It is said that real learning starts at the graduate level of education. At this level, you are required to do more in-depth research and study. Society expects more out of you.

But are there benefits for the individual that embarks on this level of study? The answer is indeed yes. In this article, I discuss the benefits of getting a graduate masters degree in criminal justice.

With no particular importance attached to the order of presentation, they are:

1. A master’s degree in criminal justice prepares you for leadership, administrative, and management positions in the criminal justice system. You will become a leader, administrator, and manager of such criminal justice systems as the courts, correctional facilities, law enforcement organizations, private and public security organizations.

This gives you the power to chart the direction of such organizations. You will set the pace for other criminal justice personnel. You will be looked upon to set ethical standards and develop new methods of tackling criminal justice problems and issues.

This is just reward for attaining this level of education. It is a position and benefit that should not be taken lightly. The right person will use it to become an agent of change for the good of society.

2. It goes without saying that being leader, administrator, and manager of criminal justice organizations comes with the benefit of more money. A master degree holder makes $61,000 per year to start. This is compared to about $58,000 per year for a bachelor degree holder. When you attain the leadership position I discussed above, you stand to make well over $100,000 per year. A master degree in criminal justice does indeed have its rewards.

3. A masters degree in criminal justice gives you the opportunity to specialize in one area of criminal justice. While a bachelor degree program is broad in nature, a master degree program gives you the chance to become an expert in one area of criminal justice.

For example, you can get a masters degree in criminal justice with specialization in corrections. Your research and study will give you the opportunity to do in-depth study and analysis of the correctional system. Needless to say, with this type of in-depth study, you will come to be an expert in corrections.

This will put you in a position to benefit as your opinion is sought in issues relating to corrections. You maybe called to give your expert opinion in legal and legislative issues concerning corrections. You can make money as a consultant in such situations.

There you have it…..the benefits of getting a masters degree in criminal justice. What I have outlined above is by no means exhaustive. There are other benefits to getting this degree. Covering all of them is beyond what I can do in this short article. If you are still interested in finding out more benefits of getting a master degree in criminal justice, I urge you to look into it some more. You can do this by visiting websites that deal with the subject in more detail.

Note: You are free to reprint or republish this article. The only condition is that the Resource Box should be included and the links are live links.

If you’re interested in entering the legal field, you’re probably wondering, “How much does criminal justice school cost?” Every college program will inevitably cost money, which is obviously the case with criminal justice programs, and there are many factors that will affect the final cost. Your degree should be thought of as an investment, though-one which can take you everywhere from the police force to the FBI to the legal office to the floor of the court room depending on what path you take.

When you’re wondering “How much does criminal justice school cost,” you must first have a clear picture of the degree you’re going to get. If you get a two-year associate’s degree, which would prepare you for a position such as a paralegal, it will obviously cost less than if you were to get a bachelor’s degree. For a job in the FBI or other higher level jobs you would need to get the bachelor’s degree. Many people also get a bachelor’s degree before they go to law school, although other majors can also go on to the Juris Doctor (JD) degree.

The cost of criminal justice school at a community college will depend on the state you live in, but you can expect to pay about $80 per credit, and there will be about 60 credits involved in the associate’s degree program. A bachelor’s degree at a private university, on the other hand, can cost as much as $900 per credit for 120 credits. You can save money by going to a state college, however, which costs about $300 per credit depending on the state. You can also save even more money by completing your first two years of college at a community college then transferring the credits to a state college, where you can finish the remaining 60 or so credits.

There are other costs associated with any college degree such as books, supplies and the cost of living while attending school. So if you’re wondering “How much does criminal justice school cost,” you must also wonder, “How am I going to pay for it?” You should definitely be able to get financial aid in the form of scholarships, grants and low-interest federal loans as long as the school you’re attending is accredited.

Do you dream of making a career out of maintaining law and order in the society? Then perhaps you should start with finding and enrolling in one of the Criminal Justice Colleges in your region.

Nowadays, with the ever increasing rate of crime, the job market in the criminal justice department seems to be touching the sky as well. On the flip side, the infinite amount of job opportunities has motivated a vast array of colleges to open their doors to students across the United States. All justice educational institutions are beefing up their programs to suit the specialized requirements in public safety and law enforcement.

Today’s Top Criminal Justice Colleges

According to recent statistics, the top ten colleges operating in the US are:

1. American University
2. Arizona State University
3. CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice (New York)
4. Florida State University
5. George Mason University
6. Indiana University
7. Michigan State University
8. Northeastern University (Massachusetts)
9. Pennsylvania State University (University Park)
10. Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey (Newark campus)

How to Find the Best Colleges

If you are still confused and wondering about where to start your career and how to search for a school, then here are a few quick links which can help you make your decision.

