Are you interested in learning more about online criminal justice programs in Arizona? Getting a criminal justice degree online provides a convenient way to complete your studies and pursue a career in criminal justice. Students begin by choosing a college. It’s important to choose a nationally accredited college or university with a strong reputation for its criminal justice programs. Students can check accreditation at the regional level through the Council for Higher Education. These schools may include universities, colleges and community colleges.
An online criminal justice degree in Arizona gives graduates the information and skills needed to pursue entry-level work in this field. An online criminal justice degree allows students to continue working while completing their studies. Not everyone is able to attend school full-time due to their financial situation or family obligations. It also gives students access to highly acclaimed schools even if they don’t live nearby.
Featured Schools
Criminal justice majors who decide to pursue their degree online typically qualify for state and federal financing as long as they attend an accredited college. This flexibility makes it easier to manage the cost of continuing education. There are many specializations available to those who wish to study criminal justice. Those already working in the field may find that completing their degree helps them advance at work. Some of the positions obtained after completing a criminal justice degree include police officer, probation officer and employees who work in courtrooms, to name a few.
Who decides to get their criminal justice degree online?
Students who have responsibilities such as caring for a loved one often cannot attend classes in person. Others work during the day when typical classes are in session. By choosing to pursue their degree online, criminal justice students have full access to assignments, quizzes and tests that they can take during their free time. For some students, this may mean studying in the evenings after work or hitting the library on weekends. Others may take their laptop and classwork to a local cafe.
Many students study online to complete their four-year bachelor’s degree. A bachelor’s degree in criminal justice opens up career opportunities that include becoming a police dispatcher or corrections officer. Additionally, those who already work in law enforcement often complete their degree to qualify for supervisory positions or specialized fields such as detective work.
Fortunately, there are many great online colleges and universities. Students often have the same instructors as those taking on-campus classes. With a firm foundation in the legal, ethical and practical elements of this exciting field, students can begin their careers fully prepared for what they will face on a day-to-day basis.
How we ranked The Best Online Criminal Justice Programs in Arizona
To rank Arizona’s best online criminal justice programs, Criminal Justice Degree Hub editors focus on trustworthy, accredited schools. We rank programs by practical factors such as tuition rate, student satisfaction, and graduate salary. Data comes from IPEDS and Niche.
1. Arizona State University (Masters)
The Arizona State University offers a master’s in criminal justice that students can take online. This degree prepares students to pursue their degree online and prep for senior leadership positions. Graduates go on to work in public and private sectors within criminal justice or related industries. This online degree focuses on a wider view of crime. It takes into consideration crime and its impact on society and also looks at how justice is applied. Arizona State’s online criminal justice degree includes courses and policing, corrections, courts and criminology. Graduates master the Ins and outs of the criminal justice system and learn how to assess risk and manage criminal justice organizations. Courses also cover report preparation and financial analysis within this vertical. Students pick from a range of elective classes that allow them to tailor their degrees.
This unique online program covers topics such as policy analysis and program evaluation to program planning and management.
2. University of Arizona – Global Campus (Masters)
The University of Arizona Global Campus has an online degree in criminal justice that addresses the advance of terrorism and its association with technology. Graduates emerge with advanced skills that help them deal with complicated issues facing criminal justice departments today. Getting a degree online allows those who already work in law enforcement to deepen their knowledge of the field from this perspective. This online criminal justice degree includes classes in sociology, the legal system, psychology and other courses that look into how decisions are made in the legal arena. The program prepares students for careers as corrections officers, law enforcement officers, homeland security agents, public safety officials, and crime scene investigators.
This online degree prepares students for more advanced academic studies at the doctoral level or career-oriented goals in corrections or law enforcement.
3. University of Arizona – Global Campus (BA)
The University of Arizona Global Campus also offers a BA in criminal justice. This online degree equips students with the skills needed to keep their community safe. Those attending this degree online participate in a program that uses broad-based approaches to criminal justice and law enforcement concepts. The online criminal justice degree culminates in a Bachelor of Arts in Social and Criminal Justice. Students examine topics through courses in the correctional system, crime prevention, terrorism and psychology. Other courses may include how to deal with mental illness, policing in modern communities and a critical look at criminal justice.
This online degree has a broad-based approach that gives students an encapsulated view of the criminal justice system.
4. Arizona State University (BA)
Arizona State University’s BA in criminal justice is an online degree. Students who pursue a degree online need flexibility to continue in their careers or to juggle family life. Some cannot make the commute to classes every day. Whatever reason students choose this online criminal justice degree, they get a well-rounded education. The degree focuses on gaining in three major areas of criminal justice and crime. First, students learn about the causes of crime, then they turn their attention to the consequences. Lastly, they talk about the role criminal justice agencies should play in an ideal world. They also learn how to compose reports for their areas of specialization. Students can expect to study psychology, logic and behavioral science.
Arizona State’s online degree in criminal justice leaves graduates well-prepared for graduate school or entry-level jobs in the field. There are various fields in law enforcement that current graduates work in. These include criminal justice case management, the court system, law enforcement, the public sector, and the police force. Whether students want to become parole officers or court administrators, this program lays the foundation they’ll need to grasp the basic concepts and move onto specialized knowledge that will help them excel at their jobs.
This online degree teaches students how to conduct research, investigate crimes and develop theories.
5. Northern Arizona University
North Arizona University has a well-respected online criminal justice degree designed to give students access to current and former professionals in law enforcement. Faculty members include current and former detectives, lawyers, officers and other instructors with real-world experience. Students choose one of two tracks. They can choose intelligence studies or justice administration to match their education to their career goals. Prospective students may wonder how they can put this degree to work for them. With the program’s focus on justice studies, students create a path to careers as FBI agents, Border Patrol agents, DEA agents, and police officers. This is one of the best programs for those who want to earn their degree online.
