What Can You Do With a Master’s in Criminal Justice?

Recently, we discussed what criminal justice is and why you might want to consider specializing in the field, and here we’ll explore what you can do with a Master’s Degree in Criminal Justice.

Throughout the course of this article, we’ll review a series of important topics, including which jobs you could qualify for after completing your master’s degree, what you’ll learn in a Criminal Justice Master’s program, and why you should consider getting your master’s degree online.

When you’ve finished reading this post, fill out our information request form to receive additional details about CSU Global’s 100% online Master’s Degree in Criminal Justice, or if you’re ready to get started, submit your application today.

Why Should You Consider a Master’s in Criminal Justice?

If you’re considering a master’s in criminal justice, then you’ve probably already got experience working within the criminal justice system, and you’ve also likely got a strong appreciation for why it is such a crucial component of public safety.

But what you might not know is that the best reason to get your Master’s in Criminal Justice is that it will give you the chance to deepen your knowledge and broaden your capacity for providing valuable public service, making it easier to advance your career in this challenging field.

Studying criminal justice will ensure that you’re capable of operating on the cutting edge of the industry by enhancing your knowledge of security, safety, and technology, as well as by further developing your leadership skills.

If your career goals include achieving a leadership or management-level role in criminal justice, then you should seriously consider getting your Master’s Degree in Criminal Justice from CSU Global.

What Jobs Can You Get With a Master’s Degree in Criminal Justice?

After completing a Master’s program in Criminal Justice, you can pursue much more interesting, and far more important jobs, including roles in leadership and management, like:

Police Officers / 2020 Median Pay: $67,290 

Police officers are responsible for protecting people and property, and they obviously play one of the most important roles in the entire criminal justice system.

You don’t necessarily need a master’s degree to get a job as a police officer, but your studies will certainly help ensure that you do a better job in the role, and your education credentials should help advance your career, making it more likely that you will be considered for roles in leadership and management.

The BLS projects that the employment of police and detectives will grow 7% between 2020 and 2030, so it’s a good time to consider getting into the industry.

Emergency Management Directors / 2020 Median Pay: $76,250

Emergency management directors are responsible for preparing plans and procedures for the organizations that respond to natural disasters and other emergencies.

They’re also the individuals responsible for overseeing and leading the response after any sort of emergency unfolds, making them an absolutely essential player in the criminal justice system.

This is an extremely challenging role that requires a great deal of knowledge, preparation, and especially awareness of the criminal justice system and its many different components, so earning a Masters’s Degree in Criminal Justice will give you an important advantage over other candidates vying for the same position.

Fortunately, the extra work you’ll need to put into getting your master’s degree will be well worth it if you’re able to secure a role working as an emergency management director, as this is not just a fulfilling position, but also one that tends to be quite well-compensated.

Detectives and Criminal Investigators / 2020 Median Pay: $89,300

Detectives and criminal investigations are responsible for gathering facts and collecting evidence of crimes, so they play an absolutely fundamental role in ensuring that the criminal justice system operates properly.

Most people working in this role are employed by the government, working at the federal, state, or local level to help solve crimes.

These jobs are relatively difficult to come by, so having advanced education credentials on your resume could play a significant role in getting the attention of a potential hiring manager for available positions.

The material you study in a Master’s Degree in Criminal Justice program is perfectly suited for the role, as your advanced knowledge of ethics, decision-making, and the impact of crime on society will be incredibly useful as a detective or criminal investigator.

Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Teachers, Postsecondary / 2020 Median Pay: $74,740

One of the best jobs in the criminal justice industry is the role of teaching criminal justice, corrections, and law enforcement administration.

As a criminal justice and law enforcement teacher, you may be responsible for teaching industry best practices to college students or working professionals (or both!), and you may also be tasked with conducting relevant industry research.

These roles are almost certainly going to require a master’s degree in the topic, so if you’re thinking about getting into academia, then you’d certainly want to consider earning your Master’s in Criminal Justice.

Getting an advanced degree is by far the best possible way to unlock doors into the teaching profession, so don’t neglect this opportunity if your plan is to get into teaching at some point in your career.