1. Organizations and Associations: There are numerous organizations and associations in the United States which guide students regarding the different school options available. When choosing from various colleges, you can easily discuss your preferences with the people of such organizations to get their advice. Nowadays, university offices also provide lists of schools having specific programs. Thus, you can easily choose a college according to your own eligibility criteria.

2. Education Counselors: These are experts who have extensive knowledge on the subject of your choice and can help you find and choose the right school. Their primary job is to steer you in the right direction based on how and where you want to study.

3. Local libraries and archives: These are just like storehouses of information and can sometimes be the other best place to find the information you need. They contain various books which store information on different criminal justice colleges, and can give you a number of options to choose from.

4. Internet and websites: Everybody has access to the internet these days. Not only does this medium inform us of the various accredited college listings throughout the US, but it also helps us gain access to additional information such as the admission criteria and the courses offered.

Perhaps now that you are well aware of some of the ways to choose between the different Criminal Justice Colleges in United States, you can now make a much more informed decision and choose a college that best caters to your individual needs.

If you’re wondering how to get into criminal justice school, you must first decide what kind of degree you are interested in so you can determine the type of school and program you will be applying to. There are training and certification programs, two-year programs, four-year programs and graduate programs that students can go into after completing a traditional four-year bachelor’s degree.

Perhaps just the thought of how to get into a justice school for a four-year degree program is too much for you and you are interested in starting a high-paying career in this field as quickly as possible. In this case, a career training and certification program might be a good fit for you. There is plenty of grant money currently available for homeland security training programs because of the 2007 Preparedness Directorate, for example, but many of these programs require experience in the field.

Two year programs at community colleges and vocational schools are another option you may want to consider if you are daunted by the prospects of a four-year program. There are different requirements for how to get into justice school depending on which type of institution you are applying to, but you will normally need a high school diploma or GED to enroll. These associate degree programs are good if you want to start a career as a security guard, forensic technician or paralegal.

If you have considered your options and have decided a full four-year degree is right for you, you will need to learn how to get into criminals justice school at a major university. Getting into a college criminals justice program requires getting into the school itself. Certain colleges are more competitive than others, so you should apply to several schools including some that are less competitive and some that are very hard to get into. It is important to take the application process seriously. Impress the schools with a good high school or community college GPA, high SAT or ACT scores, a well written admission essay, appropriate letters of recommendation and experiences that demonstrate leadership ability, community mindedness and responsibility.

Do you dream of making a career out of maintaining law and order in the society? Then perhaps you should start with finding and enrolling in one of the Criminal Justice Colleges in your region.

Nowadays, with the ever increasing rate of crime, the job market in the criminal justice department seems to be touching the sky as well. On the flip side, the infinite amount of job opportunities has motivated a vast array of colleges to open their doors to students across the United States. All justice educational institutions are beefing up their programs to suit the specialized requirements in public safety and law enforcement.

Today’s Top Criminal Justice Colleges

According to recent statistics, the top ten colleges operating in the US are:

1. American University
2. Arizona State University
3. CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice (New York)
4. Florida State University
5. George Mason University
6. Indiana University
7. Michigan State University
8. Northeastern University (Massachusetts)
9. Pennsylvania State University (University Park)
10. Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey (Newark campus)

How to Find the Best Colleges

If you are still confused and wondering about where to start your career and how to search for a school, then here are a few quick links which can help you make your decision.

1. Organizations and Associations: There are numerous organizations and associations in the United States which guide students regarding the different school options available. When choosing from various colleges, you can easily discuss your preferences with the people of such organizations to get their advice. Nowadays, university offices also provide lists of schools having specific programs. Thus, you can easily choose a college according to your own eligibility criteria.

2. Education Counselors: These are experts who have extensive knowledge on the subject of your choice and can help you find and choose the right school. Their primary job is to steer you in the right direction based on how and where you want to study.

3. Local libraries and archives: These are just like storehouses of information and can sometimes be the other best place to find the information you need. They contain various books which store information on different criminal justice colleges, and can give you a number of options to choose from.

4. Internet and websites: Everybody has access to the internet these days. Not only does this medium inform us of the various accredited college listings throughout the US, but it also helps us gain access to additional information such as the admission criteria and the courses offered.

Perhaps now that you are well aware of some of the ways to choose between the different Criminal Justice Colleges in United States, you can now make a much more informed decision and choose a college that best caters to your individual needs.