How To Become A Criminal Justice Instructor: What It Is and Career Path

What is a criminal justice instructor and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted expert

Mario Paparozzi Ph.D.

Criminal justice instructors usually teach classes about law enforcement methods or issues within the justice system. They can even develop outlines, deliver lectures, grade tests, and host office hours to seek help outside the classroom.

As a criminal justice instructor, the qualifications you require might vary depending on the type of your organizational setting. For instance, a high school instructor may only require a bachelor's degree and some work experience, such as time spent working in the court system or law enforcement professional. In contrast, if you want to teach at the college level, you need more experience and an advanced degree.

As per the latest statistics from BLS, a criminal justice instructor earns between $45,380 and $78,660 per year with average annual pay of $58,000. However, this figure can vary significantly depending upon your experience and skills.

What general advice would you give to a criminal justice instructor?

Mario Paparozzi Ph.D.

Professor, Chairman, New Jersey State Parole Board (retired) and/or Past President, American Probation and Parole Association, University of North Carolina at Pembroke

Rely on your presentation as much as you may want to rely on a college degree. A college degree helps to "open doors." Once a door is open, even a little, it is up to the individual to "carry the ball across the finish line." Always remember that a college degree does not make up for deficiencies in an individual's presentation to the "professional/career world." An individual's presentation includes good interpersonal communication skills, using proper grammar when speaking and writing, and dressing for the career you seek. Finally, always remember that criminal justice means "justice for all." This includes career colleagues, criminal offenders, and the community. If an individual is not able to embrace righteousness for everyone, then he should seek another profession.

ScoreCriminal Justice InstructorUS Average

Salary

4.1

Avg. Salary $52,523

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

8.1

Growth rate 12%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

5.2

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.28%

Asian 11.30%

Black or African American 7.10%

Hispanic or Latino 10.11%

Unknown 4.92%

White 66.29%

Gender

female 35.38%

male 64.62%

Age - 46

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 46

Stress level

8.1

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

10.0

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance

5.4

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a criminal justice instructor

Explore criminal justice instructor education requirements

Most common criminal justice instructor degrees

Bachelor's

52.9 %

Master's

26.1 %

Associate

11.1 %

Start to develop specific criminal justice instructor skills

Skills	Percentages
Criminal Justice	38.19%
Law Enforcement	6.88%
Student Learning	5.11%
Course Materials	4.98%
Syllabus	4.22%

Research criminal justice instructor duties and responsibilities

Utilize blackboard management system to encourage online discussions and manage grades.
Identify appropriate techniques for teaching and responding to literature, and ways to effectively use literacy to positively impact diversity education.
Develop lectures, lesson plans, PowerPoint presentations, tests and assignments.
Involve in investigations of federal firearms violations.

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