Career
Criminal justice and law enforcement teachers, postsecondary
Teach criminal justice and law enforcement at a college.
Here's what you actually need to know.
The work
What people in this job do
- 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.
The outlook
How the forecast changed this year
The deeper question
What kind of person does this path ask you to become?
What this work centers on
O*NET interest profile, scored 1–7.
The work
Do you want most of your days spent on people & care, then ideas & analysis?
Responsibility
Are you willing to be the one responsible for this?
“Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as criminal law, defensive policing, and investigation techniques.”
Development
What would you need to build over the next 5–10 years?
Speaking, Critical Thinking, Active Listening, Writing.
Trade-offs
What does it ask of you in exchange?
7–8 years of education after high school (doctoral or professional degree), for a median of $76,590 a year and 1,100 openings nationally each year.
Paths in
Degrees that lead here
- Criminal JusticeSee the degree →
- CriminologySee the degree →
- Environmental/Natural Resources Law Enforcement and Protective ServicesCIP 03.0208
- Criminal Justice and Corrections, GeneralCIP 43.0100
- CorrectionsCIP 43.0102
- Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement AdministrationCIP 43.0103
Paths across
Careers that use similar skills
- Law Teachers, Postsecondary$128,500 · +2.6%
- Sociology Teachers, Postsecondary$84,290 · +2.2%
- Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary$98,070 · +2.5%
- Education Teachers, Postsecondary$75,350 · +2.5%
- Social Work Teachers, Postsecondary$77,570 · +2.6%
Ask anything about this career.
“Would this make sense if I don't want to sit at a desk all day?” Answers will come from the sources on this page, with citations. Coming soon.
Not sure this fits who you are? Start with Vocational Finder →
Sources
- BLS Employment Projections, 2025–35, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- BLS Employment Projections, 2024–34 (archived), U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- O*NET 31.0 Database (August 2026), National Center for O*NET Development / U.S. Department of Labor. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 Crosswalk, NCES and BLS. Retrieved 2026-10-01.