Online Criminal Justice Degree

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Criminal Justice is the ideal career path for individuals who are passionate about looking after people and keeping them safe. The level of education that you need depends on what your goals in criminal justice are. In order to pursue a career in criminal justice you will need a certificate, an associates degree or a bachelor's degree. There are even more advanced degree options for jobs such as a forensic scientist or for anyone wishing to teach in criminal justice degree programs.

Associates Criminal Justice Degree

An associates online criminal justice degree can be a great “door opener” for those individuals looking to get started in a criminal justice career. Later, as they gain experience and have a better idea of what they would like to specialize in, they can look to taking a Bachelors degree.

Some jobs which are open to holders of associates degrees in criminal justice include:

Homeland Security Office
Corporate Security Specialist
Paralegal
Cyber Crime Specialist
Crime Scene Investigator
Corrections Officer

An associates degree takes two years to complete and teaches basic criminal justice skills whilst educating students in the sciences and liberal arts. Some associates degrees concentrate on technical skills which will help graduates carve out a successful career in state or local law enforcement. Since most police departments need new recruits to have completed some college training, an associates degree is a great place to start.

Bachelor's Criminal Justice Degree

Virtual schooling is a flexible approach to studying which can be done at a time to suit the individual and can often be fitted in whilst holding down a job and earning a pay packet. It's a good solution for students who want to earn whilst they learn. A Bachelors Degree in Criminal Justice provides more indepth training for students looking to improve their chances of promotion within a police department or private company as well as those looking for entry level positions in federal agencies.

You may be able to get federal aid towards your degree by visiting their website http://federalstudentaid.ed.gov/students.html

Once you have a Bachelor's in criminal justice there is a wide range of careers in either:

Local law enforcement

Sheriff Department
County Police
Park police
Juvenile Justice Centers

State law enforcement

State Police
Liquor Control Boards
State Crime Commissions
Crime Labs
Attorney General Offices
The Court System
Narcotics Bureau

Federal law enforcement

Homeland Security
Department of Transportation
Department of Defense
Veterans Affairs
Immigration
Inspector General Office
Food and Drug Administration
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Customs Agency

Private sector law enforcement

Safety Officers
Insurance companies
Security Patrol Officers
Private detectives

Careers in criminal justice are challenging, exciting and financial rewarding. There are criminal justice jobs in just about every area of the legal system. You can choose to catch criminals, help prevent crime, hold the guilty accountable or help those individuals who have served their debt to society.

Legal And Criminal Justice Salaries

Legal, corrections and law enforcement jobs are much in demand in today's market and the salary you can expect to receive rises in accordance with your qualifications. Generally speaking graduates earn around $15,000 more per annum than those who don't have a degree.

Experience and geographical location also plays a large part in your potential criminal justice salary since certain states and large cities will pay more to offset the higher cost of living. Also working for a state or federal agency is likely to pay more than working for a local agency. Police Officer jobs can range from $31,700 per annum rising to a top wage of $83,510 and detectives and criminal investigators can earn from $38,850 per annum to a top level of $119,320. For more indications of wages check out the figures on the US Department of Labor website http://www.dol.gov/dol/topic/wages/index.htm

Law Enforcement Jobs For Veterans

If you're a returning veteran looking for a civilian job now that you have finished your military service, then law enforcement jobs could be a good choice for you. The skills that you are learned in the military are easily transferable to roles such as:

criminologist
police office
federal law enforcement agent
computer forensics expert

You are likely to be encouraged to complete a bachelor's criminal justice degree which you can do online if you choose.

It almost goes without saying that an online criminal justice degree is not for someone who has a criminal record, whose credit sucks or if you're nearing the cut off age of 36. Nor is it suitable if you only really want an office job, when other degrees may be more advantageous.

Review one of these Doctorate in Criminal Justice degrees. Online criminal justice degrees are a great fit for your career.