Recently, we explored what you can do with a Master’s Degree in Criminal Justice, and here, we’ll explain which specific jobs you can get after completing your master’s program.
We’ll look at several of the top-rated jobs for alumni of criminal justice graduate programs to help you get a better idea of the types of options you’ll have after completing your graduate degree in the field.
We’ll also review whether or not it’s really worth getting a Master’s in Criminal Justice, and we’ll explore the many reasons why you should consider studying online instead of on-campus.
Once you’ve learned about the jobs you can get with a Master’s in Criminal Justice, fill out our information request form to learn more about CSU Global’s 100% online Master’s Degree in Criminal Justice. Or, if you’re ready to get started, submit your application today.
What Jobs Does a Master’s in Criminal Justice Make You Eligible For?
Completing your Master’s Degree in Criminal Justice will open doors to roles you simply couldn’t get without completing a master’s program, including many excellent opportunities in leadership and management.
One of the big benefits of studying criminal justice is that this field is so large it provides you with a wealth of options for pursuing lifelong, stable, and fulfilling employment working in different fields like public safety, security, and even technology, making it easy to find a niche that you’ll truly enjoy.
But what are some of the top-rated jobs for criminal justice alumni? Let’s look at four excellent options for master’s program graduates.
Detectives and Criminal Investigators / 2021 Median Pay: $90,370
If you like solving puzzles, you enjoy a serious mental challenge, and you want to play one of the most important roles in the entire criminal justice system, solving crimes and collecting the evidence used to prosecute criminals, then you may be perfectly suited for a role as a detective or criminal investigator.
Detectives and criminal investigations gather facts and collect evidence of crimes, which is one of the most critical tasks in the entire criminal justice system, since it provides the evidence and data needed to actually enforce the law and deter future criminal behavior.
Most detectives and investigators work directly for the government, serving in federal, state, or local level positions, and these jobs aren’t easy to come by, so if you’re looking to get into this line of work, it’s important that you build out a great resume.
One of the best ways to prove that you’re prepared for this challenging role is to earn advanced education credentials, like a Master’s Degree in Criminal Justice, which will prove that you’ve put in the time to develop an advanced understanding of modern criminal justice theory and best practices.
Your advanced knowledge of ethics, decision-making and the impact of crime on society will be useful not only for your day-to-day operations as a detective or criminal investigator but also for convincing a hiring manager to consider you for an available position in this field.
Emergency Management Directors / 2021 Median Pay: $76,730
If you work extremely well under pressure, especially when the stakes couldn’t be higher, then you may be cut out to serve as an emergency management director, or the person who’s responsible for spearheading an organization’s plans and procedures when responding to natural disasters and other emergencies.
There may be no other job more important than this one, as time is of the essence after a disaster unfolds, and this role requires an advanced, sophisticated understanding of every component of the criminal justice system, which makes it a perfect position for someone who holds a Master’s Degree in Criminal Justice.
Your master’s program studies related to the tools and strategies used to prevent and respond to crime, and terrorism will make you uniquely suited to handle the advanced pressures emergency management directors face, allowing you to react appropriately to protect people and property when it’s truly on the line.
There aren’t a lot of openings for roles like this, so it’s critically important that you have a stellar resume if you’re looking to break into this specific field, and one of the best ways to help prove you’ve got the knowledge, skills, and mindset needed to operate under pressure is by earning a Master’s in Criminal Justice.
Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Teachers, Postsecondary / 2021 Median Pay: $81,730
If you’re interested in getting into academia and you’d like to play an important role in providing training to the next generation of criminal justice professionals, then becoming a criminal justice and law enforcement teacher may be the ideal job for you.
In this position, you’ll train college students or working professionals, or both, in the latest theories, techniques, and best practices for protecting public safety.
You’ll get to utilize everything you learned about criminal justice, fraud, law-enforcement theory, cybercrime, international crime, and terrorism in your Criminal Justice Master’s Program to ensure that the next generation is prepared to serve as competent, effective criminal justice professionals.
