Criminal Justice

Occupational Outlook

• Overall employment of police and detectives is projected to grow 3 percent from 2024 to 2034, about as fast as the average for all occupations.
• About 62,200 openings for police and detectives are projected each year, on average, over the decade.
• The median annual wage for police and detectives was $77,270 per year in 2024. https://www.bls.gov/ooh/protective-service/police-and-detectives.htm

• Employment of forensic science technicians is projected to grow 13 percent from 2024 to 2034, much faster than the average for all occupations.
• About 2,900 openings for forensic science technicians are projected each year, on average, over the decade.
• The median annual wage for Forensic Science Technicians was $67,440 per year in 2024 https://www.bls.gov/ooh/life-physical-and-social-science/forensic-science-technicians.htm

• Employment of probation officers and correctional treatment specialists is projected to grow 3 percent from 2024 to 2034, about as fast as the average for all occupations.
• About 7,900 openings for probation officers and correctional treatment specialists are projected each year, on average, over the decade.
• The median annual wage for Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists was $64,520 per year in 2024 https://www.bls.gov/ooh/community-and-social-service/probation-officers-and-correctional-treatment-specialists.htm

• Overall employment of correctional officers and bailiffs is projected to decline 7 percent from 2024 to 2034.
• Despite declining employment, about 31,900 openings for correctional officers and bailiffs are projected each year, on average, over the decade. All of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to other occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
• The median annual wage for Correctional Officers and Bailiffs was $57,950 in 2024 https://www.bls.gov/ooh/protective-service/correctional-officers.htm

• Employment of lawyers is projected to grow 4 percent from 2024 to 2034, about as fast as the average for all occupations.
• About 31,500 openings for lawyers are projected each year, on average, over the decade.
• The median annual wage for Lawyers was $151,160 per year in 2024 https://www.bls.gov/ooh/legal/lawyers.htm

