Criminal Justice Schools and Career Training

This site is designed to connect you with the best criminal justice degree programs in the United States. The schools mentioned on this site offer specialized coursework, certificates, associate's or bachelor's degrees in criminal justice, criminology or law enforcement.

As you're probably aware, the demand for trained individuals in law enforcement, judicial, corrections and private security fields is rapidly increasing. Law enforcement officers and other agents are needed at the federal, state and local level.


How do I get into this field?
There are several ways to train for your first position. Many local law enforcement, corrections and administrative support staff positions are attainable with a certificate of completion or associate's degree.

The recommended route is to earn a bachelor's degree which will give you the degree you need to not only secure your first job, but also give you the credentials to move up within the organization as time goes on. That being said, individuals who aspire to advanced positions within competitive federal agencies such as the FBI, CIA, ATF or Secret Service will surely benefit by working towards a Master's degree.


What kind of positions are available?
There is a wide spectrum of career options at the national, state or local level. Typical job categories include criminal investigators, customs and border agents, private detectives, insurance investigators, corrections officers, court clerks, crime scene analysts, police and highway patrol officers, sheriffs, deputies, FBI, CIA, Secret Service and US Marshals.


What will I study?
Most educational programs will combine specialized courses with general education classes. Typical specialized classwork will be in subjects such as criminology methods, criminal behavior, American judicial systems, criminal investigations, corrections practices, probation and parole, public policy, constitutional and criminal law, juvenile justice, public safety, victimology and ethics.


Where should I go next?
Put your zipcode in our criminal justice degree program search tool: