Associate Degrees in Criminal Justice in Tennessee

When you think about your future career, consider what you have to offer potential employers. Are you strong under stress, able to work in tough physical conditions, and ethical in all of your decision making? Becoming a criminal justice professional can be a perfect way to give back to your community, use your skills in a meaningful way, and guide this field in a positive direction.

In Tennessee, administrators and legislators focus on different areas of need to facilitate industry improvement. One area of concentration in Tennessee is juvenile justice, where legislators have convened a task force to help juveniles facing criminal charges, most of which are misdemeanor offenses. The task force is working to reduce the number of youths in state custody (Beacon Center of Tennessee, 2018).

Pursuing training and education can help you learn the skills that Tennessee employers may look for in criminal justice hires.

Compare Tennessee criminal justice associate degree options by reaching out to local schools.

Featured Online Criminal Justice Programs

Criminal Justice Associate Programs in Tennessee

When you evaluate the many responsibilities of this industry, it’s clear that dozens of career paths and areas of study work together in Tennessee’s criminal justice system. That’s why many local schools offer different educational programs.

You may be able to opt for a degree that is more focused on your intended career path. Options in Tennessee include corrections, law enforcement, police science, and paralegal studies.

The differences between these programs are clear when you look at the required courses for each degree.

Law enforcement students may take these courses and courses like them:

Physical Defensive Tactics
Criminal Investigation
Police Administration and Organization
Officer Survival
Criminal Evidence and Procedures
Interview and Interrogation Techniques
Investigative Report Writing
Police Firearms
Drug Identification and Effects

Each school sets its own learning goals. Learning goals and outcomes make it easy to decipher what your school expects of you and what competencies you should have by the time you graduate. Consider evaluating these factors while comparing Tennessee schools. You can also look into costs and credit hour requirements.

Tennessee averages for earning an associate in Criminal Justice can be found below:

Timeframe: 4 to 6 semesters
Credits: 63 to 75 credits
Average tuition cost per year: $4,292 (College Board, 2017-2018)

When you get through the school selection process, you can move on to financial aid. Your school may have scholarships and grants for criminal justice students. You may also look at professional criminal justice associations in Tennessee and federal grant programs. Tennessee students earning an associate in criminal justice can apply for several scholarships through the Southern States Police Benevolent Foundation.

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

To thrive in this industry, it’s crucial to develop hands-on skills while you’re still a student. If you can jump into a position and quickly acclimate to your employer’s expectations, you may find the transition from student to professional much easier.

Criminal justice associate degree jobs have generally positive outlooks in Tennessee. CareerOneStop predicts a 14% boost in job openings for animal control officers through 2030 (2022). Police patrol officers may enjoy a 9% increase in demand through 2030, higher than the national projected growth rate of 3% (CareerOneStop, 2022). Job openings in Tennessee for security guards are expected to increase 21% during this same period, a rate significantly higher than the national average (CareerOneStop, 2022).

Salaries in Tennessee are in line with Midwestern and Southern averages. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports an average income of $37,080 per year for animal control officers (May 2022). Correctional officers earn, on average, $40,970 per year (BLS, 2022). Statewide, the average salary for a police patrol officer is $50,020 (BLS, 2022).

If you want to make Tennessee a safer, more just place for all of its residents, get your start in the field of criminal justice.

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

Request information on earning an associate degree in criminal justice from Tennessee schools today.