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Law & Criminal Justice
Law & Criminal Justice Jobs
Security and law enforcement have been on everyone's mind in the last few years. As criminals get more sophisticated, so do criminal justice and legal professionals--and so does criminal justice education. Today you can study online for a variety of exciting careers in the legal field. Become a paralegal, forensic scientist, private investigator--even a lawyer!
Career opportunities and salary vary throughout the field, but this is one industry that's never going away. Paralegal opportunities in particular are expanding, as law firms assign them the research that attorneys used to do. For a career on the front lines, the Dept. of Homeland Security is continually hiring, and you can even train online to become a correctional treatment specialist or probation officer.
Our list below includes the best legal and criminal justice careers you can study for online. With data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, we rank careers by average salary, projected job growth and total amount of education required. When you've found your favorite, click on 'Degree Required' to start your career education today!
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Total Education Time (overall time spent in school, not length of particular program)
2 yrs or less = certificate or associate's degree 3-4 yrs = bachelor's degree 5+ yrs = master's degree or PhD |
Average Annual Salary
$ = $19k - $34k $$ = $35k - $49k $$$ = $50k - $64k $$$$ = $65k - $77k $$$$$ = $78k and up |
Industry Growth (U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics)
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= Decline
| Career | Total Ed.Time | Salary Rank | Job Growth | Overall Ranking | Degree Required | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Lawyer | 5+ years | $$$$$ |  | 4.00 | JD |
| 2. | Homeland Security Computer Specialist | 3-4 years | $$$$ |  | 3.64 | BS, Information Systems/Homeland Security |
| 3. | Paralegal | 2 years or less | $$ | | 3.39 | AAS, Paralegal Studies |
| 4. | Private Investigator | 2 years or less | $$ | | 3.15 | Certificate, Private Investigation |
| 5. | Probation Officer | 3-4 years | $$ |  | 2.65 | BS, Criminal Justice |
| 6. | Correctional Treatment Specialist | 3-4 years | $$ | | 2.65 | BS, Criminal Justice |
| 7. | Forensic Science Technician | 5+ years | $$$ | | 2.55 | AS, Criminal Justice |
| 8. | Legal Office Manager | 3-4 years | $$ |  | 2.39 | BS, Management |
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