Bachelor’s of Criminal Justice in Georgia

If you’re looking for a career that is evidence-based, that gives you the chance to have a positive impact on people’s lives, and offers plenty of room for growth, look into the field of criminal justice in Georgia. Criminal justice professionals fill many roles in this state, from jailers and the police officers to bailiffs and forensic technicians. As you explore this field, you may find that there are many benefits to earning a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice.

Contact the Georgia criminal justice programs listed below for program details and more information.

Featured Online Criminal Justice Programs

When you start your career in Georgia, you could look forward to support from legislators and the public as a whole. A recent Georgia summit brought together people from both sides of the political spectrum to solve Georgia’s criminal justice problems.

Earning your degree in criminal justice can put you in a position to protect people from violent and property crimes. This requires you to stay on top of Georgia laws and changing standards. In 2015, for example, Georgia passed a bill to make cyber bullying against the law.

Though there are many safe parts of Georgia, there are also many cities where crime rates remain high. If you want to make Georgia a safer place for future generations, criminal justice may well be the field for you.

Bachelor’s Degrees in Criminal Justice in Georgia

Earning a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice requires approximately four years of full-time study, depending on whether or not you attend classes in the summer. Your curriculum should cover several different areas of this field, from research and analysis to legal issues and justice procedures.

Early in your curriculum, you may take courses like The American Crime Problem, Policing in America, Ethical Issues in Criminal Justice, Policing and Individual Rights, and Criminal Law. As you become more skilled in various areas of criminal justice, you may move on to classes like Family Violence and Criminal Justice, Mental Health Issues, Community Policing, Victimology, and Criminal Investigation.

Most Georgia criminal justice schools require some practical experience before graduation. This may include completing a practicum course or completing an internship at the end of your degree. It’s important to spend some time learning about different career paths in this field and selecting a few that you may be interested in.

There are quite a few scholarship options for criminal justice students in Georgia. In this state, most scholarships are school-specific. As a result, you may want to start applying for scholarships as soon as you get accepted to your school choice. Options in Georgia include the Community Criminal Justice Scholarship and the Sherry Lyons-Williams Scholarship.

Working In Criminal Justice in Georgia

As you start looking into criminal justice careers in Georgia, you may find that the job outlook in the state is very positive. Through 2030, CareerOneStop anticipates a 10% increase in policing jobs. Each year through 2030 they hope to see almost 1,200 new jailer positions in Georgia. The demand for criminal investigators is expected to increase by 7% in this timeframe.

The salary you earn as a professional in this field depends on how much experience you have and which career path you decide to follow. The average salary for a Georgia police officer is $49,520 per year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics for 2022. Those who work as correctional officers earn an average salary of $38,270 per year, and criminal investigators in the state earn an average of $72,000 per year.

Whether you want to serve Georgia in the community, in the prison system, or in the court system, you can start with the right degree. Contact bachelor’s degree programs in Georgia to get started now.

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