Top Jobs for Criminal Justice Graduates
Most people associate criminal justice with law enforcement, but it includes careers far removed from chasing criminals. Criminal justice involves professions where you can help people better their lives and ensure they get fair and equitable treatment from the legal system.
This is especially true for those who want to attain positions in administration and management and be part of the decision-making process guiding how the system works. Touro University Worldwide offers an online Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and Management (BSBA) with a Criminal Justice concentration that prepares graduates for just such roles.
Those considering an online criminal justice degree program want to know what jobs they can do with the degree. However, before understanding the jobs available with a criminal justice degree, it’s important to look at what you will learn and why a criminal justice major can lead to a variety of opportunities.
How Touro University Prepares Criminal Justice Leaders
Graduates from the BSBA in Criminal Justice program learn the skills necessary to lead programs within the criminal justice field. This includes jobs in the judicial system, law enforcement, homeland security, social services, corrections, and more.
Students also learn:
- The intricacies of legal system processes
- The roles of law enforcement, courts, corrections, and social services
- How to strive for social justice in the system
- The historical context of criminal justice
- Emerging trends in the field
Courses in the BSBA in Criminal Justice include Introduction to the Criminal Justice System, Criminal Processes and Procedures, Forensic Psychology, and Criminal Justice in World Culture.
Core courses in the program provide students extensive knowledge in management theory and ethics, applying IT to management, business statistics, organizational behavior, strategic management, and management and leadership of organizations.
Graduates leave the program prepared for administration-level jobs in the criminal justice field.
What Can You Do with a BSBA in Criminal Justice?
Career options in criminal justice are plentiful. They include the following. Graduates from the BSBA in Criminal Justice program are uniquely qualified to take on management jobs in a variety of fields. Career options in criminal justice are plentiful, which include careers such as the ones in the following sections
Note: Salary and job growth numbers come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) unless otherwise noted.
Police Officer
According to the BLS, many applicants for entry-level police officer jobs now have college degrees, and some police departments require them. The field is expected to grow by 5% by 2029. The average salary nationwide reached $65,170 in May 2019.
FBI Agent
Becoming an FBI agent requires earning a bachelor’s degree, according to the BLS. Most other federal law enforcement officer positions, such as Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms Agent and Drug Enforcement Administration Agent, also typically require a bachelor’s degree. FBI Agents earned an annual salary of $139,602, according to Glassdoor.com.
Emergency Management Director
In this position, graduates lead efforts to create and implement emergency preparation plans for local governments. This profession is expected to grow by 4% by 2029. The annual average salary reached $74,590 in May 2019.
Probation Officer and Correctional Treatment Officer
Probation Officers are critical to coordinating the rehabilitation services needed to assist those on probation or parole. They may also specialize in a certain area, such as working with juvenile offenders or in domestic violence cases. The number of people working in this area is expected to grow by 4% by 2029. The annual salary reached $54,290 in May 2019.
Victims Advocate
These critical members of the criminal justice system work with other professionals, including police detectives and state attorneys, as a liaison between them and crime victims. They ensure the rights of victims are protected and help victims and witnesses in criminal cases navigate the legal system, which is often confusing to outsiders. According to Glassdoor.com, the average annual salary for victims advocates is $48,716.
Educator
Criminal justice educators teach courses on law enforcement, corrections, and criminal justice. Even though the BLS does not have job growth projections for this occupation, more than 14,000 worked in education in May 2019 with a median annual salary of $72,980.
These represent just some of the many challenging, rewarding careers that criminal justice graduates can pursue. For those who wish to dedicate their career to public safety and helping others change their lives for the better, it’s a degree that can help them reach their career goals.
