Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Teachers
O*NET title: Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Teachers, Postsecondary
Also called: Criminal Justice Teachers, Postsecondary
Teach courses in criminal justice, corrections, and law enforcement administration. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.
Also called: Adjunct Criminal Justice Instructor, Adjunct Criminal Justice Professor, Adjunct Instructor, Adjunct Professor, Assistant Professor, Associate Professor
Median pay
$76,590
per year, U.S.
Pay range (10th–90th)
$45,000 – $140,240
People employed
13,150
Holland code
SIC
Social · Investigative · Conventional
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
Is this career right for you?
These are the things that stand out in this job compared with other U.S. jobs (O*NET 31.0 work context). Answer honestly.
- 1.Do you want a lot of freedom to make your own decisions?
- 2.Do you enjoy serving customers or the public?
- 3.Are you OK working more than 40 hours a week?
- 4.Do you want to lead or coordinate other people’s work?
The hard parts
- Tight deadlines are common
Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Teachers pay by state
Highest-paying states
Annual median pay by state (41 states with published data). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025.
Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Teachers salary in every state →
What criminal justice and law enforcement teachers do
- 01Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as criminal law, defensive policing, and investigation techniques.
- 02Initiate, facilitate, and moderate classroom discussions.
- 03Evaluate and grade students' class work, assignments, and papers.
- 04Compile, administer, and grade examinations, or assign this work to others.
- 05Keep abreast of developments in the field by reading current literature, talking with colleagues, and participating in professional conferences.
- 06Maintain student attendance records, grades, and other required records.
Skills that matter most
- Speaking
- Critical Thinking
- Active Listening
- Writing
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Learning
Knowledge
- Education and Training
- English Language
- Law and Government
- Public Safety and Security
- Customer and Personal Service
Work styles that stand out
- Dependability
- Integrity
- Intellectual Curiosity
- Cooperation
- Achievement Orientation
Education and first steps
Share of workers by required education, as reported to O*NET.
How people get started
- Usually needs a graduate degree (O*NET Job Zone 5).
- Related work experience: over 2 years, up to and including 4 years.
- On-the-job training: none or short demonstration.
- A certification can help.
Most common answers from O*NET 31.0 Education, Training and Experience.
Interest fit (Holland code)
O*NET occupational interest scores, scale 1–7. Take the Free Career Test to compare with your own.
Career changes
Change from criminal justice and law enforcement teachers
- Instructional Coordinators85% · +1%
- Special Education Teachers, Secondary School83% · −3%
- Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education81% · −6%
- Training and Development Specialists79% · −10%
- Education Administrators, Postsecondary78% · +37%
Change into criminal justice and law enforcement teachers
Jobs whose skills carry over best (skill match, their median pay).
- Instructional Coordinators81% · $77,440
- Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors79% · $64,330
- Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers78% · $60,280
- Special Education Teachers, Secondary School77% · $74,260
- Training and Development Specialists77% · $69,280
Majors that lead here
- Environmental/Natural Resources Law Enforcement and Protective Services
- Criminal Justice and Corrections, General
- Corrections
- Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement Administration
- Criminal Justice/Safety Studies
- Criminal Justice/Police Science
- Security and Loss Prevention Services
- Juvenile Corrections
- Securities Services Administration/Management
- Corrections Administration
- Law Enforcement Investigation and Interviewing
- Law Enforcement Record-Keeping and Evidence Management
From the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk.