Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Teachers, Postsecondary: Salary, Job Outlook & How to Become One (2026 Parent Guide)
Education, Training, and Library · SOC 25-1111 · O*NET 25-1111.00
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.
Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Teachers, Postsecondary fall under the Education, Training, and Library category in the U.S. occupational classification. Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Teachers, Postsecondary earn a median salary of $71,470 per year, ranking in the top 32% of all U.S. occupations. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects +2.0% job growth through 2034, projected to grow slower than the US average. Entry into this field typically requires a bachelor's degree, with specific licensing or certification depending on the state and employer. For parents whose teenager is exploring this path, the most actionable step is mapping the education requirements to specific colleges and majors before junior year — not waiting until application season.
What do criminal justice and law enforcement teachers, postsecondary earn?
The median annual wage for criminal justice and law enforcement teachers, postsecondary is $71,470. That puts criminal justice and law enforcement teachers, postsecondary at #260 on the BLS ranked list of all U.S. occupations by median pay. This salary is above the U.S. median for individual workers and reflects a stable, credentialed occupation. Actual pay varies meaningfully by state, employer type, and years of experience — entry-level salaries are typically 30–40% below the median, while top-decile earners often exceed it by 50% or more.
| 10th percentile (entry-level) | $45,640 |
| 25th percentile | $56,100 |
| 50th percentile (median) | $71,470 |
| 75th percentile | $99,730 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $143,130 |
Is criminal justice and law enforcement teachers, postsecondary a growing career?
The 10-year outlook for criminal justice and law enforcement teachers, postsecondary is +2.0%, projected to grow slower than the US average. Employment is projected to move from approximately 16K positions in 2024 to 16K in 2034, a net change of 0K. Flat growth typically reflects a mature, stable field. Most openings will come from retirements rather than new positions, which can favor candidates with strong networks and willingness to relocate.
What do criminal justice and law enforcement teachers, postsecondary do every day?
According to O*NET task surveys of working criminal justice and law enforcement teachers, postsecondary, these are the core responsibilities most professionals perform. This is what your teen would actually be doing in this role.
- 1.Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as criminal law, defensive policing, and investigation techniques.
- 2.Compile, administer, and grade examinations, or assign this work to others.
- 3.Maintain student attendance records, grades, and other required records.
- 4.Collaborate with colleagues to address teaching and research issues.
- 5.Serve on academic or administrative committees that deal with institutional policies, departmental matters, and academic issues.
- 6.Compile bibliographies of specialized materials for outside reading assignments.
- 7.Maintain regularly scheduled office hours to advise and assist students.
- 8.Advise students on academic and vocational curricula and on career issues.
Top skills for criminal justice and law enforcement teachers, postsecondary
O*NET ranks these as the most important skills for this occupation, on a 1–5 importance scale derived from worker surveys.
What education does my child need to become criminal justice and law enforcement teachers, postsecondary?
The standard path into criminal justice and law enforcement teachers, postsecondary begins with a bachelor's degree in a related field, followed by entry-level experience or internships during college. For parents helping a teen prepare, the highest-leverage step before junior year is identifying colleges and programs that feed reliably into this occupation — Solyo's college search lets parents filter by major and admissions data side by side.
Based on O*NET surveys of incumbents — what people in this job actually have, not what employers list as required.
How to become criminal justice and law enforcement teachers, postsecondary: step by step
The typical education and licensing pathway from high school into this profession. Total time to entry is about 11-17 years to tenure-track position (varies greatly by field). Steps marked optional are common for advancement but not required to start.
- 1
Bachelor's Degree in Subject Area
~4 yearsComplete a bachelor's degree in your intended teaching field. Strong GPA and research experience are crucial for PhD admission. Build relationships with professors for mentorship and recommendation letters.
- •Major in the subject you want to teach (Biology, English, History, etc.)
- •Strong undergraduate GPA (3.5+ for competitive PhD programs)
- •Research experience (work with professors on projects)
- •Strong relationships with faculty (for recommendation letters)
- •Consider graduate-level courses in senior year
- 2
Master's Degree in Subject Area
Optional~2 yearsSome students complete Master's before PhD, others enter PhD directly from bachelor's. Master's can be good exploration before PhD commitment. Community college teaching may only require Master's degree without PhD.
- •Advanced coursework in specialization
- •Master's thesis or research project
- •Teaching assistantships (if available)
- •May skip directly to PhD at some programs
- 3
Doctoral Degree (PhD) in Subject Area
~5 yearsComplete a PhD (or terminal degree for your field: MFA for arts, JD for law, MD for medicine). Takes 4-7 years on average. PhD students typically funded through teaching/research assistantships. Publishing and teaching experience during PhD are critical for faculty job market.
- •Advanced coursework and seminars
- •Comprehensive/qualifying exams
- •Original dissertation research
- •Teaching assistantships or instructor of record
- •Publish research papers in peer-reviewed journals
- •Present at academic conferences
- •Pass dissertation defense
- 4
Postdoctoral Research (Optional but Common)
Optional~2 yearsMany fields now expect 1-3 years of postdoctoral research before tenure-track faculty positions, especially in STEM. Humanities and social sciences vary. Postdocs strengthen research record and provide time to publish dissertation as book/articles.
- •Conduct advanced research at university or research institution
- •Publish additional papers
- •Build research network and collaborations
- •Gain teaching experience if PhD lacked it
- •Apply for faculty positions
- 5
Faculty Position
~6 yearsSecure faculty position (highly competitive). Tenure-track positions require teaching, research, and service. Achieve tenure after ~6 years as Assistant Professor. Community colleges emphasize teaching over research and may hire with Master's degree.
- •Assistant Professor (tenure-track) or Lecturer (non-tenure)
- •Teaching 2-4 courses per semester
- •Continue research and publishing
- •Service to department and university
- •Work toward tenure (typically 6 years as Assistant Professor)
- •Promotion to Associate Professor (with tenure), then Full Professor
Related careers your child might also consider
- Law Teachers, Postsecondary$126,650 median
- Economics Teachers, Postsecondary$119,980 median
- Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary$106,120 median
- Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary$105,620 median
- Architecture Teachers, Postsecondary$101,480 median
- Atmospheric, Earth, Marine, and Space Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary$101,390 median
How parents help teens explore careers like this
Solyo helps parents map a teen's interests to specific careers, then back to the colleges and majors that lead there. Salary, outlook, and education data come from BLS and O*NET — the same sources high school counselors use — but presented for the parent's planning lens, not the student's exploration view.
Common questions parents ask about criminal justice and law enforcement teachers, postsecondary
What is the median salary for criminal justice and law enforcement teachers, postsecondary?
The median annual salary for criminal justice and law enforcement teachers, postsecondary is $71,470 according to the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics data.
Is criminal justice and law enforcement teachers, postsecondary a growing career?
BLS projects +2.0% growth for criminal justice and law enforcement teachers, postsecondary from 2024 through 2034, which is flat growth projected to grow slower than the US average.
What education does my child need to become criminal justice and law enforcement teachers, postsecondary?
The typical entry path requires a bachelor's degree, plus any state licensure or certification specific to the role. Programs that align well with this career can be filtered inside Solyo's college search.
What careers are similar to criminal justice and law enforcement teachers, postsecondary?
Related occupations within the Education, Training, and Library category share education paths and skill profiles, so they're a useful starting set when a teen is uncertain. The "Related careers" section below lists nearby options.
Salary data sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment Statistics program. Skills, tasks, and education distribution from the O*NET database. Job outlook from the BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034 release.