What Can You Do With A Criminal Justice Degree?

Is a criminal justice degree worth it? Graduates with criminal justice degrees can pursue various careers. If you are considering getting a degree in criminal justice, understanding the field and curriculum can help determine if it is right for you.

Quick Links

• What Is the Best Major for a Criminal Justice Degree?
• What Jobs Can You Get With a Criminal Justice Degree in Massachusetts?
• Criminal Justice Degree FAQs
• Earn Your Criminal Justice Degree With Mount Wachusett Community College

What Is The Best Major For A Criminal Justice Degree?

Criminal justice degrees enable students to investigate and understand different facets of the criminal justice system. Those pursuing a degree in this field gain knowledge about law enforcement, criminal behavior, the American court system, as well as the psychological aspects of behavior.

When earning a degree in criminal justice, you’ll choose a major that will help you specify your studies and better prepare you for the workforce. Let’s discuss a few common majors for criminal justice departments.

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Criminology

Students in this major will learn more about criminals, their behaviors and their motivations. Many programs might use more of a behavior and social lens to study crime and criminals. Your professors might talk about the justice system’s role in criminal behavior and proceedings, which can help increase your understanding of American society, law and policies.

Forensic Science

For students interested in science, forensic science studies chemistry and biology in regard to the criminal justice system and procedures. You might participate in labs where you can complete experiments to learn how forensic scientists collect and analyze information from crime scenes.

Law Enforcement

Criminal justice degrees can prepare students for working in law enforcement. Students can get a closer look into the responsibilities of employees in this field, including conducting investigations and writing reports. Students will learn the skills and processes they need to succeed as law enforcement officers.

Sociology

Sociology studies society, helping people understand various societal concepts and relationships. Students can explore topics like gender, family, marriage, race relations and inequality. Because these topics affect and impact crime and criminal behavior, students can apply sociological knowledge in various criminal justice careers.

When you are interested in receiving a criminal justice degree, you can choose a specific major depending on your interests.

Concentrations

In addition to criminal justice majors, many programs also offer concentrations to define your studies and allow you to explore more topics under the overall umbrella of criminal justice. Classes in your concentration aim to provide you with more skills and knowledge that you will need in the workforce.

Some concentrations for criminal justice majors include the following:

• Law enforcement administration
• Corrections
• Homeland security
• Security management
• Forensics
• Juvenile crime
• Loss prevention

What Jobs Can You Get With A Criminal Justice Degree In Massachusetts?

You can pursue several career paths with a criminal justice degree. If you are unsure of how you would use your criminal justice education, understanding some typical jobs can help prepare you for this field.

1. Paralegal

A criminal justice degree can prepare you to be a paralegal. This degree type helps prepare many individuals interested in exploring a career in law. Criminal justice degrees can give students a better understanding of the legal and justice systems, which they can apply to the law firms where they’ll work.

Paralegals may earn over $65,000 annually on average in Massachusetts.

You can also be a lawyer with a criminal justice degree. This undergraduate education can be an excellent foundation for law school. Behavioral and motivation studies help you understand people and persuasion, building the skills you’ll need for the courtroom.

The average salary of lawyers is over $111,000 annually in Massachusetts.

2. Forensic Psychologist

If you prefer the science and academic side of criminal justice studies, you can pursue a career in forensic psychology. This field studies human and criminal behavior to understand how people act in various criminal scenarios.

Forensic psychologists publish reports and studies that other criminal justice workers rely on to support their processes and theories. They also often testify in court to support lawyers’ arguments.

Forensic psychologists may earn around $131,000 annually in Massachusetts.

3. Police Officer Or Detective

Criminal justice courses, degrees and certifications are great for individuals considering law enforcement. Because this career path discusses criminal behavior and the American legal and justice systems, students can graduate with the knowledge they need to succeed in this field.

After working with the police force, you can use other skills in this field to become a detective. Learning about criminal behavior and forensics can help graduates solve crimes and piece together evidence to create more comprehensive theories and reports. You can also apply these skills to private investigator work.

4. Loss Prevention Associate

A degree in criminal justice is highly attractive to retailers and businesses with loss prevention teams. A loss prevention role involves the prevention of theft, vandalism, and other illegal activities in a business or retail environment. Responsibilities include monitoring surveillance footage, conducting investigations, training staff on loss prevention techniques, and working with local law enforcement to prosecute when necessary.

In Massachusetts, police officers earn about $66,000 annually, while detectives have an average salary of $95,000 annually.

Criminal Justice Degree FAQs

Please refer to the following answers to other frequently asked questions.

What Criminal Justice Job Pays The Most?

The criminal justice job that pays the most is criminal defense attorney, earning about $155,500 annually, according to Research.com.

A criminal justice degree salary can vary greatly due to the multiple job avenues you can pursue. Other high-paying criminal justice jobs include judges, forensic psychologists, detectives, intelligence analysts, criminologists and police chiefs.

Note that salaries depend on multiple factors. Your education, experience and location all affect how the salary for each criminal justice job is calculated. Many jobs also include benefits such as vacation days, sick leave and medical and retirement contributions. That said, these benefits vary per employer.

What Skills Are Gained From A Criminal Justice Degree?

There are numerous criminal justice skills that employers value. With a criminal justice degree, you can gain knowledge and experience in the following soft skills:

• Critical thinking and problem-solving: Regardless of your job, most require you to think on your feet — often in stressful situations.
• Decision-making: You will also learn to supplement your critical thinking skills using effective and ethical decision-making.
• Communication: Criminal justice jobs require professional and articulate verbal and written communication skills.
• Public speaking: Along with your communication skills, you’ll have to be familiar with public speaking.
• Active listening: In criminal justice jobs, you must learn to listen well and learn from what you’re hearing.
• Observation: Being detail-oriented is another crucial skill to have in this line of work, regardless of your job title.

Technical skills you can gain with a criminal justice degree include:

• Computer literacy: In nearly every job, you’ll work with technology, making computer skills crucial.
• Research: Many criminal justice jobs require you to conduct thorough and effective research.
• Report writing: You may often find yourself documenting your findings, which makes report writing essential.
• Interviewing and interrogation: Many criminal justice jobs may require you to have interviewing skills under your belt.

Is Criminal Justice The Same As Criminology?

No. Criminal justice and criminology may seem similar but there are key differences between the two.

Criminal justice focuses on the enforcement and application of laws and the U.S. legal system, which includes the judiciary, law enforcement and correctional facilities. Criminology, on the other hand, focuses on studying the reasons for and patterns of criminal behavior. It’s more similar to psychology and sociology.

Earn Your Criminal Justice Degree With Mount Wachusett Community College

When you want to study criminal justice, the Mount offers several programs, certificates and tracks students can use to enhance their future. Studying with us can help you save money while gathering transfer credits.

If you are unsure what you want to study or what to do for a career, our free career consulting can help you discover the right field for you.