Key takeaways
- California colleges with a criminology major include California State University Long Beach, University of California, Irvine, San Jose State University, Arizona State University, and University of La Verne.
- Students with inquisitive minds must opt for criminology in college.
- The criminal justice program deals with the consequences of crime, while criminology delves into the rationale for criminal activities.
- Some benefits of a criminology program include multiple job opportunities, job security, and exciting jobs.
- The highest-paying criminology professions entail lawyers, FBI specialists, judges, and criminologists. However, some jobs require additional education/certification.
- Arizona State University offers on-campus and online classes in criminology for ease.
- Criminology courses include Juvenile Delinquency, The Death Penalty, Prisons, Punishment, and Corrections, Extreme Punishment, and Miscarriages of Justice.
- The University of California Irvine has an acceptance rate of 21%.
- Criminology majors study crimes and criminal behavior through economics, biology, politics, and psychology.
- The University of La Verne is among the most expensive colleges, while Sonoma State University is among the most affordable US universities.
If you have watched the TV series, Sherlock, and wondered how Sherlock Holmes solves criminal activities with his intellect, you must possess inquisitive minds. Such curious souls are ideal for a criminology major in college. Criminology mainly delves into crimes – from how and why they occur to finding ways to solve them. If interested, check out California colleges’ websites for undergraduate criminology degree information!
Additionally, criminology majors must excel at critical thinking and problem-solving skills. That is because their tasks revolve around analyzing offenders’ cases, understanding the root of the problem, and how they affect society. Hence, this program is ideal if you possess exceptional research and analytical skills.
To find out more about criminology, read this blog. We will discuss the differences between criminology and criminal justice, the advantages of studying criminology, high-paying criminology jobs, and a list of California colleges with a criminology major. So, let’s dive into it.
What is the difference between criminology and criminal justice degrees?
Most students get confused between criminology and criminal justice programs. They are similar but possess different aims. Criminology and criminal justice departments help societies implement and regulate rules and regulations. The tasks of professionals, in both departments, revolve around offenders and relevant departments’ professionals, like law enforcement and government.
Furthermore, criminal justice and criminology students study qualitative and quantitative research methods, like statistics, forensics, and sociology. Also, majors from both programs require analytical, decision-making, communication, and critical thinking skills.
However, there are a few differences. Criminal justice students’ courses are inclined toward how to tackle crime. For instance, they learn about the prevention techniques of potential homicides and ways to catch offenders.
On the other hand, criminology students focus on the theoretical aspect of crimes. For example, they study the psychological, sociological, biological, and economic causes of crimes, like homicide.
In a nutshell, criminal justice jobs emphasize the effects of crime; whereas, criminology professionals seek the rationale for criminal activities.
Why must students pursue California colleges with a criminology major?
If you are confused between criminology and another program, read the advantages of pursuing California colleges with a criminology major below:
Several career opportunities
Criminology majors have innumerable job opportunities post-graduation. For example, students can explore jobs in education, activism, policing, law enforcement agencies, international development, consulting, and public administration. However, students must attain additional education, like graduate programs and certifications, for some jobs.
Intriguing jobs
If you have watched The Boys, Sherlock, and Quantico, you must know that criminology professionals have exciting jobs. Criminology professions keep individuals engaged due to the dynamic nature of their work. For instance, criminology majors learn about drug abuse and culture in detail to comprehend why individuals steal.
Job security
Criminology majors experience low unemployment rates because they have innumerable job options. They can find jobs everywhere since most jobs are in the government sector. Hence, criminology students can move anywhere without having to worry about unemployment.
Furthermore, students who explore California colleges with a criminology major can earn more than $100,000 in international development and law enforcement agencies. Therefore, criminology majors can be included in the high United States income spectrum.
Improve societal conditions
Professionals must study criminal activities and behavior in-depth to make a difference in society by exploring career opportunities with a criminology degree. Without interpreting offenders’ behavior from various angles, criminal justice professionals cannot take action against them.
Also, a detailed analysis assists criminology professionals in discovering whether they should capture offenders or provide assistance like cognitive behavioral therapy. Hence, the role of criminology professionals is crucial in determining the root causes of issues like burglaries, harassment, and murder.
What are the job opportunities after graduating from California colleges with a criminology major?
After earning degrees from colleges in California, students can opt for careers in social work, policy analysis, and corrections. However, check the table below for high-paying jobs after graduating from college in California:
| Professions | Salary ranges |
| Judge and hearing officers | $128,710 |
| Attorney/lawyer | $127,990 |
| FBI specialist | $100,000 |
| FBI agent | $93,970 |
| Criminologist | $92,910 |
| Financial examiner | $81,410 |
| Intelligence analyst | $72,429 |
| Forensic psychologist | $72,285 |
| Security manager | $71,922 |
| Police officer | $66,020 |
| United States postal inspector | $64,964 |
| Transit and railroad police | $64,930 |
| Criminal justice professor | $64,600 |
| Fire investigator | $63,080 |
| Forensic science technician | $61,930 |
| Fish and game warden | $60,730 |
| Probation officer | $60,250 |
| Immigration/customs enforcement agent | $59,789 |
| Private investigator | $59,380 |
| Corrections manager | $44,880 |
What are the options for California colleges with a criminology major?
For more information about criminology colleges in America, California, read the details below:
California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt
The criminology and justice studies program at California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt helps students learn about inequalities of crime, policies, law, social theories, and research methods. Their reputable criminology faculty members belong to various disciplines to impart holistic learning concerning the US systems.
