Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Teachers, Postsecondary: Career Overview
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.
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What Do Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Teachers, Postsecondary Perform?
The core tasks performed by criminal justice and law enforcement teachers, postsecondary cover:
- 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.
- Maintain student attendance records, grades, and other required records.
- Prepare course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts.
- Plan, evaluate, and revise curricula, course content, course materials, and methods of instruction.
Skills and Knowledge
Successful criminal justice and law enforcement teachers, postsecondary rely on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Most Important Skills
The competencies that matter most in this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Types of Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Teachers, Postsecondary Jobs
This career also goes by job titles like:
- Adjunct Criminal Justice Instructor
- Adjunct Criminal Justice Professor
- Adjunct Instructor
- Adjunct Professor
- Assistant Professor
- Associate Professor
- College Faculty Member
- College Professor
How Many Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Teachers, Postsecondary Are There?
There are about 46,533 criminal justice and law enforcement teachers, postsecondary working in the United States today. Demand is forecast to grow by +12.0% over the projection horizon.
How Much Do Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Teachers, Postsecondary Make?
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $91,449 |
| Hourly median | $43.97 |
| 10th percentile | $58,678 |
| 25th percentile | $75,064 |
| 75th percentile | $107,835 |
| 90th percentile | $124,221 |
Wages vary widely based on experience, location, and industry.
How Much Do Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Teachers, Postsecondary Make in Different U.S. States?
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| California | $136,240 |
| Colorado | $101,880 |
| Wisconsin | $97,290 |
| Maryland | $95,410 |
| Oregon | $82,400 |
| New York | $80,960 |
| Minnesota | $80,700 |
| Utah | $79,700 |
| Puerto Rico | $79,630 |
| New Hampshire | $79,620 |
| Louisiana | $79,470 |
| Massachusetts | $78,900 |
| Rhode Island | $78,520 |
| Mississippi | $78,280 |
| Wyoming | $77,910 |
| Delaware | $77,530 |
| Missouri | $77,410 |
| Nevada | $76,760 |
| Texas | $76,580 |
| New Jersey | $76,290 |
| Virginia | $74,940 |
| Idaho | $72,150 |
| Connecticut | $71,990 |
| Pennsylvania | $69,960 |
| Arizona | $68,350 |
| Ohio | $67,490 |
| Washington | $66,680 |
| South Carolina | $66,090 |
| Illinois | $65,390 |
| West Virginia | $65,350 |
| Vermont | $65,280 |
| Nebraska | $64,710 |
| District of Columbia | $64,360 |
| Alabama | $64,020 |
| New Mexico | $63,850 |
| South Dakota | $63,290 |
| Oklahoma | $62,730 |
| Michigan | $62,210 |
| Maine | $61,720 |
| Georgia | $61,540 |
| Tennessee | $60,780 |
| North Carolina | $60,080 |
| Florida | $59,660 |
| Indiana | $58,620 |
| Kentucky | $58,320 |
| Arkansas | $57,610 |
| Iowa | $52,500 |
| Kansas | $48,410 |
Top-Paying U.S. Regions
Compensation for criminal justice and law enforcement teachers, postsecondary shift depending on where you work. These regions lead on median pay:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $124,163 | 12.1% | 0.76 |
| Rocky Mountains | $96,671 | 4.9% | 1.71 |
| Other U.S. Territories | $79,630 | 0.2% | 0.37 |
| Middle Atlantic | $77,974 | 18.8% | 1.28 |
| New England | $77,026 | 4.4% | 1.20 |
| Southwest | $73,640 | 12.5% | 1.03 |
| Great Lakes | $70,007 | 13.1% | 0.92 |
| Plains States | $64,625 | 6.2% | 1.19 |
Where the Jobs Cluster
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | CA | $214,870 | 150 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | CA | $164,500 | 60 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $163,770 | 130 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | CA | $162,810 | 120 |
| Madison, WI | WI | $133,630 | 50 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | CO | $128,040 | 280 |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | WI | $104,550 | 80 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | CA | $103,940 | 510 |
Which Industries Hire Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Teachers, Postsecondary
The bulk of criminal justice and law enforcement teachers, postsecondary are found across these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Educational Services | 13,330 | n/a |
Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Teachers, Postsecondary work in the following industries:
Tools and Technology
- Word processing software: Google Docs (hot technology)
- Data base user interface and query software: Microsoft Access (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Computer based training software: Learning management system LMS (in demand)
What the Workplace Is Like
The work environment for criminal justice and law enforcement teachers, postsecondary is shaped by the following characteristics:
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
- Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals
- Freedom to Make Decisions
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
Education and Training
Entry-level criminal justice and law enforcement teachers, postsecondary positions require a doctoral or professional degree as the typical entry-level education. The role falls in Extensive Preparation Needed (Job Zone 5), signaling the level of preparation typically expected.
Related Careers
Similar Occupations
- Education Administrators, Postsecondary (Supplemental)
- Business Teachers, Postsecondary (Primary-Long)
- Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary (Supplemental)
- Economics Teachers, Postsecondary (Supplemental)
- Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary (Primary-Short)
- Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary (Primary-Long)
- Sociology Teachers, Postsecondary (Primary-Short)
- Education Teachers, Postsecondary (Primary-Short)
About the Data
Data on this page comes from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 25-1111.00 (Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Teachers, Postsecondary).