This online degree gives sudents direct access to high-level professionals with deep knowledge in the field.
6. DeVry University
DeVry University offers a bachelor’s in technical management for students who want to complete their degree online. For students fascinated by the strategies that drive law enforcement, this could be the perfect online degree. This online criminal justice degree is a special program drawing from multiple disciplines. Students explore concepts related to juvenile justice, law theory, corrections practice and law enforcement. Students may wonder what they can do with this degree? Besides the typical course of attending graduate school or going to work immediately, students can become subject matter experts in the techniques used to train and direct law enforcement officers. All efforts in this area have the ultimate goal of creating a stable society and reducing crime.
This important online degree gives students a peek behind the curtains to learn more about the science of law enforcement and corrections.
7. Ottowa University
Students who want to earn an online criminal justice degree can attend classes at Ottawa University even if they don’t live anywhere near the city. This online degree puts the laser focus on public safety and law enforcement. Students who want to earn their degree online enjoy the guidance of experienced professionals who act as instructors and advisors. The accelerated program also features leadership skills development and a close look at procedures involved in policing and the court system. This major covers a lot of territory and helps graduates gain a broad base that helps them learn how to protect individual rights while meeting public needs. Courses include terrorism, victim services, and forensics.
Students who choose this online degree take courses in policing in today’s communities, mental illness responses, criminal justice, and law enforcement.
8. Yavapai College
Yavapai College has an Administration of Justice degree program that students can take online. This online degree gives students the flexibility to schedule their study time and assignments around their work or life schedules. By pursuing their degree online, students don’t have to interrupt their careers in criminal justice or elsewhere. This is an interdisciplinary program that helps students get ready for many employment opportunities. YC’s online criminal justice degree includes topics such as corrections, probation, parole, and law enforcement. Learners also tackle social services and how the courts work within the community.
Students who choose this program to earn their degree online are often already employed in a justice career. Therefore, many students are looking to increase their chance of promotion or to upgrade their skills.
9. Scottsdale Community College
Scottsdale Community College has an administration of justice degree that allows students to explore their interest in criminology, forensic science, or the justice system. An online degree is particularly suited for students who cannot attend classes in person due to a number of factors. Sometimes, students already have jobs in criminal justice or other fields. Family life doesn’t provide the time to commute back and forth to a physical class. Other times, students may live in remote areas and require digital access to courses. For whatever reason, students end up at Scottsdale Community College, they receive a quality education. Students will learn more about evidence technology, community policing, and other principles of criminal justice than they could learn in any other degree. The college offers a plethora of degrees related to criminal justice, including administration of justice studies, and an associate of arts that emphasize criminal justice, forensic science, certification programs, crime scene investigation, administration of justice, fingerprint identification, and related topics.
The sheer breadth of this online degree makes it an attractive option for those who want to pursue an online criminal justice degree.
10. Park University
Park University offers students the opportunity to pursue their associate’s or bachelor’s degree in criminal justice administration. Students learn from faculty members who are also scholars. This incorporates real-world situations into this online degree. The school’s online criminal justice degree includes all aspects of the field including state, local, and federal levels. Students can find courses that meet almost every need in the field. So, here is what you will learn. This online degree covers both practical and theoretical aspects of the justice and legal system, including both private and public domains. The core curriculum focuses on criminology, criminal law, agency administration, and similar topics. Students have access to concentrations that allow them to build their careers.
This online criminal justice degree includes two certificate programs to help students further their goals.
How Is the Criminal Justice Job Market in Arizona?
ZipRecruiter is a job database that connects employers and job candidates. It recently published data pertaining to the job market for criminal justice jobs in Arizona. The market in Arizona isn’t as active as other states and students may face a slow start until they obtain their first position and have some experience under their belts. On a national level, Arizona ranks 37th out of 50 states for recent job posts for criminal justice salaries.
Ziprecruiter has a continuous influx of activity and constantly publishes the most recent data. Therefore, it is a good resource to gauge the current demand for criminal justice jobs in Arizona and elsewhere. Students wanting to move to nearby states may find that opportunities open up somewhat.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Arizona has one of the highest employment levels of Detectives and Criminal Investigators in the nation (ranking fifth). So, it may be possible to find niche positions in your area of specialization that provide high pay for criminal justice jobs in Arizona.
How Much Can I Make with a Criminal Justice Degree in Arizona?
Arizona pays police and patrol officers an average of $67,000, somewhat less than the national average of $67,000, for example. What is the criminal justice salary for a bachelor’s degree in Arizona? As of the time of this writing, graduates with a BS in criminal justice made an average of approximately $50,000 per year. That rounds out to a little over $24 an hour or $962 per week, for a total monthly take home of $4,169.
While ZipRecruiter has seen more than one criminal justice salary of over $190,000, other employers listed salaries of under $20,000. This is a degree and criminal justice may expect salary ranges between 28,000 and $56,000. Those in the 90th percentile and higher make more than $91,000 annually in Arizona.
Working in criminal justice in Arizona can prove highly fulfilling. Students willing to work their way up and willing to start at a lower salary can still do well in criminal justice jobs in the state. There are many factors that go into how much a graduate can make in this field. Experience and education are two of the major factors, as well as location.
The average pay range in this field varies greatly (as much as $28,339), which suggests there may be room to advance to positions with a higher criminal justice salary based on skill level, location and years of experience.
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