Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Criminal Justice Salaries

Career Center - by Get Degrees Staff

Are you thinking about getting a degree in a criminal justice field, but aren’t sure if the payoff will be worth the effort? Not to worry: criminal justice is an in-demand field with many diverse options to choose from. Not every criminal justice career is as lucrative as that of a high-powered trial lawyer, but most of them—careers in the police or security sector, for example—are steady work and bring home a solid paycheck.

No matter what path you take, a college degree will help you along your way. College graduates make substantially more on average than high school graduates, no matter what the position, and a degree can be your key to higher-ranking positions within your field.

What The Professionals Are Saying About Your Salary Prospects…

The U.S. Department of Labor has great things to say about salary prospects for criminal justice careers, both in the private and public sectors.

Private Sector

In the private sector, the outlook for court reporting is especially promising for those with the certification needed to get ahead. The DoL says, “Wage and salary court reporters had median annual earnings of $45,610 in May 2006. The middle 50 percent earned between $33,160 and $61,530. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $23,430, and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $77,770.”

Equally promising for those with good certification is a career in paralegal work. The DoL mentioned that competition can be tight, but applicants with degrees and experience tend to come out on top. Regarding salary: “In May 2006, full-time wage-and-salary paralegals and legal assistants had median annual earnings, including bonuses, of $43,040. The middle 50 percent earned between $33,920 and $54,690.”

Public Sector

Things look just as good for the public sector of criminal justice. The Department of Labor expects competition for aspiring police officers and detectives, but expects excellent prospects for applicants with a criminal justice degree or other related degrees. “Employment of police and detectives is expected to grow 11 percent over the 2006-16 decade, about as fast as the average for all occupations. A more security-conscious society and population growth will contribute to the increasing demand for police services… Police and sheriff’s patrol officers had median annual earnings of $47,460 in May 2006… Median annual earnings of detectives and criminal investigators were $58,260. The middle 50 percent earned between $43,920 and $76,350. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $34,480, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $92,590.” The DoL also cited extra benefits for Federal employees involved in law enforcement.

Another growing field with a lot of opportunity is that of correctional and probation officers, with equal growth and excellent earnings: “Median annual earnings of probation officers and correctional treatment specialists in May 2006 were $42,500. The middle 50 percent earned between $33,880 and $56,280. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $28,000, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $71,160.” Easily find and compare additional online degree programs options at Get Degrees.