Job and salary

 Where could you work?

You may work directly with law enforcement officials, or you might review overall statistics to determine patterns and behaviors. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, many sociologists, which include criminologists, are employed by governmental agencies at the state or federal level as policy analysts. A doctorate is required for many advanced research jobs and professorships. Those with bachelor's degrees may be eligible for positions in the CIA, DEA or as a court counselor.

Salary

The median pay for professionals in the fields of criminal justice and criminology doesn’t tell the whole story. Compensation often varies by location. For example, while the average salary for a police officer is $54,581, the highest-paying cities include New York ($71,457), Philadelphia ($62,673) and Chicago ($62,473). Criminal investigator  salaries average at $53,428, but there is a very wide range, depending on location. In Dallas, you can earn as much as $137,264 per year, but in Arkansas, the salary is 34 percent lower than the national average.

The salary range between states is just as wide in the field of criminology. A forensic psychologist in North Carolina averages approximately $84,560 per year, while peers in New York earn $115,299. A criminologist  or criminal justice researcher, in the field of sociology, averages $83,420 a year. In Texas, the annual salary is approximately $37,130, whereas in Pennsylvania, it’s $121,470.