Criminal justice coursework is often a requirement for acceptance into law enforcement academies and most entry-level Iowa criminal justice jobs require a bachelor degree in criminal justice. Future law students also often choose criminal justice as their undergraduate major to provide them with a solid foundation and understanding of criminal justice prior to beginning their law career.
Probation officer, correctional treatment specialist and police or sheriff’s patrol officer are some of the popular criminal justice career choices available in Iowa. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2006 there were 648,000 police and sheriff’s patrol officers making an average of $52,810 per year and 94,000 correctional treatment specialists and probation officers making an average annual wage of $42,500 in the United States at that time. Projection estimates show that each of these careers is expected to see an 11% increase in job openings by 2016, resulting in about 80,000 new criminal justice careers across the country. Iowa criminal justice job openings can be expected to see a similar rate of growth.
If you are ready to take the next step and begin your criminal justice education, browse through the comprehensive list of schools below and find the Iowa criminal justice program that is right for you.