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Criminal justice professor: pay, job outlook and how to become one

Updated October 29, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET data. Published by Humblebee.

$76,590median pay per year, May 2025[1]
  1. $45,000lowest 10% earn less
  2. $60,02025th percentile
  3. $76,590median
  4. $100,87075th percentile
  5. $140,240top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[3]Median for all US jobs, $50,980[4]

A criminal justice professor, which BLS counts as a Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Teacher, Postsecondary, had a median pay of $76,590 a year in May 2025[1]. Employment is projected to grow 1.5% from 2025 to 2035[2].

Job growth, 2025–35
+1.5%[2]
Openings per year
1,100[5]
Typical entry education
Doctoral or professional degree[6]

How much do criminal justice professors make?

The median pay was $76,590 a year in May 2025[1]. Half of workers earned more and half earned less[1]. The average was $87,550[7]. The median for all occupations was $50,980[4].

Pay covers a wide range. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $45,000, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $140,240[3]. The middle half earned between $60,020 and $100,870[3]. BLS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary[8]. BLS publishes only annual wages for this occupation, not hourly wages, because many of these workers are paid yearly but work fewer than 2,080 hours[9].

Measure Annual wage
10th percentile[3] $45,000
25th percentile[3] $60,020
Median[1] $76,590
75th percentile[3] $100,870
90th percentile[3] $140,240

These figures cover wage and salary workers. They leave out the self-employed and do not include benefits or nonproduction bonuses[10].

Pay by state and city

Among the 41 states with published data, California had the highest median at $139,720, followed by Colorado at $122,050 and Maryland at $99,600[11]. Kansas was last on the list at $50,270[11].

California also had the most jobs, 1,460[12]. North Carolina had 1,220 and Texas had 1,150[12]. North Carolina's median was $63,020 and Texas's was $77,270[11].

Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs, Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA had the highest median at $223,240[13]. San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA was next at $170,070, then San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA at $168,410[13]. The New York-Newark-Jersey City area had the most jobs, 920, with a median of $86,690[14].

Show median pay in 41 states
StateMedian per yearJobs
California[11]$139,7201,460
Colorado$122,050370
Maryland$99,600220
Pennsylvania$94,710790
Oregon$93,96070
Rhode Island$84,27070
Minnesota$83,060100
New York$82,770880
Louisiana$82,10070
Wisconsin$81,890300
Delaware$80,51040
Iowa$79,69080
Massachusetts$79,500380
New Hampshire$79,19040
Mississippi$78,520110
Texas$77,2701,150
South Carolina$76,960150
Michigan$76,770360
West Virginia$76,73090
Utah$76,65080
Ohio$76,610420
Connecticut$73,090200
Washington$72,700120
New Jersey$71,610530
Georgia$71,510320
Arizona$71,230310
Missouri$70,500360
Wyoming$69,53040
Indiana$68,340170
North Dakota$67,72040
Nevada$67,44060
Illinois$66,040480
Alabama$65,280130
North Carolina$63,0201,220
Oklahoma$62,99090
Arkansas$62,38060
Tennessee$62,090190
Nebraska$61,65070
Florida$61,550840
Kentucky$60,280100
Kansas$50,27070

How to become a criminal justice professor

BLS lists a doctoral or professional degree as the typical entry education, with no work experience in a related occupation and no on-the-job training[6].

The training details come from an Occupational Outlook Handbook profile covering a wider group of postsecondary teachers[21]. In an O*NET survey of 23 workers in this field, 39% said a master's degree is required and 26% said a doctoral degree[22]. Smaller shares named a post-secondary certificate (11%), a post-master's certificate (9%) and an associate's or other 2-year degree (8%)[22].

What criminal justice professors do

These teachers cover criminal justice, corrections and law enforcement administration. Some mainly teach and others combine teaching with research[23]. Typical tasks include:

O*NET sample job titles include adjunct professor, assistant professor, associate professor and digital forensics instructor[25].

Where they work

In the wider group of postsecondary teachers, colleges, universities and professional schools (state) were the largest employer, at 41% of jobs in 2025[26].

Full-time work is typical, though part-time work is common, and some part-time teachers also hold a job in their field[27]. Courses are generally held during the day, with some in the evening or on weekends[28]. Schedules are generally flexible. Full-time teachers need to be on campus to teach and hold office hours but otherwise set their own schedules[29]. Academic calendars include breaks, and some teachers use summers for research[30].

Balancing teaching with research and publishing can be stressful, especially for beginning teachers seeking advancement. Community college professors are more likely to focus on teaching[31].

Job outlook

BLS projects employment to grow 1.5% from 2025 to 2035, from about 15,700 to 15,900 jobs[2]. Employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5%[32]. That puts this occupation below the all-occupations rate[2][32].

