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Criminal justice instructor salary
Average criminal justice instructor salary
$52,523
Average Criminal Justice Instructor Salary
The average salary for a Criminal Justice Instructor is currently $52,523 per year. This salary can vary based on several factors including geographical location, years of experience, and the type of educational institution. For instance, instructors in higher education typically earn more than those in community colleges or vocational schools.
Factors Influencing Salary
In addition to location and experience, the demand for criminal justice courses can significantly impact salaries. In states with a high demand for criminal justice education, instructors may command higher salaries. For example, states like California, New York, and Texas often offer competitive pay due to the larger population and greater number of institutions.
Job Opportunities
As a Criminal Justice Instructor, you can explore various career paths including teaching at community colleges, universities, or adult education centers. Moreover, specialized training in areas like forensic science or cybersecurity can enhance your qualifications and open doors to higher-paying roles.
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Where can a Criminal Justice Instructor earn more?
Criminal justice instructor salary estimates from across the web
Average criminal justice instructor salary by state
The average criminal justice instructor salary in California, Virginia, and Maine are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average criminal justice instructor salary states are South Dakota, Michigan, and Montana.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for criminal justice instructors
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $70,748 | $34.01 |
| 2 | Virginia | $59,145 | $28.44 |
| 3 | Mississippi | $55,701 | $26.78 |
| 4 | North Carolina | $56,050 | $26.95 |
| 5 | Utah | $56,058 | $26.95 |
| 6 | New York | $56,129 | $26.99 |
| 7 | Maine | $58,927 | $28.33 |
| 8 | Colorado | $54,517 | $26.21 |
| 9 | Illinois | $57,320 | $27.56 |
| 10 | North Dakota | $56,021 | $26.93 |
| 11 | Arizona | $56,862 | $27.34 |
| 12 | Alaska | $54,223 | $26.07 |
| 13 | West Virginia | $51,211 | $24.62 |
| 14 | Nebraska | $54,311 | $26.11 |
| 15 | District of Columbia | $60,322 | $29.00 |
| 16 | Vermont | $52,051 | $25.02 |
| 17 | Rhode Island | $53,744 | $25.84 |
| 18 | Missouri | $54,990 | $26.44 |
| 19 | Kansas | $54,353 | $26.13 |
| 20 | Oregon | $51,263 | $24.65 |
| 21 | Alabama | $50,261 | $24.16 |
| 22 | Ohio | $51,505 | $24.76 |
| 23 | Kentucky | $48,970 | $23.54 |
| 24 | New Hampshire | $53,198 | $25.58 |
| 25 | Wyoming | $48,326 | $23.23 |
| 26 | Minnesota | $51,627 | $24.82 |
| 27 | Texas | $49,692 | $23.89 |
| 28 | New Jersey | $51,205 | $24.62 |
| 29 | Washington | $53,127 | $25.54 |
| 30 | Delaware | $51,073 | $24.55 |
| 31 | Connecticut | $53,169 | $25.56 |
| 32 | Idaho | $51,898 | $24.95 |
| 33 | Nevada | $48,806 | $23.46 |
| 34 | Massachusetts | $51,484 | $24.75 |
| 35 | Maryland | $49,852 | $23.97 |
| 36 | Louisiana | $45,573 | $21.91 |
| 37 | Hawaii | $39,334 | $18.91 |
| 38 | South Carolina | $41,506 | $19.95 |
| 39 | Pennsylvania | $46,068 | $22.15 |
| 40 | Iowa | $44,388 | $21.34 |
| 41 | Florida | $46,314 | $22.27 |
| 42 | New Mexico | $44,867 | $21.57 |
| 43 | South Dakota | $40,309 | $19.38 |
| 44 | Michigan | $39,861 | $19.16 |
| 45 | Montana | $39,604 | $19.04 |
| 46 | Wisconsin | $40,883 | $19.66 |
| 47 | Oklahoma | $44,306 | $21.30 |
| 48 | Georgia | $36,862 | $17.72 |
| 49 | Arkansas | $43,012 | $20.68 |
| 50 | Indiana | $40,677 | $19.56 |
| 51 | Tennessee | $36,749 | $17.67 |
Highest paying cities for criminal justice instructors
The highest-paying cities for criminal justice instructors are Bakersfield, CA, Newport News, VA, and Goldsboro, NC.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bakersfield, CA | $70,773 | $34.03 |
| 2 | Newport News, VA | $59,099 | $28.41 |
| 3 | Goldsboro, NC | $56,605 | $27.21 |
| 4 | New York, NY | $56,111 | $26.98 |
| 5 | Denver, CO | $54,507 | $26.21 |
| 6 | Everett, WA | $53,225 | $25.59 |
| 7 | Eugene, OR | $51,758 | $24.88 |
| 8 | San Marcos, TX | $50,178 | $24.12 |
| 9 | Baltimore, MD | $50,090 | $24.08 |
| 10 | Reno, NV | $49,850 | $23.97 |
| 11 | Bowling Green, KY | $48,409 | $23.27 |
| 12 | Abington, PA | $46,436 | $22.32 |
| 13 | Clearwater, FL | $46,429 | $22.32 |
| 14 | Sioux City, IA | $43,563 | $20.94 |
| 15 | Columbia, SC | $41,569 | $19.99 |
| 16 | Appleton, WI | $41,332 | $19.87 |
| 17 | Marion, IN | $41,047 | $19.73 |
Criminal justice instructor salary details
A criminal justice instructor's salary ranges from $33,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $82,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a criminal justice instructor's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $82,000 | $6,833 | $39 |
| 75th Percentile | $66,000 | $5,500 | $32 |
| Average | $52,523 | $4,377 | $25 |
| 25th Percentile | $41,000 | $3,417 | $20 |
| 10th Percentile | $33,000 | $2,750 | $16 |
Highest paying criminal justice instructor jobs
The highest paying types of criminal justice instructors are law professor, adjunct professor of law, and associate professor of law.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Law Enforcement Technician | $44,124 | $3,677 | $21.21 | 6,659 |
| Justice | $53,502 | $4,459 | $25.72 | 1,014 |
| Instructor | $53,426 | $4,452 | $25.69 | 39,273 |
| Adjunct Instructor | $52,030 | $4,336 | $25.01 | 40,633 |
| Criminal Justice Lawyer | $49,977 | $4,165 | $24.03 | 824 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for criminal justice instructors, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
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
Top companies hiring criminal justice instructors now:
Which companies pay criminal justice instructors the most?
