by our College Data Analytics TeamA major in Criminal Justice and Corrections prepares students to work in the field of public law and criminal justice. You will learn about crime, law, and the justice system through studying different disciplines.
There are many different concentrations in this major that allow students to focus on an area of specific interest. For example, students could choose a concentration in Maritime Law Enforcement to learn how to effectively stop smuggling, piracy, drug trafficking, and sex trafficking. Another focus is Corrections; this concentration will teach you about prison life and other correctional facilities including the study of social reform. Or they could choose Juvenile Corrections if they are more interested in working with children and adolescents.
Other popular specializations are Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement Administrations, Criminal Justice/Safety Studies, Forensic Science and Technology, Criminal Justice/Police Science, and Securities Services Administration/Management to name just a few.
In any of these concentrations, you can expect to take classes in criminology, ethics in law enforcement, victims of crime, gender issues in law, correctional administration, policing society, the U. S. criminal-justice system, criminal law, and statistics.
A major in Criminal Justice & Corrections explores Criminal Justice And Corrections. Continue reading for the essential details every criminal justice & corrections student should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering criminal justice & corrections programs.
In the U.S., criminal justice & corrections is a popular field of study, with 102,547 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Schools ranking analyzes these 1,767 schools to determine the best overall colleges for criminal justice & corrections students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of criminal justice & corrections programs later in this article.
Studies in Criminal Justice & Corrections develop a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations criminal justice & corrections graduates commonly enter.
Students should have a vast and absorbing interest in law, justice and social reform. This major requires math, statistics and science. Students will need to memorize theories and be able to apply methods to real-life situations. Critical reading skills will help you pull important information from dry texts as you read court cases, prison procedures and reports.
Interpersonal skills are important as you will work with various people from lawyers to criminals. Develop sharp listening and observational skills in order to pick up on crucial details. Students who are detail-oriented, organized and have a good memory will find success. This major involves the study of controversial and difficult information. This is in order to prepare students for tense and potentially dangerous situations in a career.
The skill set developed in a criminal justice & corrections program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
Based on O*NET data, a criminal justice & corrections major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several criminal justice & corrections 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 6,240 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 22,666 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 45,807 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 26,113 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 280 |
People currently working in careers related to criminal justice & corrections tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| High school diploma or equivalent | 32.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 29.2% |
| Some college courses | 12.4% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 11.9% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 7.1% |
| Master’s degree | 3.7% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 2.0% |
| Doctoral degree | 0.7% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 0.3% |
| Less than a high school diploma | 0.1% |
| First professional degree | 0.1% |
| Post-doctoral training | 0.1% |
View the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in criminal justice & corrections careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
Graduates who major in Criminal Justice and Corrections will have the skills to work in a prison or another type of correctional facility. They are also found working for law enforcement or the coast guard. The interdisciplinary skills gained also prepare graduates for careers as psychologists, public administrators, or lawyers. Many of these careers will require graduate school.
Majoring in criminal justice & corrections can lead to numerous career paths. Here are some of the most common occupations related to criminal justice & corrections.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to criminal justice & corrections.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Equal Opportunity Representatives and Officers | 735,120 | 1.8% |
| Environmental Compliance Inspectors | 674,467 | 10.0% |
| Police Identification and Records Officers | 532,882 | 7.1% |
| Correctional Officers and Jailers | 514,818 | 8.7% |
| Coroners | 499,816 | -4.9% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Security Workers | 489,192 | 4.7% |
| Detectives and Criminal Investigators | 469,816 | 14.5% |
| Managers, All Other | 468,025 | 6.2% |
The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of criminal justice & corrections graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow as graduates gain experience.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $40,812 |
| 4 years | $44,073 |
| 5 years | $49,815 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.
Salaries for criminal justice & corrections graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers criminal justice & corrections grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Wind Energy Development Managers | $169,952 |
| Loss Prevention Managers | $165,723 |
| Wind Energy Operations Managers | $122,567 |
| Environmental Compliance Inspectors | $119,630 |
| Compliance Managers | $117,178 |
| Coroners | $110,095 |
| Brownfield Redevelopment Specialists and Site Managers | $99,321 |
| Managers, All Other | $95,684 |
With 1,767 different criminal justice & corrections programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased criminal justice & corrections school rankings to help you.
If you are interested in criminal justice & corrections, you may also want to explore other closely related fields of study within the same broad area.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Fire Protection | 15,202 |
| Security Science and Technology | 9,173 |
| Homeland Security | 6,323 |
| Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting and Related Protective Services, Other | 1,217 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