• Federal Job Search:
  • https://www.usajobs.gov/
• State of Ohio Job Search:
  • https://careers.ohio.gov/
• Crime Scene Investigator:
  • Finding an Entry Level CSI job: https://www.crime-scene-investigator.net/finding-an-entry-level-csi-or-forensic-job.html
  • https://www.theiai.org/job_listings.php https://www.theiai.org/student_career_resources.php
  • https://www.theiai.org/internship_opportunities.php
  • https://www.aafs.org/search/careers
  • https://www.aafs.org/careers-forensic-science
  • https://www.crime-scene-investigator.net/employment.html
• State of Ohio Investigator/Special Agent:
  • Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation, Special Agent: https://www.ohioattorneygeneral.gov/law-enforcement/bureau-of-criminal-investigation
  • Ohio Investigative Unit: https://oiu.ohio.gov/
  • Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles Investigations: https://www.bmv.ohio.gov/more-inv-about.aspx
  • Ohio Dept. of Taxation Investigations: https://tax.ohio.gov/wps/portal/gov/tax/professional/criminal-investigations-division
  • Ohio Auditor of State Special Investigations: https://ohioauditor.gov/publicintegrity/default.html
  • Ohio Health Care Fraud, Special Agent: https://www.ohioattorneygeneral.gov/About-AG/Service-Divisions/health-care-fraud
  • Ohio Civil Rights Commission Civil Rights Investigator: https://crc.ohio.gov/Home.aspx
  • Ohio Ethics Commission Investigations: https://www.ethics.ohio.gov/investigation/index.html
  • Office of the Ohio Public Offender, Investigator: https://opd.ohio.gov/about-opd/careers/welcome/welcome
  • Ohio Bureau of Workers Compensation, Special Investigations: https://info.bwc.ohio.gov/about-bwc/agency-overview
  • Ohio Casino Control Commission, Gaming Agent: https://casinocontrol.ohio.gov/Enforcement/RoleofGamingAgents.aspx
  • Ohio State Fire Marshal: https://www.com.ohio.gov/fire/
  • Other Ohio State Level Law Enforcement:
  • Ohio State Highway Patrol: https://statepatrol.ohio.gov/#gsc.tab=0
  • Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Office of Law Enforcement: https://ohiodnr.gov/wps/portal/gov/odnr/discover-and-learn/safety-conservation/about-ODNR/law-enforcement/office-law-enforcement
  • Federal Police/Investigator/Special Agent:
  • USA Jobs Portal (search "series 1811" or "investigator"): https://www.usajobs.gov/
  • Federal Bureau of Investigation: https://www.fbijobs.gov/career-paths/special-agents?gclid=Cj0KCQiA-K2MBhC-ARIsAMtLKRsyhWeFxzSbhIkUAxfq5TLtur0pgZz7tz7er1exOvOS8H2wQl4calIaAh1_EALw_wcB
  • U.S. Secret Service (Uniformed Division & Agent positions): https://www.secretservice.gov/careers
    • STAR Program (No work experience needed if you have a  four-year or advanced degree and superior academic achievement: https://www.secretservice.gov/careers/special-agent/STAR
  • Drug Enforcement Administration: https://www.dea.gov/careers
  • Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives: https://www.atf.gov/careers
  • U.S. Marshals Service: https://www.usmarshals.gov/careers/
  • U.S. Customs and Border Protection: https://www.cbp.gov/careers
  • Immigration and Customs Enforcement: https://www.ice.gov/
  • U.S. Postal Inspection Service: https://www.uspis.gov/
  • Naval Criminal Investigative Service: https://www.ncis.navy.mil/
  • Air Force Office of Special Investigations: https://www.osi.af.mil/
  • Coast Guard Investigative Service: https://www.uscg.mil/Units/Coast-Guard-Investigative-Service/
  • U.S. Army Criminal Investigative Division: https://www.cid.army.mil/
  • Defense Criminal Investigation Service: https://www.dodig.mil/Components/DCIS/
  • U.S. Housing and Urban Development Office of Inspector General: https://www.hudoig.gov/
  • U.S. State Department, Diplomatic Security Service: https://www.state.gov/bureaus-offices/under-secretary-for-management/bureau-of-diplomatic-security/
  • U.S. Capitol Police: https://www.uscp.gov/
  • U.S. Park Police: https://www.nps.gov/subjects/uspp/index.htm
  • U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service: https://www.fws.gov/le/
  • National Park Service Ranger: https://www.nps.gov/aboutus/become-a-law-enforcement-ranger.htm
  • Federal Air Marshal Service: https://jobs.tsa.gov/law-enforcement
• Correctional Officers:
  • https://www.bop.gov/jobs/
  • https://drc.ohio.gov/work-with-us
• Juvenile Justice:
  • https://juvenile.cuyahogacounty.gov/about-us/careers
  • https://dys.ohio.gov/about-us/work-with-dys
  • https://juvenile.lakecountyohio.gov/careers.html
• Victim Advocate:
  • https://careers.naswwa.socialworkers.org/career/victim-advocate
  • https://drc.ohio.gov/victim-services
• Medical Examiner's/Coroner's Investigator:
  •  https://www.abmdi.org/job-opportunities
  • https://co.summitoh.net/pages/ME-Position-Descriptions.html
  • https://coroner.franklincountyohio.gov/careers/open-positions
  • https://cuyahogacounty.gov/medical-examiner/departments/investigations
• Public Safety Dispatcher:
  • https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/how-to-become-a-police-dispatcher
  • https://statepatrol.ohio.gov/recruitment-and-training/recruitment/careers/dispatcher
  • https://nct911.org/how-to-become-a-911-dispatcher/
• Security:
  • https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/how-to-become-a-security-guard
  • https://www.securitasinc.com/careers/apply/
• Parole and Probation Officer:
  • https://drc.ohio.gov/systems-and-services/1-parole/parole
  • https://www.ocpoa.org/employment-opportunities
  • https://www.uscourts.gov/careers/who-works-judiciary/us-probation-pretrial-services-careers