Criminal justice instructor salaries at Kern Community College District and Indiana University of Pennsylvania are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average criminal justice instructor salary at companies like Truckee Meadows Community College and Research Foundation of The City University of New York are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kern Community College District | $127,608 | $61.35 |
| 2 | Indiana University of Pennsylvania | $66,218 | $31.84 |
| 3 | Truckee Meadows Community College | $60,246 | $28.96 |
| 4 | Research Foundation of The City University of New York | $59,025 | $28.38 |
| 5 | Tribune Publishing | $58,169 | $27.97 |
| 6 | PSEA | $57,927 | $27.85 |
| 7 | Wayne Community College | $57,046 | $27.43 |
| 8 | Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College | $56,220 | $27.03 |
| 9 | University of Louisville | $52,135 | $25.06 |
| 10 | Briar Cliff University | $51,382 | $24.70 |
| 11 | Everett Community College | $51,202 | $24.62 |
| 12 | Daymar College | $50,361 | $24.21 |
| 13 | My Florida Regional Mls | $49,671 | $23.88 |
| 14 | Bryant & Stratton College | $48,855 | $23.49 |
| 15 | Northeastern Junior College | $48,707 | $23.42 |
| 16 | Indiana Wesleyan University | $48,629 | $23.38 |
| 17 | Sam Houston State University | $48,574 | $23.35 |
| 18 | Florida Department of Transportation | $48,478 | $23.31 |
| 19 | Central Oregon Community College | $47,715 | $22.94 |
| 20 | Metropolitan State University of Denver | $46,986 | $22.59 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Criminal justice instructor salary trends
The average criminal justice instructor salary has risen by $3,371 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average criminal justice instructor earned $49,152 annually, but today, they earn $52,523 a year. That works out to a 7% change in pay for criminal justice instructors over the last decade.
Compare criminal justice instructor salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average criminal justice instructor salary over time
Compare criminal justice instructor salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Criminal justice instructor salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $52,500 | $25.25 | +1.1% |
| 2025 | $51,900 | $24.97 | +1.5% |
| 2024 | $51,200 | $24.59 | +2.4% |
| 2023 | $49,900 | $24.00 | +1.3% |
| 2022 | $49,200 | $23.67 | +1.4% |
Recently added criminal justice instructor salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nu Technology | Faculty, Homeland Security, Emergency Management, and Criminal Justice | San Diego, CA | 06/30/2025 | $55,577 |
| Wake Technical Community College | Instructor 9M Criminal Justice | Raleigh, NC | 06/27/2025 | $56,256 |
| Northwest Career College | Criminal Justice Instructor, Adjunct To | Las Vegas, NV | 06/27/2025 | $52,175 |
| Alfred State College | Temporary Lecturer-Criminal Justice/Cybercrime-Alfred State College | Alfred, NY | 06/26/2025 | $50,063 |
| State of South Carolina | Criminal Justice Training Instructor (Police Science) | Columbia, SC | 06/25/2025 | $60,696 |
| Tennessee Board of Regents | Criminal Justice: Correctional Officer Associate Instructor | Elizabethton, TN | 06/18/2025 | $50,894 |
| Chester County Intermediate Unit | Criminal Justice and Police Sciences Instructor-Tchs Pickering | Kane, PA | 06/11/2025 | $61,300 |
| Association for Institutional Research In The Upper Midwest | Criminal Justice and Academy Adjunct Instructor | Appleton, WI | 05/27/2025 | $93,915 |
| State of South Carolina | Criminal Justice Training Instructor (Traffic Safety Unit) | Columbia, SC | 05/25/2025 | $59,506 |
| Iec Corp Group | Criminal Justice Instructor | Bakersfield, CA | 05/17/2025 | $43,827 |
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