Master’s in Criminal Justice Career Outlook

The online Master of Science in Criminal Justice from Saint Joseph’s University is designed by working leaders in the Criminal Justice field and offers concentrations focused on some of the fastest-growing careers in the country.

Whether your goal is to move up in the ranks of a local or state law enforcement agency, build a successful career within the federal government, or expand your practice as a criminologist, prosecutor, parole officer, etc., the online MSCJ program is customized to your needs and taught by men and women who’ve held the positions you desire to obtain. They know what it takes to be successful and are committed to helping you achieve your goals.

Here are 29 Tips To Help you Advance Your Criminal Justice Career.

Below is a sample of some popular Criminal Justice careers and the projected rates of future employment growth and average salaries as reported by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics:

Projected Criminal Justice Job Growth

Percentage growth between 2014-2024

Criminal Justice Skills

Interested in using your degree in Criminal Justice to land a government job or to make the leap into crime prevention careers? Make sure to review the following core skills that you should possess in order to competently carry out your future job’s respective requirements:

• Interpersonal and communication skills
• Ethics and honesty
• Broad understanding of criminal law and the criminal justice system
• Other professional skills such as assessment, service orientation, decision-making, persuasion, and leadership

Job Profile – Criminal Investigator

To better illustrate the types of criminal justice careers graduates of this program can open themselves up to, we’ve put together a job profile on the role of a criminal investigator. What follows is a brief description of the role, expected salary and job growth, as well as the top cities for those looking for employment in the capacity of criminal investigator.

Description: Criminal investigators typically examine violations of the law using all resources necessary such as witnesses, written records, video surveillance, and numerical data. Throughout the process, criminal investigators interpret information, prepare reports, and provide a final evaluation of the evidence.

Additionally, these individuals may be called on to testify in court. Criminal investigators often assess the evidence in an office setting, but much of the data is collected through on-site visits to witnesses and the crime scene.

Median Annual Salary: $77,210²

Top States Based on Job Opportunities²:

• Texas
• California
• New York
• Arizona
• Florida

Criminal Justice professionals are also branching out into Behavior Analysis to assist those with addictions, EDB, autism, and other behavioral issues. Seen more traditionally practiced in the classroom, Behavior Analysis is being used in halfway houses, rehabilitation centers, detention centers, and other justice-related facilities. To learn more about the importance of blending the justice and behavior fields, check out The Benefits of a Well Rounded Behavior Analysis Program Residing Within Criminal Justice Studies.

To learn more about the online Master of Science in Criminal Justice from Saint Joseph’s University and what it can do for your career, call (215) 473-2695 to speak with a Program Manager, or you can request more information below, and we’ll reach out to you.

¹www1.salary.com/Sheriff-Police-Chief-salary.html
²https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes333021.htm
³https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/33-3021.01#WagesEmployment
⁴https://www.bls.gov/ooh/community-and-social-service/substance-abuse-and-behavioral-disorder-counselors.htm
⁵https://www.bls.gov/ooh/life-physical-and-social-science/sociologists.htm
⁶https://www.bls.gov/ooh/protective-service/private-detectives-and-investigators.htm
⁷https://www.bls.gov/ooh/protective-service/police-and-detectives.htm