BLS projects about 1,100 openings a year on average[5]. These include jobs that open when workers retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs[5]. Each year, 3.5% of workers leave the labor force and 3% move to a different occupation[33].

Is it a good fit?

The facts show a job with pay above the all-occupations median and a wide range[1][3][4]. The entry path is long, since a doctoral or professional degree is typical[6]. Doctoral programs usually take several years[15], and tenure may take up to 7 years[20]. Growth is projected to be slower than the all-occupations rate, though about 1,100 openings are expected each year[2][32][5]. The facts suggest the job suits people ready for a long academic path.

Related occupations from O*NET, with BLS median pay and projected growth[34].

Frequently asked questions

How much does a criminal justice professor make?
The median was $76,590 a year in May 2025, and the middle half earned between $60,020 and $100,870[1][3].
What degree do you need to be a criminal justice professor?
BLS lists a doctoral or professional degree as the typical entry education[6]. For some specialties or part-time jobs, schools may hire people with a master's degree[18].
Is criminal justice professor a job in demand?
BLS projects 1.5% growth from 2025 to 2035, compared with 3.5% for all occupations, and about 1,100 openings a year[2][32][5].
What is the highest paying state for criminal justice professors?
California had the highest median at $139,720, followed by Colorado at $122,050[11].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Teachers, Postsecondary in the US was $76,590 per year. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS Employment Projections: employment of Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Teachers, Postsecondary is projected to grow 1.5% from 2025 to 2035, from about 15,700 to 15,900 jobs (a change of +200). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
  3. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Teachers, Postsecondary: 10th percentile $45,000, 25th percentile $60,020, 75th percentile $100,870, 90th percentile $140,240. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS Employment Projections: about 1,100 openings for Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Teachers, Postsecondary are projected each year, on average, from 2025 to 2035. Openings include jobs that open when workers retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs. BLS Employment Projections
  6. BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Teachers, Postsecondary: education needed for entry: Doctoral or professional degree; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: None. BLS Employment Projections
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Teachers, Postsecondary was $87,550 per year. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS FAQ: a percentile wage is a boundary. The median (50th percentile) separates the highest-paid 50% from the lowest-paid 50% of workers in the occupation. OEWS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. BLS publishes only annual wages for Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Teachers, Postsecondary, not hourly wages, because many work fewer than 2,080 hours a year but are paid yearly. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. Median annual wage for Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Teachers, Postsecondary in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Teachers, Postsecondary jobs: California 1,460; North Carolina 1,220; Texas 1,150; New York 880; Florida 840. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Teachers, Postsecondary (areas with at least 100 jobs): Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA $223,240; San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $170,070; San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA $168,410; Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO $137,340; Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD $105,680; Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $103,870; Pittsburgh, PA $93,670; New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $86,690. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Teachers, Postsecondary jobs: New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 920 (median $86,690); Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 660 (median $103,870); Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN 340 (median $66,040); Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 270 (median $83,930); Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 250 (median $81,080); Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX 240 (median $79,420). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  16. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Work Experience in a Related Occupation. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  17. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Work Experience in a Related Occupation. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  18. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  19. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  20. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Advancement. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  21. The BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile "Postsecondary Teachers" covers Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Teachers, Postsecondary together with other related occupations, so its text describes the wider group. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  22. O*NET 25-1111.00 survey of workers (23 respondents), education level they say is required: Master's Degree 39%, Doctoral Degree 26%, Post-Secondary Certificate 11%, Post-Master's Certificate 9%, Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree 8% (levels under 5% not listed). O*NET OnLine
  23. O*NET description of Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Teachers, Postsecondary. O*NET OnLine
  24. O*NET task list for Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Teachers, Postsecondary. O*NET OnLine
  25. O*NET 25-1111.00 sample job titles reported by workers: Adjunct Instructor, Adjunct Professor, Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, Criminal Justice Instructor, Criminal Justice Professor, Digital Forensics Instructor, Instructor. O*NET OnLine
  26. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, largest employers of postsecondary teachers in 2025: Colleges, universities, and professional schools; state 41%. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  27. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Work Schedules. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  28. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Work Schedules. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  29. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Work Schedules. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  30. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Work Schedules. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  31. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  32. BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
  33. BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Teachers, Postsecondary: 3.5% of workers leave the labor force each year and 3% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
  34. Related occupations (O*NET) with BLS pay, growth and entry education. O*NET OnLine

Notes are for reading the data only. They are not facts and cannot be cited: use the wage_scope and percentile_meaning facts instead. OEWS employment (jobs in May 2025) and Employment Projections employment (2025, includes self-employed) are different measures and can differ. O*NET education shares come from a small survey of workers in the occupation, not from all workers. The Occupational Outlook Handbook text covers a wider group of occupations than this page.

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerFacts has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.