Getting your Master’s Degree is virtually a 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.
Police Officers / 2021 Median Pay: $66,020
If you want to serve on the absolute front lines of the criminal justice system in perhaps the most prominent role in the industry, then you may want to consider becoming a police officer.
As a police officer, you’ll be directly responsible for protecting people and their property, playing one of the most fundamental roles in the entire criminal justice system, which can be incredibly challenging, but also quite rewarding.
You don’t need a Master’s Degree in Criminal Justice to become a police officer, but the material you study in your master’s program will ensure that you’re far better prepared to serve on the front lines of the struggle to protect people, public and personal property, while also defending critical civil liberties.
Is a Master’s Degree in Criminal Justice Really Worth It?
Yes, it’s worth getting a Master’s Degree in Criminal Justice, especially if you choose to get your degree from an accredited and widely respected institution like CSU Global.
Our Master’s in Criminal Justice program will prepare you for advanced industry jobs by providing you with a richer, deeper understanding of critical topics in criminal justice, including:
- Ethics.
- Decision making.
- Technology.
- Cybercrime.
- International crime.
- Terrorism.
- The impact of crime on society.
You’ll emerge from our program prepared to be able to:
- Evaluate how community-based justice helps in preventing crime.
- Utilize research design, data collection, and analytical methods.
- Discuss the roles, strategies, and impacts of effective criminal justice leadership and management.
- Apply professional ethics to criminal justice operations
- Describe crime and control from a range of theoretical and global perspectives.
- Understand how technology is used as an effective and contemporary crime-fighting tool.
These capabilities will position you for excellent jobs in criminal justice, including management-level and leadership-oriented positions.
While you will need to dedicate a significant amount of time and energy to complete your master’s program, this is one of the best possible ways to prepare for a successful, lifelong career in the industry.
Can You Get an Accredited M.S. in Criminal Justice Online?
Yes, you can get a regionally accredited Master’s Degree in Criminal Justice online from CSU Global.
Our accelerated online Master’s program offers far more flexibility and freedom compared to traditional in-person programs, making it an excellent option for anyone who wants to get their degree, but needs a flexible program they can work into an already busy schedule.
We designed this program with freedom and flexibility in mind and choosing to study with us means you’ll get to enjoy the following benefits:
- No set times or locations for classes.
- Monthly class starts.
- Accelerated, eight-week courses.
If you’re certain you want to complete a Master’s in Criminal Justice, but you’re not sure how you’d be able to fit the new responsibilities within your already busy schedule, then you should certainly think about studying online with us.
Why Should You Choose CSU Global?
CSU Global is proud to be one of the first independent, fully accredited, 100% online state universities, and our 100% 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 industry.
You should choose to get your degree from us because it’s certain to be respected by potential employers since our Criminal Justice Master's program is regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, and because the program also recently earned several important awards, including:
- A #1 ranking on 25 Best Online Master’s in Criminal Justice for 2020 from Best Masters Programs.
- A #4 ranking on Best Online Master's in Law Enforcement Administration Programs of 2022 from Intelligent.
- A #4 ranking on The 20 Best Online Master’s in Criminal Justice Degree Programs 2020 from Online Course Report.
CSU Global itself has also recently achieved several important rankings, including:
- A #1 ranking for Best Online Colleges & Schools in Colorado from Best Accredited Colleges.
- A #1 ranking for Best Online Colleges in Colorado from Best Colleges.
- A #10 ranking for Best Online Colleges for ROI from OnlineU.
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, and to help you build a professional network even before you’ve graduated, we maintain partnerships with several important criminal justice agencies, including:
- Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
- International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM)
- Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE)
- Coalition Against Insurance Fraud (CAIF)
- Alpha Phi Sigma Honors Society
- Academy of Criminal Justice Science (ACJS)
Finally, we also offer competitive tuition rates and a Tuition Guarantee to ensure your rate won’t increase during the course of your studies. 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 prepare for a variety of leadership roles within the challenging, but extremely rewarding field of criminal justice.
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!