What is a good Criminal Justice Salary?
A good criminal justice salary varies widely depending on the job within the criminal justice field you are interested in. There are numerous jobs within the criminal justice field, each with a different criminal justice salary. For example, you could be:
- A police officer
- A police detective
- A prison guard or warden
- A probation officer
- A forensic scientist
- A paralegal
A police officer works on the police force, helping to maintain law and order. Police officers patrol the streets, respond to 911 calls, direct traffic, and serve other important roles in ensuring that the public is safe. A police detective solves crimes. A prison guard or warden keeps order in a prison. A probation officer deals with convicted offenders who are sentenced to probation or who are released from jail, helping the individuals to rejoin society and ensuring they stay on the straight and narrow. A forensic scientists studies evidence at crime scenes to help solve crimes. A paralegal works at a law office, doing legal research.
Criminal Justice Salary What to Expect
Work in the criminal justice field is fast-paced. You serve an important role in protecting the public, and as a result you may have to work long or unusual hours. You have to deal with criminals on a regular basis, and you must be able to cope with high stress and sometimes gory or gruesome crime scenes. However, if you are qualified and skilled within your field, you can earn a good criminal justice salary and obtain excellent benefits as a government employee.
Criminal Justice Salary Correlates with Education
Your criminal justice salary is also dependent upon the type of education you have. Typically, a minimum of an associate’s degree in criminal justice forensic science, or paralegal studies is required to obtain a criminal justice job. Those with a bachelor’s or a master’s degree may be eligible for advancement within careers and may start at a higher criminal justice salary. Those with a PhD may be eligible for the best opportunities and the highest criminal justice salary within the field.
Criminal Justice Jobs that Pay
A good criminal justice salary also depends upon the field you are in. To earn the highest criminal justice salary, you will need to select the career field that interests you the most and work your way up, proving yourself so you can achieve the highest possible salary within your field.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports average criminal justice salaries for people in various career fields, as well as salary statistics for the top ten percent of individuals within a field. The latest reports, as of 2008, can give you a good idea of your expected salary.
- If you opt to become a police officer, the median salary is $51,410 as of May 2008. The highest 10 percent earn $79,680 or higher
- Police detectives earn an average salary of $75,409. The highest 10 percent earn $97,870 or more
- Correctional officers enjoy an average salary of $38,380 while the highest 10 percent earn $64,110
- Forensic scientists have an average salary of $49,857 and the top ten percent make $80,330 or more
- Paralegals have an average salary of $46,120. The top ten percent earned over $73,450
