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Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Teachers, Postsecondary

Teach courses in criminal justice, corrections, and law enforcement administration. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

Median salary (BLS)

$76,590

10th–90th percentile (BLS)

$45k – $140k

Job outlook

+2% (about average)

AI exposure

Early-career check: graduates of the matching programs below typically earn $85,000 ten years after starting college — an early-career figure, vs. the all-experience BLS median above. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard.

Plan a path to Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Teachers, Postsecondary

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Education

Typical entry: Master's degree

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How to qualify

EstimateLicense required

Cost to qualify

$64,100–$230,700

Time to qualify

6.3 yr

Renewal

$20/yr

  1. 1

    Bachelor's degree

    Degree

    Four years at public in-state rates — average published tuition & fees ≈ $11,610/yr, plus books. Private and out-of-state run higher; grant aid lowers most students' actual net price.

    $40,000–$150,000 · 4 years source

  2. 2

    Master's degree

    Degree

    Typically two years; average graduate tuition ≈ $20,000/yr at public universities (NCES).

    $24,000–$80,000 · 2 years source

  3. 3

    State teaching certification

    License

    Approved educator-prep program, pedagogy & subject exams, background check, and a state application.

    $100–$700 · 3 months · varies by state · renews every 5 yr source

Estimated typical U.S. route for "Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Teachers, Postsecondary" — built from BLS education requirements and College Board 2024–25 average published prices (public, in-state tuition + fees + books). Not yet verified against a specific state's licensing rules — confirm with your state licensing board or program.

Typical progression

  1. Junior Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Teachers, Postsecondary

    Entry / Junior

    $45,000

    ~2 yrs to advance

  2. Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Teachers, Postsecondary

    Established

    $76,590

    ~3 yrs to advance

  3. Senior Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Teachers, Postsecondary

    Senior

    $108,415

Key skills

A typical day

  • •Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as criminal law, defensive policing, and investigation techniques.
  • •Initiate, facilitate, and moderate classroom discussions.
  • •Evaluate and grade students' class work, assignments, and papers.
  • •Compile, administer, and grade examinations, or assign this work to others.
  • •Keep abreast of developments in the field by reading current literature, talking with colleagues, and participating in professional conferences.

Fields of study

Any field

Top colleges for Education

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Reputation-based selection; stats shown are outcome data per school.