Becoming a Criminologist via Online Education?
At the very least, online education can help you lay a foundation and/or open up alternate career paths.
Ashford University, one of the highest ranking online
schools,
is a US school (accredited) offering criminal justice courses to train individuals
to become top-notch
criminal justice administrators,
public prosecutors,
public defenders,
judges,
probation officers,
juvenile prosecutors,
juvenile defenders,
criminal justice professionals, etc.
Social workers make on average $50,470
per year and there are about 73,250
of them employed today.
Colleges and universities like Ashford University that provide online education are successfully launching workers into
this
field.
Typical Work Locations for a Criminologist
- Investigation Accounting Firms
- Private Investigation Companies
- Criminal Investigation Offices
- Computer Analysis Firms
- Law Offices
- Toxicology Laboratories
- Psychology Offices
- Criminology Labs
- Forensic Laboratories
- Police Departments
Potential Advantages and Benefits of Working as a Criminologist
- Aide in solving crimes
- Fighting against criminal activities
- The ability to focus on details
- Extremely detail-oriented
- Working in different places
- Impressive amounts of schooling and training
- Working with people instead of alone
- Writing reports
- Investigative work
- Working in a change-oriented environment
Potential Drawbacks
- Working odd hours
- Working with gruesome scenes
- Inability to explain or define certain case details
- The danger of working to prosecute criminals
- Traveling to cases
- Waiting for DNA results
- Being on call
- Deadline pressure
- Pressured to solve the case quickly by police and the public
- Failing to find sufficient evidence to prosecute a criminal
Related Professions to Consider
- Corrector
- Counselor
- Criminal Investigator
- Division Programmer
- Financial Frod Investigator
- Intervention Programmer
- Medical Investigator
- Psychologist
- Retail Investigator
- Private Investigator
Possible Interview Questions When Applying to be a Criminologist
- Why do you want this job?
- How many jobs do you have?
- Have you been to jail?
- Can you pass a criminal background check?
- When did the juvenile justice system start?
- What was the teen crime rate in 1997?
- What is the crime rate in america?
- Can a military conviction be seen in a civilian criminal history check?
- How much does a bulletproof vest cost?
- What is the job description of a criminologist?
Common Collaborating Professions
- Police Officers
- Biologist
- Toxicologist
- Lawyer
- Laboratory Technician
- Detective
- Fingerprint Technician
- Deputy Sheriff
- Psychologist
- Sociologist
Criminologist Training books
Criminologist (More) Popular books
Potential Companies to Work For
Common College Majors
- Psychology
- Theories of Crime
- Criminal Law
- Policy
- Analyze Case Studies
- Research Methods
- Corrections
- Military Science
- Urban Studies
- Public Administration
Criminologist Salary Information
Category: Social workers, all other
| Total # Employed in the US |
73,250 |
| Average Hourly Wage: |
$24.26/hr |
| Hourly Wage Range |
| PERCENTILE |
| 10% | 25% | 50% | 75% | 90% |
| $13.83 |
$17.64 |
$23.76 |
$30.18 |
$36.17 |
|
| Average Yearly Salary |
$50,470 |
| Yearly Salary Range |
| PERCENTILE |
| 10% | 25% | 50% | 75% | 90% |
