Criminal Justice, BS

What Can You Do With a Criminal Justice Degree?

Hilbert’s bachelor’s degree in criminal justice can be the springboard you need to get started in a broad range of career paths related to protecting people and communities and ensuring the legal system is fair and effective. Whether you aspire to enter a professional field directly or use your bachelor’s degree as the foundation for advanced study leading to a graduate degree, our Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice program can serve you well.

Why Earn a Bachelor’s in Criminal Justice?

Because a criminal justice degree is a social science degree, students develop skills beyond the core content area of criminal justice, including key skills in communication, critical thinking and analytical problem-solving. In addition, students develop a commitment to community service as well as ethical decision-making and behavior. Students who graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice degree can choose from diverse career paths because they have learned theory, practical knowledge and professional workplace skills.

Why Choose Hilbert for Your Bachelor’s in Criminal Justice Degree?

At Hilbert, we embrace our students as family and do everything we can to propel them to success academically and socially. As a student in our Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice program, you will enjoy:

• Expert faculty with years of experience in their fields
• A 15:1 student-to-faculty ratio, guaranteeing face time with your professors
• Internship opportunities to gain practical experience in real-world settings such as the U.S. Secret Service, the New York State Attorney General’s Office, local police departments and many others
• The opportunity to add a concentration to your criminal justice degree—choose from Corrections, Law Enforcement, Security, Social Services, Juvenile Justice, Academia, Intelligence, Law or Lawmaking, and Courts
• Academic skills workshops, one-on-one tutoring, learning strategies instruction and academic counseling to help you perform your best
• A dedicated Office of Career Development providing resources, knowledge and strategies to help you achieve your career potential
• More than 25 student organizations, clubs and honor societies, plus intramural and club sports Ample service learning opportunities to give back to the community

Criminal Justice Concentrations

Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice Degree Job Outlook

Employment of protective service operations is projected to grow 2% from 2021 to 2031, resulting in about 72,600 new jobs over the decade, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. By far, the largest opportunity in this field will likely arise from the need to replace workers who retire or otherwise leave their jobs permanently. Taken together, growth and replacement needs will result in a sizable total of about 421,500 total job openings each year.

Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice Career Paths

A bachelor’s degree in criminal justice can be your gateway to a variety of career opportunities, including:

Additional studies at the graduate level can open up even more pathways to the senior positions—and higher salaries—this field has to offer.

What Is the Typical Salary for a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice Graduate?

Here are some of the careers you may pursue with your criminal justice degree from Hilbert College, along with their median salaries:

*Salary info based on data compiled by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
**Salary info based on data compiled by Payscale

Criminal Justice Degree Outcomes

The Criminal Justice Department is dedicated to the advancement of student education and provides a balanced liberal arts curriculum integrated with practical experience by:

• Students will develop oral and written communication skills to articulate Criminal justice topics.
• Students will gain an understanding and appreciation for the social and cultural diversity of society and how they impact the criminal justice system.
• Students will develop abilities in critical thinking, logical assessment and analytical problem solving which will be essential to work in the criminal justice field.
• Students will develop competencies in designing, analyzing and critiquing social research, and assessing data sources as needed which are relevant to the criminal justice field.
• Students will acquire specific knowledge consistent with a bachelor’s degree in this major in key subject areas as identified by national organizations, such as Academy of Criminal Justice Society (ACJS).
• Students will demonstrate and apply Franciscan values to ethical behavior and leadership needed in the 21st-Century.

Criminal Justice Department Mission

The mission of the Hilbert College Criminal Justice Department, a Franciscan institution, is to provide students with a challenging and relevant curriculum. Our program enhances professional and career skills in specialized fields by providing students with a well-rounded, yet content-focused educational experience. This is accomplished through a balanced course of study in liberal arts, career preparation, and the integration of multi-disciplinary coursework. In addition to discipline specific knowledge, the Criminal Justice Program cultivates student skills in critical thinking, oral and written communication, research analysis, technology, and problem solving. Moreover, the program develops student character through a commitment to community service, personal accountability, global responsibility, cultural diversity, and the importance of lifelong learning.