by our College Data Analytics TeamStudying Criminal Law and Procedure involves the study of An Advanced, Professional Study Of The Law, Policies, And Regulations Affecting Criminal Law And Trial Procedures. Examples: [Federal Criminal Practice And Procedure]. Continue reading for the key facts every criminal law and procedure major should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering criminal law and procedure programs.
Nationwide, criminal law and procedure draws strong interest, with 38 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best Criminal Law and Procedure Schools ranking analyzes these 2 schools to determine the best overall colleges for criminal law and procedure students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of criminal law and procedure programs later in this article.
Programs in Criminal Law and Procedure emphasize a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations criminal law and procedure graduates commonly enter.
The skill set emphasized by a criminal law and procedure program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
Per O*NET surveys, a criminal law and procedure major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several criminal law and procedure degree levels. The table below shows the typical length of the most common levels, and how many graduates earn each one.
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 38 |
People currently working in careers related to criminal law and procedure tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| First professional degree | 43.2% |
| Doctoral degree | 40.6% |
| Master’s degree | 13.5% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 1.8% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 0.9% |
View the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in criminal law and procedure careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
Majoring in criminal law and procedure prepares you for numerous career paths. Below are some of the most common occupations related to criminal law and procedure.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to criminal law and procedure.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Law Teachers, Postsecondary | 1,017,747 | -2.9% |
| Lawyers | 155,305 | 2.6% |
The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of criminal law and procedure graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Earnings tend to climb as graduates gain experience.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $78,306 |
| 4 years | $93,383 |
| 5 years | $107,509 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.
Salaries for criminal law and procedure graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers criminal law and procedure grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Law Teachers, Postsecondary | $91,726 |
| Lawyers | $73,181 |
With 2 different criminal law and procedure programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased criminal law and procedure school rankings to help you.
Those considering criminal law and procedure, you may also want to explore other closely related fields of study within the same broad area.
More about our data sources and methodologies.