| $28,770 |
$36,700 |
$49,420 |
$62,780 |
$75,240 |
|
| Employment Demographics |
| % OF WORKERS WITH |
| < High School Diploma |
High School Diploma |
Some College |
Associate Degree |
Bachelor Degree |
Master Degree |
Doctoral Degree |
| 1.2% |
6.2% |
10.4% |
6.0% |
42.3% |
32.2% |
1.6% |
|
Social workers, all other — WAGES BY STATE, SORTED BY SALARY
| STATE | Average Hourly Wage | Average Annual Salary |
|---|
| West Virginia |
$31.33/hr
|
$65,170
|
| Idaho |
$29.03/hr
|
$60,390
|
| Arkansas |
$28.97/hr
|
$60,250
|
| Nevada |
$28.25/hr
|
$58,750
|
| District of Columbia |
$27.51/hr
|
$57,230
|
| Virginia |
$27.38/hr
|
$56,950
|
| Colorado |
$27.34/hr
|
$56,860
|
| Puerto Rico |
$26.21/hr
|
$54,510
|
| Utah |
$26.17/hr
|
$54,440
|
| Indiana |
$25.79/hr
|
$53,640
|
| Oklahoma |
$25.16/hr
|
$52,340
|
| Nebraska |
$25.04/hr
|
$52,090
|
| North Dakota |
$25/hr
|
$52,010
|
| Florida |
$24.8/hr
|
$51,590
|
| Kansas |
$24.44/hr
|
$50,830
|
| Mississippi |
$24.25/hr
|
$50,430
|
| Delaware |
$24.06/hr
|
$50,040
|
| Massachusetts |
$23.98/hr
|
$49,870
|
| South Carolina |
$23.97/hr
|
$49,860
|
| Missouri |
$23.91/hr
|
$49,730
|
| Maryland |
$23.69/hr
|
$49,270
|
| Montana |
$23.57/hr
|
$49,030
|
| Alaska |
$23.34/hr
|
$48,550
|
| Wisconsin |
$23.18/hr
|
$48,220
|
| California |
$23.04/hr
|
$47,920
|
| Maine |
$22.71/hr
|
$47,250
|
| Iowa |
$22.47/hr
|
$46,730
|
| Hawaii |
$22.43/hr
|
$46,650
|
| Washington |
$22.39/hr
|
$46,570
|
| Wyoming |
$21.87/hr
|
$45,490
|
| Michigan |
$21.85/hr
|
$45,450
|
| New Mexico |
$21.17/hr
|
$44,040
|
| Connecticut |
$21.12/hr
|
$43,930
|
| Louisiana |
$20.75/hr
|
$43,170
|
| Tennessee |
$20.59/hr
|
$42,820
|
| Alabama |
$20.19/hr
|
$41,990
|
| New York |
$20.12/hr
|
$41,850
|
| Oregon |
$20.02/hr
|
$41,650
|
| Guam |
$19.85/hr
|
$41,290
|
| North Carolina |
$19.83/hr
|
$41,250
|
| Kentucky |
$19.35/hr
|
$40,250
|
| New Hampshire |
$19.3/hr
|
$40,140
|
| New Jersey |
$18.98/hr
|
$39,480
|
| South Dakota |
$18.74/hr
|
$38,980
|
| Ohio |
$18.44/hr
|
$38,360
|
Category: Probation officers and correctional treatment specialists
| Total # Employed in the US |
92,910 |
| Average Hourly Wage: |
$24.28/hr |
| Hourly Wage Range |
| PERCENTILE |
| 10% | 25% | 50% | 75% | 90% |
| $14.69 |
$17.32 |
$22.37 |
$29.84 |
$37.91 |
|
| Average Yearly Salary |
$50,500 |
| Yearly Salary Range |
| PERCENTILE |
| 10% | 25% | 50% | 75% | 90% |
| $30,540 |
$36,030 |
$46,530 |
$62,080 |
$78,860 |
|
| Employment Demographics |
| % OF WORKERS WITH |
| < High School Diploma |
High School Diploma |
Some College |
Associate Degree |
Bachelor Degree |
Master Degree |
Doctoral Degree |
| 2.4% |
15.3% |
20.9% |
9.6% |
37.1% |
13.4% |
1.3% |
|
Probation officers and correctional treatment specialists — WAGES BY STATE, SORTED BY SALARY
| STATE | Average Hourly Wage | Average Annual Salary |
|---|
| Colorado |
$37.03/hr
|
$77,020
|
| North Dakota |
$30.07/hr
|
$62,540
|
| Nebraska |
$29.53/hr
|
$61,430
|
| Oklahoma |
$29.17/hr
|
$60,680
|
| Kansas |
$28.36/hr
|
$59,000
|
| Louisiana |
$26.91/hr
|
$55,970
|
| Indiana |
$26.74/hr
|
$55,610
|
| Mississippi |
$25.74/hr
|
$53,550
|
| Florida |
$25.61/hr
|
$53,270
|
| Connecticut |
$25.45/hr
|
$52,940
|
| Montana |
$25.16/hr
|
$52,320
|
| Tennessee |
$23.1/hr
|
$48,050
|
| Arkansas |
$22.72/hr
|
$47,250
|
| South Carolina |
$22.63/hr
|
$47,070
