Criminal justice and law enforcement teachers, postsecondary salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $45,000 | Data unavailable |
| Median (50th percentile) | $76,590 | Data unavailable |
| Mean (average) | $87,550 | Data unavailable |
| 90th percentile | $140,240 | Data unavailable |
BLS publishes only annual wages for this occupation because workers are typically paid on an annual basis rather than hourly.
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Criminal justice and law enforcement teachers, postsecondary pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 42 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $65,280 | $46,630 | $118,560 | 130 | 0.73 |
| Arizona | $71,230 | $65,370 | $136,620 | 310 | 1.12 |
| Arkansas | $62,380 | $48,600 | $64,320 | 60 | 0.5 |
| California | $139,720 | $68,960 | $259,890 | 1,460 | 0.95 |
| Colorado | $122,050 | $45,050 | $148,710 | 370 | 1.52 |
| Connecticut | $73,090 | $64,170 | $129,280 | 200 | 1.38 |
| Delaware | $80,510 | $41,370 | $114,270 | 40 | 0.93 |
| Florida | $61,550 | $50,490 | $80,520 | 840 | 1 |
| Georgia | $71,510 | $49,160 | $93,590 | 320 | 0.77 |
| Illinois | $66,040 | $42,860 | $104,220 | 480 | 0.94 |
| Indiana | $68,340 | $50,290 | $102,880 | 170 | 0.61 |
| Iowa | $79,690 | $59,410 | $91,980 | 80 | 0.61 |
| Kansas | $50,270 | $34,850 | $86,280 | 70 | 0.58 |
| Kentucky | $60,280 | $30,030 | $107,230 | 100 | 0.59 |
| Louisiana | $82,100 | $51,150 | $123,310 | 70 | 0.42 |
| Maryland | $99,600 | $31,780 | $132,910 | 220 | 0.94 |
| Massachusetts | $79,500 | $49,820 | $137,780 | 380 | 1.24 |
| Michigan | $76,770 | $39,510 | $125,210 | 360 | 0.96 |
| Minnesota | $83,060 | $64,820 | $128,730 | 100 | 0.39 |
| Mississippi | $78,520 | $51,360 | $136,500 | 110 | 1.12 |
| Missouri | $70,500 | $34,850 | $108,580 | 360 | 1.45 |
| Nebraska | $61,650 | $46,450 | $121,790 | 70 | 0.76 |
| Nevada | $67,440 | $49,310 | $106,030 | 60 | 0.49 |
| New Hampshire | $79,190 | $49,040 | $111,000 | 40 | 0.7 |
| New Jersey | $71,610 | $32,220 | $122,490 | 530 | 1.46 |
| New York | $82,770 | $50,400 | $208,930 | 880 | 1.08 |
| North Carolina | $63,020 | $43,600 | $77,780 | 1,220 | 2.92 |
| North Dakota | $67,720 | $61,500 | $107,220 | 40 | 1.22 |
| Ohio | $76,610 | $35,920 | $116,170 | 420 | 0.9 |
| Oklahoma | $62,990 | $31,630 | $69,730 | 90 | 0.62 |
| Oregon | $93,960 | $31,290 | $206,880 | 70 | 0.45 |
| Pennsylvania | $94,710 | $56,770 | $123,000 | 790 | 1.54 |
| Rhode Island | $84,270 | $49,020 | $131,220 | 70 | 1.56 |
| South Carolina | $76,960 | $57,030 | $131,020 | 150 | 0.75 |
| Tennessee | $62,090 | $46,760 | $103,180 | 190 | 0.7 |
| Texas | $77,270 | $39,580 | $126,670 | 1,150 | 0.96 |
| Utah | $76,650 | $52,950 | $106,220 | 80 | 0.52 |
| Virginia | Data unavailable | 270 | 0.77 | ||
| Washington | $72,700 | $48,360 | $106,200 | 120 | 0.41 |
| West Virginia | $76,730 | $46,520 | $131,700 | 90 | 1.44 |
| Wisconsin | $81,890 | $48,860 | $99,910 | 300 | 1.19 |
| Wyoming | $69,530 | $48,290 | $103,030 | 40 | 1.65 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for criminal justice and law enforcement teachers, postsecondary
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 1,100. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Read the official BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for criminal justice and law enforcement teachers, postsecondary
- Typical entry education
- Doctoral or professional degree
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- None
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- Environmental/Natural Resources Law Enforcement and Protective Services CIP 03.0208
- Criminal Justice and Corrections, General CIP 43.0100
- Corrections CIP 43.0102
- Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement Administration CIP 43.0103
- Criminal Justice/Safety Studies CIP 43.0104
- Criminal Justice/Police Science CIP 43.0107
- Security and Loss Prevention Services CIP 43.0109
- Juvenile Corrections CIP 43.0110
- Securities Services Administration/Management CIP 43.0112
- Corrections Administration CIP 43.0113
- Law Enforcement Investigation and Interviewing CIP 43.0114
- Law Enforcement Record-Keeping and Evidence Management CIP 43.0115
- Critical Incident Response/Special Police Operations CIP 43.0119
- Protective Services Operations CIP 43.0120
- Suspension and Debarment Investigation CIP 43.0121
- Maritime Law Enforcement CIP 43.0122
- Cultural/Archaelogical Resources Protection CIP 43.0123
- Corrections and Criminal Justice, Other CIP 43.0199
- Terrorism and Counterterrorism Operations CIP 43.0304
- Homeland Security, Other CIP 43.0399
- Security Science and Technology, General CIP 43.0401
- Criminalistics and Criminal Science CIP 43.0402
- Cyber/Computer Forensics and Counterterrorism CIP 43.0403
- Cybersecurity Defense Strategy/Policy CIP 43.0404
- Financial Forensics and Fraud Investigation CIP 43.0405
- Forensic Science and Technology CIP 43.0406
- Geospatial Intelligence CIP 43.0407
- Law Enforcement Intelligence Analysis CIP 43.0408
- Security Science and Technology, Other CIP 43.0499
- Criminology CIP 45.0401
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- 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.
Technology skills
- Microsoft Office software (in demand)
- Learning management system LMS (in demand)
- Google Docs (hot technology)
- Microsoft Access (hot technology)
- Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Blackboard Learn
- Blackboard software
- Collaborative editing software
- Course management system software
- DOC Cop
- Desire2Learn LMS software
- Distance learning software
- Email software
Transferable skills for career changers: Instructing, Judgment and Decision Making, Social Perceptiveness, Complex Problem Solving, Systems Analysis, Time Management.
Common job titles: Adjunct Instructor, Adjunct Professor, Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, Criminal Justice Instructor, Criminal Justice Professor, Digital Forensics Instructor, Instructor, Justice Professor, Professor.
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do criminal justice and law enforcement teachers, postsecondary make?
The national median annual wage for criminal justice and law enforcement teachers, postsecondary was $76,590 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $45,000 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $140,240. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do criminal justice and law enforcement teachers, postsecondary need?
BLS lists doctoral or professional degree as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and none on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is criminal justice and law enforcement teachers, postsecondary a growing career?
BLS projects employment of criminal justice and law enforcement teachers, postsecondary to change +1.5% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 1,100 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay criminal justice and law enforcement teachers, postsecondary the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were California ($139,720), Colorado ($122,050), Maryland ($99,600). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.