Bachelor’s in Criminal Justice Programs in California

In general, California’s residents and voters are fairly savvy in terms of criminal justice, so this may be a great place to put your knowledge of the field to work. Thanks to the work of educated advocates and voters, you may be able to use research-based methods and techniques to make California a safer place.

Criminal justice may soon become a more efficient industry throughout the state. State courts recently ruled that those in the justice field could legally use the Azure Government cloud for the storage, retrieval, and use of criminal justice information. This technological development is particularly important in California, where many states have high crime rates. In fact, the LAPD chief of police claimed that violent crime has increased by 26% in Los Angeles.

From police officers to correctional officers and forensic science technicians, more criminal justice professionals are needed throughout the state to minimize this crime wave. Find out how a career in this field could change your future by contacting criminal justice programs in California directly from our site.

With a bachelor’s degree, you may have the skills and knowledge needed for a variety of entry-level criminal justice jobs. While there are general criminal justice degrees, you may also be able to choose a degree that gives special attention to one area of the industry. This may be beneficial if you want to work with a specific population or tackle a specific type of crime. California schools may have degrees in juvenile justice, criminology, cyber crime, and policing. You may want to look at the curriculum for each program to find one that suits your needs.

Regardless of which program you choose, you may take some of the same core courses as other criminal justice students. Core courses include Law and Public Policy, Criminal Justice Organization and Management, Civil Liberties, Ethics in Criminal Justice, and Criminology. As you proceed into higher-level courses, you may enroll in U.S. Homeland Security, Law and Police Processes, Polygraph & Lie Detection, and Corrections.

For many schools, practical work experience is just as important as theoretical understanding. Completing an internship at a local police station, crime lab, or justice agency may give you the in you need to start your career.

Once you know that you’re going to study in this field, you can start looking into financial aid options in your area. The Northern California Peace Officers Association awards scholarships of $1,750 each. Quite a few scholarships are specific to a school, like the William Hegarty Scholarship and the Shawn D. Wiersma Criminal Justice Memorial Scholarship.

Job Outlook for Criminal Justice Graduates in California

Working in California may give you the chance to enjoy a higher-than-average earning potential. Per CareerOneStop, the average salary for a bailiff is $75,900 per year; this is more than $25,000 higher than the national average. Similarly, California patrol officers claim a median salary of $104,160 per year, while correctional officers report an average income of $84,520 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2022). 

Job outlook statistics are in line with national averages. CareerOneStop expects demand for correctional officer jobs to remain steady through 2030, with a 5% increase in policing jobs (CareerOneStop, 2022).

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

Are you ready to make California a safer place to live? Contact the schools offering bachelor’s degree programs in California listed on our site to begin.