|
| District of Columbia |
$22.37/hr
|
$46,520
|
| Utah |
$22.07/hr
|
$45,910
|
| Alabama |
$21.26/hr
|
$44,230
|
| Puerto Rico |
$20.71/hr
|
$43,080
|
| Pennsylvania |
$20.29/hr
|
$42,200
|
| Guam |
$20.26/hr
|
$42,140
|
| Washington |
$19.98/hr
|
$41,560
|
| Ohio |
$19.62/hr
|
$40,800
|
| Massachusetts |
$19.48/hr
|
$40,520
|
| Iowa |
$18.96/hr
|
$39,440
|
| New Jersey |
$18.96/hr
|
$39,440
|
| Hawaii |
$18.78/hr
|
$39,070
|
| Wyoming |
$18.71/hr
|
$38,910
|
| Oregon |
$18.36/hr
|
$38,180
|
| Maryland |
$18.2/hr
|
$37,860
|
| Maine |
$18.18/hr
|
$37,810
|
| Michigan |
$18.16/hr
|
$37,760
|
| Kentucky |
$18.11/hr
|
$37,660
|
| West Virginia |
$17.89/hr
|
$37,210
|
| Idaho |
$17.49/hr
|
$36,380
|
| New Mexico |
$17.45/hr
|
$36,290
|
| New Hampshire |
$16.99/hr
|
$35,350
|
| South Dakota |
$16.5/hr
|
$34,330
|
| Wisconsin |
$16.19/hr
|
$33,680
|
| California |
$15.53/hr
|
$32,300
|
| Nevada |
$15.08/hr
|
$31,370
|
Category: Detectives and criminal investigators
| Total # Employed in the US |
110,380 |
| Average Hourly Wage: |
$31.66/hr |
| Hourly Wage Range |
| PERCENTILE |
| 10% | 25% | 50% | 75% | 90% |
| $18.25 |
$22.63 |
$29.86 |
$40.22 |
$48.07 |
|
| Average Yearly Salary |
$65,860 |
| Yearly Salary Range |
| PERCENTILE |
| 10% | 25% | 50% | 75% | 90% |
| $37,960 |
$47,070 |
$62,110 |
$83,650 |
$99,980 |
|
| Employment Demographics |
| % OF WORKERS WITH |
| < High School Diploma |
High School Diploma |
Some College |
Associate Degree |
Bachelor Degree |
Master Degree |
Doctoral Degree |
| 0.5% |
10.0% |
25.9% |
12.1% |
40.2% |
9.6% |
1.8% |
|
Detectives and criminal investigators — WAGES BY STATE, SORTED BY SALARY
| STATE | Average Hourly Wage | Average Annual Salary |
|---|
| Florida |
$45.49/hr
|
$94,620
|
| North Dakota |
$41.31/hr
|
$85,930
|
| Colorado |
$38.53/hr
|
$80,140
|
| District of Columbia |
$37.48/hr
|
$77,960
|
| Mississippi |
$37.46/hr
|
$77,910
|
| Indiana |
$36.84/hr
|
$76,640
|
| Kansas |
$36.71/hr
|
$76,360
|
| Alaska |
$35.91/hr
|
$74,690
|
| Delaware |
$34.98/hr
|
$72,750
|
| Connecticut |
$34.93/hr
|
$72,650
|
| New York |
$33.8/hr
|
$70,310
|
| Montana |
$33.64/hr
|
$69,970
|
| Missouri |
$33.64/hr
|
$69,980
|
| Utah |
$33.12/hr
|
$68,890
|
| Oklahoma |
$32.95/hr
|
$68,530
|
| Tennessee |
$32.88/hr
|
$68,400
|
| Virginia |
$32.69/hr
|
$68,000
|
| Nebraska |
$31.47/hr
|
$65,450
|
| South Carolina |
$30.87/hr
|
$64,220
|
| North Carolina |
$30.76/hr
|
$63,980
|
| Hawaii |
$30.75/hr
|
$63,960
|
| Louisiana |
$30.23/hr
|
$62,890
|
| Guam |
$30.01/hr
|
$62,410
|
| Puerto Rico |
$29.87/hr
|
$62,130
|
| New Jersey |
$29.54/hr
|
$61,430
|
| Pennsylvania |
$28.44/hr
|
$59,160
|
| New Mexico |
$28.36/hr
|
$58,980
|
| Wyoming |
$28.23/hr
|
$58,720
|
| West Virginia |
$27.54/hr
|
$57,280
|
| Iowa |
$27.53/hr
|
$57,260
|
| Arkansas |
$27.51/hr
|
$57,230
|
| Maryland |
$27.24/hr
|
$56,660
|
| Michigan |
$26.46/hr
|
$55,040
|
| Maine |
$26.34/hr
|
$54,780
|
| Ohio |
$26.27/hr
|
$54,650
|
| Alabama |
$26.13/hr
|
$54,340
|
| New Hampshire |
$26.06/hr
|
$54,210
|
| Wisconsin |
$26.05/hr
|
$54,180
|
| Idaho |
$25.73/hr
|
$53,530
|
| Kentucky |
$25.65/hr
|
$53,350
|
| South Dakota |
$24.95/hr
|
$51,890
|
| Massachusetts |
$24.95/hr
|
$51,890
|
| Washington |
$24.71/hr
|
$51,400
|
| California |
$24.71/hr
|
$51,400
|
| Oregon |
$23.2/hr
|
$48,250
|
| Nevada |
$22.63/hr
|
$47,080
|
