When you have a criminal justice degree, one of the benefits is being able to earn a nice salary right out of college. The typical criminal justice major will make about $40,000 upon graduating from college. In addition to a great starting salary, one of the other benefits of having a criminal justice degree is being able to do virtually anything with it. One can become a police officer, detective or even a social worker if he or she desires. One can be very creative in deciding how to put his or her criminal justice degree to work. Here are some of the top cities in which criminal justice pros can find a great job.
1. Detroit, MI
As one of the most dangerous cities in the world, Detroit has a high-demand for ethical police officers and others working in the criminal justice field. In addition to having a demand for police officers, Detroit also has a demand for fraud investigators, cases management officers and people who can oversee domestic violence programs in the community. When you have a criminal justice degree, you can pursue any of these routes.
2. New York City, NY
New York City offers you plenty of ways to use a criminal justice degree. Those who work in New York City with this degree will usually work for the government. Because New York City has one of the largest funds for social workers in the country, people with criminal justice degrees often pursue careers as social workers. Being a social worker requires the ability to stand up for innocent victims in a situation. You may be required to investigate abuse that is occurring in the home. You may also have to investigate the ways in which school is operating in order to determine whether children are safe in that school. Social workers play a very important role in maintaining justice for innocent victims in society.
3. Chicago, IL
As one of the leading business centers in the United States, Chicago also happens to be a major city where entities commit fraud. If you enjoy exposing white-collar crime, then you may enjoy living in this city and taking on an anti-fraud job. There are hundreds of positions available for those who want to expose corruption in the business world. You can use your criminal justice degree to expose the ways in which a corporation is avoiding the payment of taxes or defrauding the public. You have a very important role in maintaining the fairness of the marketplace when you decide to use your criminal justice degree in this manner.
4. Los Angeles, CA
Gang violence is one of the leading problems in Los Angeles. If you have a passion for breaking gang ties within a community, then you will enjoy working for a gang unit within the police force. The gang unit of the police force in cities like Compton helps to protect the community and keep children from entering into gangs from a young age. Being part of a gang unit also requires the ability to stand up to gang members. You may have to search gang members for drugs and arrest them on a regular basis. This type of job is definitely not for the faint of heart.
In these four cities, you can use your criminal justice degree in a variety of ways. Take your time and find a career that interests you. You can do so many things with a criminal justice degree, and there truly is no reason to limit yourself to any particular niche.
Hannah Benson is a criminal law paralegal and guest author at Top Criminal Justice Schools, a site with information and resources to help prospective students evaluate top-rated criminal justice degree programs online.