The following is a list of potential career opportunities for individuals who have a degree in Criminal Justice. This is only a partial list. There are numerous other opportunities available to Criminal Justice majors.
Note 1: Some careers require additional graduate study.
Note 2: Some criminal justice agencies require specific physical qualifications, e.g., height, weight, vision (corrected vs. non-corrected), etc. The student should check with the specific agency in which she/he is interested in order to determine its specific requirements for employment.
Note 3: The student seeking this degree should be aware that some careers in Criminal Justice may require a criminal background check.
Careers in Law Enforcement
Federal Agencies:
- Air Force OSI (Office of Special Investigations)
- Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms Special Agent
- Central Intelligence Agency Agent
- Defense Criminal Investigative Service (Special Agent)
- Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent
- Federal Bureau of Investigations Special Agent
- Federal Bureau of Prisons
- Federal Police Officer
- Federal Postal Inspector
- Immigration and Customs Enforcement (I.C.E.) Investigator
- Internal Revenue Service Special Agent
- National Crime Information Center (diverse positions)
- Naval Crime Scene Investigative Service (Special Agent)
- United States Border Protection Agent
- United States Capitol Police Officer
- United States Coast Guard
- United States Fish and Wildlife Service (Special Agent/Refugee Officer)
- United States Department of State Diplomatic Security (Special Agent)
- United States Department of the Treasury
- United States Immigration Inspector
- United States Import Specialist
- United States Marshal Service
- United States National Center Bureau (Interpol Officer)
- United States Park Police
- United States Postal Service Inspector
- United States Secret Service Physical Security Specialist
- United States Secret Service Special Agent
- United States Secret Service Uniformed Officer
- United States Transportation Security Administration (Air Marshal)
State Agencies:
- State Bureau of Investigation and Apprehension
- State Crime Information Center
- State Crime Laboratory
- State Department of Human Rights
- State Department of Natural Resources
- State Fire Marshal Division
- State Highway Patrol
- State Police
County Agencies:
- County Sheriff / Deputy Sheriff
- County Police
- County Coroner / Medical Examiner
Local Agencies:
- City / Municipal Police
- Town Marshal
Careers in the Courts:
- Judge
- Bailiff
- U.S. Attorney (Office of the Attorney General)
- Assistant U.S. Attorney
- State Attorney General (State Attorney’s Office)
- Assistant Attorney General
- Prosecuting Attorney
- Deputy Prosecuting Attorney
- Public Defender (Federal or State)
- Private Criminal or Civil Attorney
- Paralegal
- Law Librarian
- Court Psychologist
- Court Administrator
- Court Clerk
- Court Interpreter
- Court Reporter
- Victim / Witness Service
- Juvenile Court Intake Officer
Careers in Corrections:
- Warden
- Correctional Food Service Coordinator
- Correctional Officer
- Guard
- Parole Officer
- Physician Assistant/Certified Nurse
- Probation Officer
- Psychiatrist/Psychologist
- Correctional Counselor
- Correctional Case Manager
- Social Worker
- Recreational Specialist
Correctional Agencies:
- Federal Bureau of Prisons
- State Department of Corrections
- County Jails
- County Juvenile Detention Centers
- County Probation Offices
Careers in Miscellaneous CJ Areas:
- Blood Splatter Analyst
- Campus Law Enforcement
- Caseworker (Adult or Juvenile)
- Counselor (Alcohol/Drug Abuse, Child/Spousal Abuse, Family Services)
- Criminal Profiler
- Criminologist
- Crisis Centers
- Drug Treatment Centers
- Forensic Scientist
- Insurance Companies (Fraudulent Claims Investigation)
- Medicare/Medicaid (Fraudulent Claims Investigation)
- Private Security Company (Businesses, Airports, Hospitals, Hotels)
- Research/Data Analyst
- Worker’s Compensation Commission
