Key takeaways
- Criminology degree jobs show steady growth and competitive pay, with an increase expected in 2024.
- Criminology career opportunities are the highest in Maryland, but also seemingly steady in New Jersey and Illinois.
- Law enforcement offers the largest pool of jobs for criminology graduates, including roles like police officers and detectives.
- Corrections and rehabilitation careers are very impactful careers, focusing on maintaining order in institutions and aiding in rehabilitation efforts.
- Legal professions provide diverse opportunities and also have some of the highest-paying jobs.
- Forensic science is a specialized field within criminology, typically requiring additional training and qualifications for roles like forensic scientists and digital forensic analysts.
- Essential skills for various criminology careers include analytical thinking, interpersonal communication, and a strong sense of ethics.
- Top colleges for pursuing a criminology degree include the University of Maryland, the University of Maryville, George Mason University, and Ohio State University.
According to many reports and surveys by Zippia, criminology careers have seen a steady growth in the number of jobs as well as the pay scale over the years. Particularly, a small salary increase is recorded for the year 2024.
Additionally, criminology degree jobs are more in number in Maryland, followed by West Virginia, New Jersey, and Illinois. Therefore, consider pursuing a sociology degree in Maryland to leverage better job opportunities in a related field like criminology.
Before you select any discipline or field that you want to major in, you must have all the necessary information. So, wondering about the criminology career opportunities means that you are headed in the right direction.
In this blog, we uncover a good deal of criminology degree jobs and career paths that you may explore. However, keep in mind that like all degrees, there may be some additional certifications and training you will need for a high-paying job.
A criminology degree is an evergreen career path since crime is a relevant problem in all parts of the world at all times. Therefore, you could really enjoy working a job that is impactful and change-making.
Now, if we have got you excited, let’s not wait any longer. Let’s delve into exploring the criminology career opportunities.
What are the most common career paths for finding criminology degree jobs?
Before you dive into the details of criminology careers, make sure you are aware of the factors that determine the job outlook. For example, the quality of college education, college accreditation, and degree level are important factors to consider.
Therefore, we strongly recommend choosing a good college for a criminology degree in the USA. A good, reputable college will help you land more prestigious job opportunities.
Not only that, but you should also pay attention to the variety of undergraduate degrees that can help you build a criminology career. For example, a sociology undergraduate degree is one of the most common pathways people select for landing jobs in the criminology field.
Explore colleges for sociology now!
So, let’s move on to uncovering the different types of jobs and careers you can enjoy with a criminology degree.
Law enforcement careers
The biggest pool of jobs for criminology degrees is in the law enforcement industry. While you can look for jobs in law enforcement with other degrees, criminology is the top most choice.
Within law enforcement, there are various streams and types of jobs you can choose. Firstly, there is support personnel. Second, you can find jobs as uniformed officers but might need additional qualifications. Thirdly, there are crime investigators. These three streams work together to combat crime and its effects.
Police and detective roles are part of the law enforcement careers. Impressively, these roles are projected to see 3% employment growth by 2032, according to reports by BLS.
Lastly, criminology is a holistic study, and it is ever-evolving. It explores various aspects of crime and criminal justice. As for a career in law enforcement, you may be solving crimes, investigating criminals, advocating for victims, or even conducting research.
In any case, you will be dealing a lot with legal issues, rules, and regulations, as well as court rulings every now and then. Therefore, for a career in this, you should have a thorough understanding of criminal and legal jargon, good report-writing skills, and collaborative skills.
Lastly, some skills and qualifications required for a career in law enforcement may include:
- Good communication
- Interrogation skills
- A keen eye for detail
- Sense of ethics
- Analytical skills
- Data management
- Understanding of human behavior (e.g. minor in sociology or psychology)
Job roles and titles within law enforcement
These are the most popular law enforcement jobs for criminology graduates:
- Police officer
- Detective
- Paralegal
- Forensic analyst
Corrections and rehabilitation careers
To begin with, a huge part of crime and criminal studies is corrections and rehabilitation. This aspect of crime focuses on not only preserving the integrity of the criminals but also preventing such incidents from happening in the future.
Corrections and rehabilitation jobs are mostly found in institutions and places like rehab centers, prisons, detention centers, jails, and more. However, you must have empathy and great interpersonal skills to pursue a career in this field.
Another point to note here is that corrections and rehabilitation is also a specialization offered by most of the colleges for criminology. Therefore, you can find esteemed jobs in this field if you opt for this specialization during your degree.
Some of the many job roles and responsibilities of correctional officers may include maintaining peace and order in jails, overseeing individuals and their progress, and conducting sessions for groups or individuals.
Additionally, you might not be required to take up any further professional degrees to pursue a career in this. However, additional training, certifications, and courses could really help amplify job opportunities and make you better on the job.
Some skills you may need to lead a successful criminology career in corrections may include:
- Interpersonal communication
- Time management
- Speaking skills
- Leadership skills
- Empathy
- Self-discipline
Job roles and titles within corrections and rehabilitation
Common job roles and titles within corrections:
- Corrections officer
- Probation officer
- Sheriff
- Prison manager
Legal Professions
Certainly, to pursue criminology degree jobs in the legal profession, you must opt for a specialization in law. Legal professions require comprehensive knowledge and understanding of all things legal, including court proceedings, counseling, and other legal applications.
In addition to this, the best part about choosing legal professions with a criminology degree is that the options are diverse. There are many different types of exciting jobs within the industry, ensuring that you don’t run out of options.
