What Can You Do with a Criminology Degree?

What can you do with a criminology degree? A Bachelor of Arts in Criminology, like the online program offered through Benedictine University, prepares you for careers well beyond patrol work. Criminology careers span law enforcement, courts, corrections, research, policy and private security.

What is a criminology degree? Think of it as the study of crime, its causes and how society responds to it. A Benedictine criminology student studies sociology, criminological theory, law and politics and qualitative and quantitative research methods. Many of the roles below involve analysis and report writing, which this mix of courses supports.

Many people expect a police badge. Criminology major jobs reach much further. The field also includes analysts, caseworkers, researchers, investigators and victim advocates.

A criminology degree leads to many different jobs and some of them ask for more than a bachelor’s degree. You can add work experience, a certificate or a graduate degree later, if you choose to do so.

This guide covers which jobs you can get with a criminology degree and what some of them pay. Pay and outlook figures come from federal sources. Where a role needs extra training, work experience or a graduate degree, the guide says so.

You will see the word median in the pay figures. A median is the middle number, so half of workers earn more and half earn less. Your own pay will depend on your employer, location and experience.

If you are weighing criminology vs criminal justice, the next section explains the difference. If you are working now and thinking about a degree, the sections after that show which roles ask for a bachelor’s degree and which ask for more.

What Is the Difference Between Criminology and Criminal Justice?

Criminology studies why crime happens, while criminal justice studies the systems that respond to it. Criminology draws on sociology, psychology and policy research. Criminal justice focuses on police, courts and corrections.

Both fields lead to many of the same jobs, so the choice is often about emphasis. Criminology leans toward research, theory and the reasons behind crime. Criminal justice leans toward how agencies run day to day.

Criminology and Criminal Justice at a Glance

In both fields, hiring also depends on training, background checks and work history, as the sections below show. If you would rather study why crime happens than how agencies run, criminology is the closer match.

Here is a simple example. A criminology student might study why burglary rises in one neighborhood. A criminal justice student might study how a police department plans patrols there.

• Choose criminology if you like asking why. Research and data work may suit you well.
• Choose criminal justice if you want hands-on practice inside agencies. Operations and administration may suit you better.

Benedictine’s online criminology program sits on the research side of this split. Every student takes Research Methods and Criminological Inquiry, which covers qualitative and quantitative methods and can then complete either a 150-hour internship or a senior thesis. The thesis is an original research project completed under faculty supervision.

What Law Enforcement Careers Can You Pursue?

Criminology graduates can work as police officers, detectives, criminal investigators and federal agents. Police, detective and federal roles are the most visible criminology degree jobs. They also have the most data behind them.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported a $77,310 median wage for police and detectives in May 2025. Its pay data show a median of $76,210 for police and sheriff’s patrol officers and $93,790 for detectives and criminal investigators. BLS projects 3% job growth for police and detectives from 2025 to 2035. That matches the average for all occupations.

• Police and sheriff’s patrol officers answer calls and keep neighborhoods safe.
• Detectives and criminal investigators work on cases after a crime happens. BLS notes that some federal agencies may require a bachelor’s degree for these roles.
• Federal agents investigate crimes that break federal law. BLS says federal officers must be U.S. citizens and complete extensive training, usually at a federal training center.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) sets a higher bar for special agents. One FBI posting on USAJOBS from December 2025 required a bachelor’s degree plus two years of full-time work experience. Applicants with an advanced degree needed only one year of experience. The posting has since closed, so check the FBI’s current special agent requirements before applying.

Each agency sets its own hiring rules. BLS describes these common requirements, so check each posting before you apply:

• Age and citizenship rules: Candidates usually must be at least 21 and federal officers must be U.S. citizens.
• Fitness and medical standards:Applicants may have to pass exams of vision, hearing, strength and agility.
• Background checks:Expect interviews and possible drug and polygraph tests. A felony conviction may disqualify a candidate.
• Education and experience:Postings state the degree and work history they require.

These requirements are the reason to read a posting before you choose a path. BLS says police and detective applicants need at least a high school diploma or equivalent, although some federal agencies and police departments require college coursework or a college degree. A bachelor’s degree meets the education bar at the agencies that set one.

What Court and Corrections Jobs Can You Get?

Criminology graduates can become probation officers, parole officers and correctional treatment specialists. These roles work with people on probation or parole. They also plan rehabilitation steps for people leaving custody.

The BLS reported a $66,270 median wage in May 2025 for probation officers and correctional treatment specialists combined. BLS says these workers typically need a bachelor’s degree. That makes this a clear degree-to-job path.

• Probation officers supervise people who received community supervision instead of prison time.
• Parole officers supervise people after release from prison.
• Correctional treatmentspecialists help build rehabilitation and release plans.
• Victim advocates support people through the legal process.
• Court and legal supportstaff keep cases moving. Pay and requirements for these jobs vary by employer and state.

BLS lists criminal justice, social science and psychology among its common degree fields. Benedictine’s criminology core includes Principles of Sociology and Law and Politics, so the coursework overlaps with the social science and justice fields on that list. Requirements vary by jurisdiction, so check your state or county.

