The majority of entry-level Georgia criminal justice jobs require a bachelor degree in criminal justice from an accredited university, and Georgia law students will often choose criminal justice as their undergraduate major in preparation for law school. In many cases, prospective Georgia police officers, sheriffs and other law enforcement officers are required to complete criminal justice coursework prior to entering a law enforcement academy.
Salaries and job opportunities vary between criminal justice careers; however, as an example, probation officers and correctional treatment specialists made an average annual salary of $42,500 in 2006. Data published in the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook 2008-2009 Edition shows an estimated 11% growth rate in these two criminal justice careers between 2006 and 2016. This will result in an additional 10,000 criminal justice jobs in the United States over the next few years, just in the probation and correctional treatment specialist fields. Criminal justice professionals in Georgia can expect to see a similar rate of growth in Georgia criminal justice careers.
If you would like to learn more about obtaining a criminal justice degree, or are ready to take the next step to begin your Georgia criminal justice career, browse through our comprehensive list of schools offering criminal justice programs.