Home Associate Degrees in Criminal Justice Associate Degrees in Criminal Justice in North Carolina

Associate Degrees in Criminal Justice in North Carolina

If you are interested in a career that can make use of your interests and talents, consider the variety of careers represented in the field of criminal justice. Strong communication skills, the ability to focus under pressure, and the ability to think critically about a situation can be very helpful in this field.

Whether you want to ensure that the rural communities of North Carolina have access to the resources they need or take a post in one of the urban areas of North Carolina, an associate degree in criminal justice may get you started.

Prisons are home to the state’s most dangerous criminals, and staff safety is a priority, said Kenneth Lassiter, director of prisons at DPS. The state must hire more corrections officers and beef-up security measures, said another review commissioned by the N.C. Governor’s Crime Commission (Carolina Journal, 2018). This means there will be an intense need for more correctional officers and many other criminal justice positions within the state.

Could a criminal justice degree take you to the next level in your career? Find out by contacting criminal justice associate degree programs in North Carolina.

 

Featured Online Criminal Justice Programs

 

Criminal Justice Associate Programs in North Carolina

At this early stage in your education, it is important to prepare for every aspect of your training. This can minimize delays and ensure that you move swiftly through your courses. For many students, this process involves figuring out how to pay for school.

Explore average credit hour requirements and tuition rates for criminal justice degrees in NC below:

  • Timeframe: 2 to 3 years
  • Credits: 63 to 72 credits
  • Average tuition cost per year: $2,437 (College Board, 2017-2018)

With state and federal financial aid programs, you may be able to take on less student debt or pay less out of pocket for your education. One local organization with scholarship programs is the North Carolina Sheriffs Association.

A general criminal justice degree can help you succeed in quite a few careers, but if you already know what type of career is right for you, you may be interested in a more focused curriculum.

That’s why North Carolina schools offer programs in fields like paralegal studies, latent evidence, law enforcement, forensic biology, and cyber-crime technology.

Explore course titles and field experience options to find a degree program you are truly excited about.

If you study cyber-crime technology, you may take courses listed here or courses similar to them:

  • Ethics and Technology
  • Network and Security Fundamentals
  • Programming and Logic
  • OS and Device Foundation
  • Computer Crime Investigation
  • Technology Crimes and Law
  • Data Recovery Techniques
  • Mobile Phone Examination
  • Constitutional Law
  • Network Vulnerabilities

If you are particularly interested in a specific degree program, you may look into an online associate degree in criminal justice. This type of degree tends to provide students with greater flexibility and more course options.

 

What Can I Do With a Criminal Justice Degree in North Carolina?

Throughout North Carolina, demand for various criminal justice positions is growing. Even if you want to work in a competitive area of this field, getting practical experience and connecting with high-level professionals may help you be considered for challenging job openings.

For security guards, demand may increase 15% through 2030 in North Carolina (CareerOneStop, 2022). Job openings for police detectives may swell 7% during this time (CareerOneStop, 2022). CareerOneStop expects a 2% boost in parole officer jobs by 2030 (2022).

Your salary potential may be influenced by the agency you work for and how much experience you have. Currently, the average income for a security guard is $32,300 per year (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2022). Police detectives earn a mean income of $66,150 annually (BLS, 2022). The average salary for a North Carolina probation officer is $45,190 (BLS, 2022).

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

With a North Carolina criminal justice associate degree, you may be able to create the career you have always wanted. There’s no better time than right now to begin, so request information from North Carolina schools below.