What can you do with a criminology degree in the justice system? Probation and parole work is one option with a clear degree requirement. Day to day, BLS says these jobs involve interviewing clients, writing reports, keeping case files and testifying in court.

What Research, Policy and Crime Analysis Roles Are Available?

Criminology graduates can work as crime analysts, policy analysts and research assistants. These jobs suit people who like data, patterns and writing.

The International Association of Crime Analysts (IACA) describes crime analysis as both a profession and a set of techniques. Analysts review police reports to spot patterns as they emerge. IACA names five main ways analysts help police departments:

1. Finding series, patterns, trends and hot spots as they happen
2. Researching and analyzing long-term problems
3. Providing information on demand
4. Developing and linking local intelligence
5. Making the department look good

IACA also notes that some analysts are civilian career professionals. Others are police officers in temporary or permanent assignments. Both groups use data to help agencies work better. Benedictine’s online Bachelor of Arts in Criminology requires Research Methods and Criminological Inquiry, which covers qualitative and quantitative methods, the kind of research that the first two items on IACA’s list describe.

Policy analysts study laws and programs and explain what works. Research assistants help with surveys, data and reports.

Some research jobs call for graduate study. For example, BLS says sociologists typically need at least a master’s degree to enter the occupation. A bachelor’s degree can be a first step toward that work.

What Private-Sector and Social Services Careers Fit a Criminology Degree?

A criminology degree also supports alternative careers outside policing. Jobs in criminology include loss prevention, corporate security, insurance fraud investigation, victim services and caseworker roles.

Private-sector security and fraud teams study theft, fraud and risk. BLS lists retail trade, administrative and support services and finance and insurance among the largest employers of private detectives and investigators.

• Loss prevention associates identify and prevent shoplifting and theft, according to BLS.
• Corporate investigators look into workplace problems, such as employees suspected of theft.

Insurance fraud investigators review claims that look suspicious.

Social services roles focus on helping people through crises and legal steps. Some of these jobs require a license or more education than a bachelor’s degree. BLS says substance abuse, behavioral disorder and mental health counselors need a license in private practice and some counselors in other settings must be licensed as well.

• Juvenile justice specialists work with young people in the justice system.
• Community corrections specialists support people returning to their communities.
• Substance abuse counselors help people recover from addiction.

Pay for these roles varies widely by employer, so this guide does not list salary figures for them. Check current job postings and your state labor department for local numbers.

Look for skills you already build in class. Research and record keeping are part of the work in several roles above, from crime analysis to probation supervision. Some people also add a short course or certificate to match a specific employer.

How Much Can You Earn With a Criminology Degree?

Median pay for the criminology jobs covered here runs from $66,270 to $93,790, according to BLS. Among those BLS medians, detectives and criminal investigators sit at the top. Probation officers and correctional treatment specialists sit at the bottom.

Pay and entry requirements for criminology jobs with verified data

Criminology salary data is hard to pin down because one degree leads to many jobs. Each role has its own pay scale, training path and hiring rules. Where you live and who employs you also shape a criminology degree salary.

Does a graduate degree raise pay? The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) offers a broader view across all fields.

In 2022, full-time, year-round workers ages 25 to 34 with a bachelor’s degree had median earnings of $66,600. Those with a master’s degree or higher had $80,200. These figures cover workers in all fields, so use them as a general guide to how earnings change with education, not as a criminology salary.

BLS also says a master’s degree in criminal justice, social work, or psychology may help probation officers and correctional treatment specialists advance. If a graduate degree interests you later, a bachelor’s degree in criminology is the first step.

Compare each criminology job the same way. Use these four steps:

1. Check the pay: Find the median wage for the exact occupation.
2. Check the training: Note the degree, experience and tests the posting requires.
3. Check the outlook: Look at projected job growth for the occupation.
4. Check the employer: City, county, state and federal employers set their own pay scales.

Using these four checks on a few postings shows whether a role needs only a bachelor’s degree or also an academy, a license, or work experience. Those differences are easier to plan around before you enroll than after.

Match Your Criminology Degree to the Right Role

What can you do with a criminology degree? The answer depends on which requirement you are ready to add next: an academy for police work, a license for some counseling roles, or a master’s degree for some research jobs. Reading each posting for those requirements before you enroll lets you plan around them.

Benedictine’s online criminology program is built for that kind of planning. Courses are asynchronous and the internship capstone can take place at your current workplace if you already work in a related setting. Students who want a fully online path can complete a senior thesis instead.

Explore the Bachelor of Arts in Criminology from Benedictine University to study crime and justice online with asynchronous courses.

About the Online Bachelor of Arts in Criminology

Benedictine University offers its Bachelor of Arts in Criminology fully online, with asynchronous courses. The program explores why crime happens and how justice systems respond to it, from policing to corrections. Students take 13 major courses totaling 39 credit hours and the degree requires 120 credit hours overall. Applicants need a 2.0 cumulative GPA and neither an application fee nor ACT or SAT scores are required.

Courses run in 8-week terms, so working adults can fit study around a job and family. Eligible students can also earn credit for up to 12 semester hours of work or life experience and Benedictine reviews transfer credits against its own course equivalents.

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