Moreover, legal professions can be thrilling, but not as challenging as law enforcement jobs. For example, you can be a solicitor, who is typically a private legal advisor. It is a high-paying job that requires you to work with individual clients.
Additionally, there are many high-paying jobs as paralegals. Paralegals are significant parts of legal teams and often play a supportive role rather than the main role. They work with case files, data, and so much more. According to BLS, paralegal jobs will increase by 4% by 2032.
In the legal profession, you can find jobs in industries and organizations such as corporate legal departments, courts, law firms, and healthcare institutions. The skills required by legal professions with a criminology degree are:
- Research skills
- Data analysis
- Analytical skills
- Sensitivity and ethics
- Problem-solving skills
Job roles and titles within legal professions
Some of the most common professions and job titles within the legal profession for a criminology career include:
- Criminal lawyer
- Paralegal
- Probation officer
- Legal researcher
- Compliance officer
- Corporate lawyer
- Legal Secretary
Forensic Science
A criminology career requires many skills and qualities in a person. You must be in possession of essential skills like interpersonal communication and analytical capability. However, when deciding which criminology careers suit you the best, you must quickly assess your particular skills.
Particularly, if you have a curious mind, have lots of questions, and always find yourself having queries, then forensic science may be the right career direction for you. Firstly, forensic science is focused on solving crime, as well as legal proceedings.
As a forensic scientist, you might find jobs that are mostly based in laboratories. However, there may be some jobs that are more field-focused, so you will be exposed to a lot of fieldwork. Evidence collection and analysis is a huge part of forensic science. However, you might have to get additional training after your criminology degree to build a career in forensic science.
Furthermore, in this modern day and age, digital forensic analysts are also in high demand. A digital forensics job requires you to analyze, manage, and preserve digital evidence, mostly related to computer or cyber crimes, such as cyberbullying. Moreover, you must also have sound knowledge of laws and rules surrounding the issue of technological misconduct.
Moreover, you might need to add certifications and lots of training to your undergraduate degree. For some jobs in forensic science, you might as well require graduate degrees, like a master’s and a doctoral. Forensic science is specialized and requires the knowledge of many other disciplines such as sociology, biology, chemistry, and so on.
If you have most of the following skills, you might want to consider opting for criminology career opportunities in forensic science:
- Scientific knowledge
- Analytical skills
- Teamwork and collaboration
- Confidentiality
- Continuous learning
- Evidence management
- Technological knowledge
Job roles and titles within forensic science
Some of the most common professions and job titles within the forensic science profession for a criminology career include:
- Forensic Scientist
- Crime Scene Investigator
- Forensic Pathologist
- Digital forensic analyst
List of criminology degree jobs
It’s important to wonder whether a criminology degree is right for you.
Now that you know what are the most common criminology careers, here are the most common jobs with criminology degrees:
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Industries and institutes that most frequently hire criminology degree holders include:
- Central and local government
- Non-profit organizations
- Prison and probation services
- Security services
- The court services
- The police
What colleges offer the most suitable criminology degrees?
Moving on, if you have discovered everything about what you can do with a criminology degree, then take the next step. Explore colleges for criminology, or uncover the other related fields you can opt for, such as sociology.
Here are the top 4 colleges for criminology you should not miss out on!.
University of Maryville
You must enroll in the undergraduate criminology degree at the University of Maryville if you wish to study courses that are in line with the modern world. The program is focused on solving real-world problems and teaches using practicals more than bookish knowledge. Students can learn and thrive with a lot of support and guidance from the college, including an advisor for all students.
University of Maryland
The University of Maryland is one of the most popular colleges for sociology in Maryland, as well as for criminology. The college is known for its diverse variety of undergraduate programs, and each program offers something unique. The criminology and criminal justice major at UMD has comprehensive coursework that covers many sensitive issues, such as immigration and 21st-century world problems.
George Mason University
George Mason University offers a thorough criminology program that stands out for its interdisciplinary approach and practical teaching methods. Located in Fairfax, Virginia, GMU is known for its hands-on faculty and research-driven academics.
The criminology program at George Mason University emphasizes real-world applications, preparing students to tackle contemporary issues in law enforcement, criminal justice policy, and community safety. Overall, George Mason University is an excellent choice for students seeking a dynamic and practical education in criminology, equipping them with the skills and knowledge needed to make a meaningful impact in the field.
Ohio State University
At Ohio State University, you can get a BA in criminology, which is a sociology-focused program. It’s coursework focuses on various angles of crime, aimed towards the improvement and betterment of society. Furthermore, you learn a range of social research methods, opening gates to career opportunities as a social researcher and much more.
Kickstart your criminology career now!
In summary, we can easily agree that criminology career opportunities are diverse. We hope to have answered your questions about “What can you do with a criminology degree”. The long list of various career paths makes a criminology degree a good choice for many.
Moreover, criminology offers a diverse range of career opportunities, with steady growth and competitive salaries projected into 2024. You can explore many areas of crime and criminal justice, such as law enforcement, corrections, and rehabilitation, legal professions, forensic science, or other related fields.
Furthermore, a criminology degree equips you with essential skills like analytical thinking and interpersonal communication. Choosing the right college is crucial for preparing for these roles. Luckily, there are great institutions like the University of Maryland and the University of Maryville standing offer comprehensive programs.
Ultimately, a career in criminology can be both impactful and rewarding, addressing critical societal issues. Lastly, all criminology careers and jobs are ever-evolving, and almost never run out of demand. Criminology is a sensitive field of study and requires many sensitive skills such as empathy and communication.