Moreover, students study criminal activities and behavior through race, gender, and class for a deeper analysis. Topics discussed in US criminology colleges’ courses include learning about why people commit crimes, how people respond to them, crime prevention strategies, and interpreting the US criminal justice system.
As mentioned earlier, criminology students understand the background information of crimes through various lenses. Therefore, the courses include Research Methods in Sociology, Gender and Sexuality, and Political Violence.
University of La Verne
The University of La Verne’s criminology degree prepares students for diverse careers in corrections, law, criminal and forensic investigations, and policing. Professors indulge in criminology topics through cultural, social, economic, and political aspects, helping students think outside the box. Criminology majors are required to complete a thesis and internships for professional exposure.
Furthermore, the University of La Verne’s professionals emphasize student empowerment by promoting inclusion, diversity, leadership, and creativity. The criminology courses offered include Introduction to Sociology, Criminal Justice System, and Drugs and Society. Hence, students are exposed to sociology topics too for comprehensive learning, like ethics, race, and gender.
Sonoma State University
Criminology majors of Sonoma State University learn about the effects of class, gender, and race, the efficiency of organizations responsible for crime, and the role of law. Professors also encourage engaging in discussions regarding social control, advantageous procedures, and various approaches to criminal justice issues.
Additionally, Sonoma State University offers opportunities to study abroad, improving their critical thinking, communication, and analytical skills. They have several clubs and organizations for students to blow off steam amid their studies. Hence, students are given multiple professional and personal growth opportunities through unique criminology courses, clubs, and study abroad opportunities.
San Jose State University
San Jose State University is one of the renowned California colleges with a criminology major. Pursuing a criminology degree from this college helps students think critically about criminal justice issues. The aims of this program include understanding historical information on global and local crimes, analyzing societal responses to crime, and ethical knowledge.
Moreover, criminology majors are introduced to courses like Introduction to Human Rights and Justice, Research Methods in Justice Studies, and Essentials of U.S. History. Such courses assist students with the contemporary knowledge of social justice campaigns, data analysis through qualitative and quantitative research, and historical notions of the United States.
University of California Irvine
The University of California Irvine in the US is among the most highly rated public colleges with an acceptance rate of 21%. Their reputable professors provide students with in-depth knowledge concerning the US legal system, issues of criminal activities, and how people respond to crime. Plus, students are introduced to perspectives like anthropology, politics, and economics for crime comprehension.
Criminology courses offered at the University of California Irvine include:
- Prisons, Punishment, and Corrections
- Sociology of Law
- The Death Penalty
- Juvenile Delinquency
- Miscarriages of Justice
- Extreme Punishment
- Community Context of Crime
Also, the university provides students with loans, grants, scholarships, jobs, and work-study opportunities based on need.
Arizona State University
If you cannot attend on-campus classes, pursue criminology online at Arizona State University. They offer classes on-campus and online for convenience. Moreover, criminology majors learn about the rationale for people committing crimes, how society responds to them, and how criminal activities can be prevented.
For better comprehension, analysis, and comparison between local and worldwide crimes criminology majors are exposed to economics, sociology, biology, and psychology. Professors teach courses like Courts and Sentencing, Research Methods, and Inequality, and Crime and Criminal Justice. They impart knowledge regarding the harsh realities of crime and offenders through such topics.
Moreover, students at Arizona State University can partake in organizations like dance teams, sports clubs, and entrepreneurial groups. Hence, if you want to grow personally and professionally, apply to Arizona State University’s criminology program.
Chatham University
Criminology professors at Chatham University deeply embed knowledge concerning diversity in criminal justice, quantitative and qualitative research methods, US justice departments, and historical information on crimes.
Furthermore, the professors discuss offenders’ behavior through psychology and physiological factors. They also teach students to write detailed reports for documentation and presentation purposes in the Law Enforcement and Criminal Investigations course. Plus, Chatham University influences students to communicate and network with others through events, clubs, and organizations.
Also, confused students can visit the consultants in Career Development for professional guidance. Their purpose is to assist students with their goals; hence, reach out to them when lost.
Tuition fees of California colleges with a criminology major
Students must research tuition fees of California colleges with a criminology major because they can help with the selection process. Furthermore, for college planning research college websites for the aid they provide students, like scholarships, grants, work-study opportunities, and loans.
The following table mentions yearly tuition fees for California colleges with a criminology major:
| Colleges | Yearly tuition fees |
| University of La Verne | $47,150 |
| Arizona State University | 32,394 |
| Cal Poly Pomona University | 12,600 |
| Chatham University | 43,518 |
| California State University Long Beach | 17,430 |
| San Jose State University | 7,992 |
| University of California, Irvine | 12,522 |
| Fresno Pacific University | 35,990 |
| Humboldt State University | 8,250 |
| Sonoma State University | 6,084 |
Explore California colleges with a criminology major for growth!
To conclude, California colleges with a criminology major help students with critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Moreover, US criminology courses help students with awareness of Gender and Sexuality, Research Methods in Sociology, and Introduction to Human Rights and Justice providing students with holistic knowledge, and helping them think outside the box.
Hence, explore criminology colleges in California, criminology colleges in Alabama, and other US states, if you are interested in why crimes occur and crime prevention techniques. Some criminology colleges in California include the University of California, Irvine, and Sonoma State University. Also, students who cannot attend on-campus classes can take online criminology classes at Arizona State University.