Do You Need a Master’s Degree to Get a Job in Criminal Justice?

You don’t need a master’s degree to work in the field of criminal justice and you could certainly get an entry-level role with a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice.

But earning your master’s degree will make it easier for you to get a more senior-level job, like a position in leadership or management, where you can make a bigger impact by playing a more prominent and important role.

Earning your master’s degree in the field will prove that you’ve developed the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to take charge of a criminal justice organization’s resources and provide the leadership required to ensure continued operational success.

Your master’s program will provide you with intangible benefits as well, including the confidence needed to approach difficult leadership tasks, like handling complex, yet critical decision-making processes that require a sophisticated understanding of how the criminal justice system works.

If you’re looking to launch a lifelong career in criminal justice and you have your sights set on landing a role within senior leadership, then you’ll definitely want to consider getting a Master’s Degree in Criminal Justice.

What Would You Learn in a Criminal Justice Master’s Program?

Studying criminal justice at the graduate level will provide you with a whole host of new skills, including the ability to:

Should you choose to study criminal justice with us at CSU Global, we’ll train you to handle some of the most challenging, but important tasks faced by criminal justice organizations, including:

You’ll graduate from our program fully prepared to tackle these incredibly complex responsibilities and provide real value to any criminal justice organization from your first day on the job.

Is a Master’s Degree in Criminal Justice Really Worth It?

Yes. Completing a Master’s Program in Criminal Justice really is worth it, especially if you choose to get your degree from CSU Global; our program is designed to provide you with relevant, useful, real-world skills and knowledge.

Our master’s program will set you up for a successful, lifelong career in this difficult, but extremely rewarding industry, preparing you to take charge at any level of an organization and steer it through the complex challenges modern criminal justice organizations face operating in the real world.

Whether you want to work for a private company, a public corporation, a nonprofit organization, or a state or federal government agency, you’ll graduate ready to handle the daily pressures and deliver real value as a leading expert in criminal justice.

No matter where your career takes you within the broad field of criminal justice, our program is sure to help set you up for achieving long-term success.

Should I Get My Master’s Degree in Criminal Justice Online?

Yes, you should certainly consider getting your Master’s of Science Degree in Criminal Justice online, since an online program tends to offer much more flexibility and freedom compared to traditional in-person programs.

If you choose to study online with us at CSU Global, you’ll enjoy getting to earn your degree in the most convenient format possible, since our program was specifically designed to provide students with maximum flexibility. 

To help you juggle your existing work and family responsibilities with your studies, our program offers:

If you’ve already got a busy schedule full of work or family responsibilities, then you’ll certainly want to think about studying online with us.

Why Should You Choose CSU Global for Your Master’s in Criminal Justice?

We’re the first independent, fully accredited, 100% online state university, and our online Master’s program in Criminal Justice was designed to help you develop the real-world skills you need to advance your career in this challenging, but exceptionally rewarding industry.

You can rest assured that your degree from CSU Global will be respected by potential employers since our Master’s in Criminal Justice program is regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and recently earned several important awards, including:

CSU Global itself has also recently achieved several important rankings, including:

To ensure that you’ll develop useful and relevant job skills and abilities, all of our program faculty have recent, real-world experience in criminal justice, while our partnerships with important criminal justice agencies and associations will ensure that you’re getting the latest information from the field, and a chance to develop a professional network even before you’ve graduated. 

We maintain partnerships with the following agencies:

Finally, we offer competitive tuition rates, and a Tuition Guarantee to ensure your rate won’t increase throughout the course of your program. For details on how our costs stack up against the competition, be sure to review our Cost Comparison Sheet.

Getting your Master’s Degree in Criminal Justice from CSU Global is the best way to advance your career by ensuring you’re prepared for a variety of leadership roles within the complex criminal justice industry.

To get additional details about our fully accredited, 100% online Master’s Degree in Criminal Justice, please give us a call at 800-462-7845 or fill out our Information Request Form.

Ready to get started today? Apply now!