Associate Degrees in Criminal Justice in Kentucky

When you start looking for the perfect career, you may discover that it’s important to you to do meaningful work that has a positive impact on society as a whole. If you work well under pressure and can make good decisions in fast-paced situations, you may find that the field of criminal justice is a great fit for you. In Kentucky, your associate degree criminal justice program may prepare you for work in the policing sector, the correctional sector, and other specialized work settings.

Kentucky, like many other states, has implemented drastic criminal justice reform laws in recent years. As a result, it has seen success in many measures. However, reform is still necessary in other parts of the industry. Reform could help reduce the burden on overflowing jails and prisons, decrease recidivism rates, and handle the drug problem that has caused a spike in Kentucky overdose deaths (Kentucky Courier-Journal, 2016).

Are you ready to spend your workdays keeping the people in your community safe? If the answer is “yes,” scroll down to our list of Kentucky schools and request information now.

Featured Online Criminal Justice Programs

Criminal Justice Associate Programs in Kentucky

The field of criminal justice is actually an extremely large area of study that covers many topics and subjects. For that reason, many Kentucky schools have specialized associate degree programs for different areas of criminal justice.

As you consider criminal justice degree options, you can also look into programs in security and law enforcement, homeland security, paralegal studies, security and loss prevention, corrections, and legal studies.

If it’s difficult to narrow down your list of potential schools, start to examine the curricular requirements for Kentucky programs. Looking at the classes you need to take to graduate can help you eliminate programs that are too broad, too narrow, or not well-suited to your career interests.

If you study the field of homeland security at this level, you may find yourself taking courses like:

Criminal Procedures
Physical Security Technology and Systems
Issues and Ethics in Homeland Security
Criminal Investigation
Principles of Asset Protection
Terrorism and Political Violence

With the wide range of programs represented in Kentucky, there’s bound to be some variance in degree completion time frames and costs.

State averages for completing your associate in criminal justice are listed here:

Timeframe: 2 to 3 years
Credits: 64 to 72 credits
Average tuition cost per year: $4,653 (College Board, 2016)

An expansive scholarship search may help you minimize the amount of student debt you take on or the amount of money you spend out-of-pocket. Our comprehensive list of criminal justice scholarships can help you find options in your field of study, your geographic area, and your financial need.

You can also explore options at community organizations. The Gerald F. Healy Memorial Foundation Scholarship is awarded by the Kentucky Law Enforcement Memorial Foundation to deserving students.

What Can I Do With a Criminal Justice Degree in Kentucky?

As a student, you may want to start laying the foundation for your job search. Prove your potential to instructors, build strong professional connections with them, and join local criminal justice associations to meet the movers and shakers in your field.

Although this may increase the amount of time you spend on your education each week, these steps can have benefits for years to come.

There are many advantages to staying in Kentucky after earning a criminal justice associate degree. Kentucky job outlook statistics are extremely encouraging. Through the year 2030, CareerOneStop predicts a 2% jump in job openings for bailiffs (2022). At the same time, they hope to see a 3% boost in police detective job openings (CareerOneStop, 2022). A 7% increase in patrol officer jobs is anticipated through 2030 (CareerOneStop, 2022).

Your earning potential may increase as you gain seniority and experience at Kentucky agencies. Currently, the average income for a Kentucky bailiff is $25,800 per year (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2022). Police detectives claim an average salary of $75,930 annually (BLS, 2022). Those who become patrol officers bring in a mean salary of $48,170 per year (BLS, 2022).

2022 US Bureau of Labor Statistics salary and employment figures for Kentucky contained here reflect national data, not school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary. Data accessed November 2023.

With a traditional or online criminal justice associate degree program, you may be able to start working toward your ideal career immediately. If you’re ready to explore the opportunities in this growing industry, ask Kentucky schools how you can earn a criminal justice associate degree.