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Criminology

Instructional content is defined in code 45.0401.

Types of Degrees Criminology Majors Are Earning

Those studying Criminology have the option of earning degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Associate’s Degree	241
Bachelor’s Degree	9,003
Master’s Degree	1,065
Doctor’s Degree	56

What Criminology Majors Need to Know

Studies in Criminology build a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Criminology graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

This major prepares you for careers needing Criminology emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• English Language — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Education and Training — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Administration and Management — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Law and Government — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.
• Customer and Personal Service — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

Skills emphasized by a Criminology program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Reading Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Writing — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.

Abilities

The cognitive and physical abilities most relevant to Criminology careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Expression — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Written Expression — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Inductive Reasoning — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Criminology graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Getting Information	4.6 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.4 / 7
Documenting/Recording Information	4.3 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.3 / 7
Working with Computers	4.3 / 7
Analyzing Data or Information	4.3 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.2 / 7
Processing Information	4.2 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	4.2 / 7
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships	4.1 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Criminology professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	✓
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	✓
Microsoft Project	Project management software	—
Microsoft Access	Data base user interface and query software	—
SAP software	Enterprise resource planning ERP software	✓
Microsoft Windows	Operating system software	—
Microsoft SharePoint	Document management software	—
Email software	Electronic mail software	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Criminology graduates include:

• Compliance Director
• Planning Coordinator
• Labor Union Business Representative
• Extension Service Specialist-in-Charge
• Safety Supervisor
• Testing and Regulating Chief
• Billiard Parlor Manager
• Transmission Superintendent
• Car Wash Manager
• Testing Director
• Communications Superintendent
• Tests Superintendent
• Digital Project Manager
• Relocation Director
• Station Manager

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Criminology graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Bachelor’s degree	40.8%
Post-doctoral training	19.8%
Master’s degree	8.4%
Doctoral degree	7.8%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	7.0%
High school diploma or equivalent	6.8%
Postsecondary certificate	3.8%
Some college courses	2.9%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	2.0%
Post-master’s certificate	0.5%
Less than a high school diploma	0.3%
First professional degree	0.1%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Criminology?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly female, with women earning 67.8% of Criminology degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	7,024	67.8%
Men	3,341	32.2%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Criminology graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	5,391	52.0%
Asian	382	3.7%
Hispanic or Latino	2,596	25.0%
Black or African American	1,078	10.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native	48	0.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	22	0.2%
Two or More Races	457	4.4%
Race Unknown	221	2.1%
International Students	170	1.6%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Criminology Graduates Earn?

The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of Criminology graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Wages typically rise steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$38,511
4 years	$47,469
5 years	$54,549

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $54,549 — roughly 42% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Online Criminology Programs

Fully online options is reported by IPEDS for Criminology. The table below shows how many graduates earned at least some of their coursework online (Distance-Ed Available) versus completing the entire program online (Distance-Ed Only).

Award Level	Distance-Ed Available	Distance-Ed Only
Associate’s	9	1
Bachelor’s	31	27
Master’s	22	7

^{Distance-Ed Only = degrees completed entirely online; Distance-Ed Available = degrees including at least some online coursework. Source: IPEDS Completions by Distance Education status.}

Is a Degree in Criminology Worth It?

On the earnings side, the federal earnings tracker, Criminology graduates earn a median of $47,469 four years after completion — roughly 25% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	Annual Degrees Awarded
Social Sciences	185,019
Economics	45,628
Political Science and Government	44,942
Sociology	31,380
Social Sciences, General	17,510
International Relations and National Security Studies	13,035
Anthropology	10,768
Geography and Cartography	7,105
Social Sciences, Other	1,942
Urban Studies/Affairs	1,343
Sociology and Anthropology	496
Archeology	393

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.