Criminal Justice Degree Online & Best Practicing Attorneys In US

Criminal Justice Degree Online & Best Practicing Attorneys In US

With a degree in criminal justice, you can take on a variety of positions with the government at all levels. A career in law is another option. Depending on their employment, criminal justice graduates can expect to make between $52,000 and $126,000 per year (Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Types of Online Criminal Justice Degrees

• Criminal Justice
• Corrections
• Crime Scene Investigation (CSI)
• Emergency Management
• Homeland Security
• Law Enforcement

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, some careers in the criminal justice field include:

Careers                                   Annual Median Salary

• Lawyer                                      $126,930
• FBI Agent                                       $92,080
• Detective and Criminal Investigator $86,940
• Arbitrator                                       $66,130
• Police Officer                                       $65,540
• Forensic Analyst                          $60,590
• Probation Officer                          $55,690
• Private Detective and Investigator $53,320
• Paralegal                                       $52,920

Accreditation for a Criminal Justice Degree Online

Accreditation is an important factor when searching for a criminal justice degree online. Consider enrolling in a college or university with a regional accreditation as this ensures that the institution provides quality education.

Employers also tend to give preference to candidates with criminal justice degrees from colleges and universities with regional accreditation US colleges and universities offering criminal justice programs may also have national accreditation, which is considered less prestigious than regional accreditation. Nationally-accredited schools, though, may offer more affordable criminal justice programs.

Financial Aid for a Criminal Justice Bachelors Degree Online

Some students apply for private or federal loans to help them finance their criminal justice education. If you take this route, you will have to repay your lender upon graduation. You can also look and apply for scholarships and grants, which don’t have to be repaid. You’ll have to meet strict requirements to qualify, though, such as submitting an essay detailing your achievements and compelling reasons why you should be given the scholarship.

See what federal aid you qualify for by filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). You can then apply for private scholarships, including the Martin Luther King, Jr. scholarship, which is open to minority students currently enrolled or about to be accepted to an undergraduate criminal justice program.

You can also apply for a scholarship under the Melissa Linville Criminal Justice program, which benefits freshmen planning to major in criminal justice. Other scholarships that you may want to try applying to are the Ritchie-Jennings Memorial Scholarships and the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE) scholarships.

Can You Get a Criminal Justice Degree Online?

Yes, you can earn a Criminal Justice degree online. There’s a good number of colleges and universities across the country offering online criminal justice degrees. Coursework for these programs is of the same quality as on-campus classes. You will also have the same professional opportunities as those who earn criminal justice degrees on-campus.

How much a Criminal Justice degree costs depends on the level of degree you’ll be taking. An associate degree, which appeals to students who want to start a career in criminal justice in the shortest time possible, is the shortest to complete at 2 years on average.