by our College Data Analytics TeamStudying Criminal Justice & Police Science explores Criminal Justice/police Science. A Program That Prepares Individuals To Perform The Duties Of Police And Public Security Officers, Including Patrol And Investigative Activities, Traffic Control, Crowd Control And Public Relations, Witness Interviewing, Evidence Collection And Management, Basic Crime Prevention Methods, Weapon And Equipment Operation And Maintenance, Report Preparation And Other Routine Law Enforcement Responsibilities. Continue reading for the important information every criminal justice & police science student should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering criminal justice & police science programs.
In the U.S., criminal justice & police science draws strong interest, with 20,474 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best Criminal Justice & Police Science Schools ranking analyzes these 528 schools to determine the best overall colleges for criminal justice & police science students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of criminal justice & police science programs later in this article.
Coursework for Criminal Justice & Police Science build a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations criminal justice & police science graduates commonly enter.
Skills developed in a criminal justice & police science program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
According to O*NET, a criminal justice & police science major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several criminal justice & police science 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 | 3,904 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 5,420 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 2,162 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 8,886 |
People currently working in careers related to criminal justice & police science tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| High school diploma or equivalent | 30.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 24.0% |
| Some college courses | 15.1% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 14.9% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 10.6% |
| Master’s degree | 2.1% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 1.9% |
| Doctoral degree | 0.5% |
| Less than a high school diploma | 0.4% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 0.2% |
See the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in criminal justice & police science careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
Majoring in criminal justice & police science can lead to a variety of career paths. Here are some of the most common occupations related to criminal justice & police science.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to criminal justice & police science.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Police Identification and Records Officers | 532,882 | 7.1% |
| Detectives and Criminal Investigators | 469,816 | 14.5% |
| Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officers | 449,456 | 2.0% |
| Private Detectives and Investigators | 421,320 | 11.8% |
| Customs and Border Protection Officers | 349,535 | -1.2% |
| Intelligence Analysts | 313,116 | 11.7% |
| Bailiffs | 155,976 | -4.8% |
| Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Teachers, Postsecondary | 52,113 | 12.0% |
Federal data tracks median earnings of criminal justice & police science graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Wages typically rise 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 & police science graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers criminal justice & police science grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Teachers, Postsecondary | $91,449 |
| Private Detectives and Investigators | $71,252 |
| Intelligence Analysts | $65,483 |
| Detectives and Criminal Investigators | $64,492 |
| Police Identification and Records Officers | $61,847 |
| Bailiffs | $55,588 |
| Customs and Border Protection Officers | $50,191 |
| Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officers | $49,631 |
With 528 different criminal justice & police science programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased criminal justice & police science school rankings to help you.
Students interested in criminal justice & police science, you may also want to explore other closely related fields of study within the same broad area.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Criminal Justice/Safety Studies | 41,895 |
| Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement Administration | 26,997 |
| Corrections | 4,967 |
| Corrections and Criminal Justice, Other | 4,327 |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | 2,175 |
| Securities Services Administration/Management | 662 |
| Security and Loss Prevention Services | 494 |
| Law Enforcement Investigation and Interviewing | 300 |
| Corrections Administration | 97 |
| Juvenile Corrections | 68 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
