East Bay
Hayward, CA
71
61–71
$45,387/yr 23.7x
6 Utah Valley University
Orem, UT
68
58–68
$44,051/yr 23.4x
7 Charter Oak State College
New Britain, CT
67
60–67
$68,956/yr 19.3x
8 Herzing University-Birmingham
Birmingham, AL
67
60–68
$67,229/yr 10.9x
9 Herzing University-Atlanta
Atlanta, GA
67
60–68
$67,229/yr 10.9x
10 Herzing University-Minneapolis
St. Louis Park, MN
67
60–68
$67,229/yr 10.9x
11 Herzing University-Akron
Akron, OH
67
60–68
$67,229/yr 10.9x
12 Herzing University-Madison
Madison, WI
67
60–68
$67,229/yr 10.9x
13 Herzing University-Orlando
Winter Park, FL
67
60–68
$67,229/yr 10.9x
14 Herzing University-New Orleans
Metairie, LA
67
60–68
$67,229/yr 10.9x
15 Herzing University-Kenosha
Kenosha, WI
67
60–68
$67,229/yr 10.9x
16 Herzing University-Brookfield
Brookfield, WI
67
60–68
$67,229/yr 10.9x
17 Metropolitan State University
Saint Paul, MN
67
58–67
$52,125/yr 14.4x
18 Minnesota State University-Mankato
Mankato, MN
67
57–67
$49,019/yr 15.2x
19 University of Baltimore
Baltimore, MD
67
58–68
$48,991/yr 15.2x
20 San Francisco State University
San Francisco, CA
67
57–68
$42,211/yr 20.7x

Highest Earning Criminal Justice Programs

Schools where Criminal Justice graduates earn the most in their first year after graduation.

School 1-Year Earnings DW Score
Charter Oak State College $68,956/yr 67
Herzing University-Birmingham $67,229/yr 67
Herzing University-Atlanta $67,229/yr 67
Herzing University-Minneapolis $67,229/yr 67
Herzing University-Akron $67,229/yr 67
Herzing University-Madison $67,229/yr 67
Herzing University-Orlando $67,229/yr 67
Herzing University-New Orleans $67,229/yr 67
Herzing University-Kenosha $67,229/yr 67
Herzing University-Brookfield $67,229/yr 67

Best ROI for Criminal Justice

Schools with the highest earnings-to-tuition ratio for Criminal Justice.

School ROI Multiple Earnings DW Score
Indian River State College 42.9x $43,351/yr 64
Polk State College 35.8x $40,808/yr 63
Dalton State College 31.7x $37,856/yr 59
University of North Carolina at Pembroke 31.1x $35,553/yr 59
Elizabeth City State University 30.5x $29,778/yr 54
Atlanta Metropolitan State College 29.1x $37,342/yr 59
Western Carolina University 28.5x $38,682/yr 63
Florida Atlantic University 27.2x $35,647/yr 62
University of North Georgia 25.8x $41,598/yr 65
Fayetteville State University 25.5x $29,016/yr 52
Want to compare two Criminal Justice programs side by side? Use the comparison tool →

Criminal Justice vs Other Majors

See how Criminal Justice stacks up against similar fields — earnings, career paths, and outcomes compared side by side.

Related Majors

Explore similar fields of study.

Consider the Trade Route

Not sure a 4-year degree is the right path? Trade programs in Criminal Justice offer shorter timelines, lower debt, and strong AI resilience for hands-on careers.

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the typical salary after a Criminal Justice degree?
Across 629 schools, Criminal Justice graduates earn an average of $38,544 per year in their first year after graduation. Earnings range from $5,087 to $68,956 depending on the school.
How exposed is Criminal Justice to AI disruption?
Our analysis classifies Criminal Justice as "Moderate" for AI risk — approximately 40% of typical job tasks overlap with current AI capabilities. That puts some of the daily work in the automation-sensitive category.
What's the top-ranked school for Criminal Justice?
Our data ranks Colorado State University Global first among 629 Criminal Justice programs. Its score of 73/100 reflects strong outcomes across earnings ($61,786/yr), return on investment, and career durability.
Is a Criminal Justice degree worth the investment?
On average, Criminal Justice graduates earn 9.2x their in-state tuition over 10 years. This is a moderate return — school choice matters significantly.
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →