With a criminal justice degree, you can pursue a wide range of careers in law enforcement, corrections, legal services, and related fields. Common jobs include:

• Police Officer: Enforce laws, protect citizens, patrol communities, respond to incidents, and make arrests. Requires an associate or bachelor's degree

• Correctional Officer: Supervise inmates in jails and prisons, maintain order and security. Requires a bachelor's degree

• Private Investigator: Conduct investigations for legal, financial, or criminal cases, perform surveillance, and gather evidence. Requires an associate or bachelor's degree

• Criminal Profiler: Analyze suspects' psychological and physical characteristics to aid investigations, often working for the FBI

• Detective: Investigate crimes, gather evidence, interview witnesses, and assist in arrests. Often a promotion from police officer with a bachelor's degree helpful

• Parole Officer: Monitor and assist offenders released from prison to help them reintegrate and comply with parole conditions

• Court Clerk: Manage administrative tasks in courts, including scheduling, record-keeping, and customer service

• Homeland Security Roles: Positions in TSA, Customs and Border Protection, and other agencies focused on national security

• Intelligence/Crime/Data Analyst: Analyze data to support law enforcement and national security efforts, requiring strong research and analytical skills

• Other roles include probation officer, forensic science technician, security manager, bailiff, victim advocate, and more

Many of these jobs require at least a bachelor's degree in criminal justice or a related field, and some entry-level positions accept certificates or associate degrees. Physical fitness, background checks, and sometimes further education or training are also common requirements

. Overall, a criminal justice degree offers diverse opportunities in public safety, law enforcement, legal support, and security sectors, with potential career growth into specialized or leadership roles