Postsecondary Teachers

How to become a Postsecondary Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Teacher

Official title: Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Teachers, Postsecondary

Also called: Adjunct Instructor, Adjunct Professor, Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, Criminal Justice Instructor, Criminal Justice Professor, Digital Forensics Instructor, Instructor, Justice Professor, Professor

Teach courses in criminal justice, corrections, and law enforcement administration. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

Main tasks

Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as criminal law, defensive policing, and investigation techniques.
Initiate, facilitate, and moderate classroom discussions.
Evaluate and grade students' class work, assignments, and papers.
Compile, administer, and grade examinations, or assign this work to others.
Keep abreast of developments in the field by reading current literature, talking with colleagues, and participating in professional conferences.
Maintain student attendance records, grades, and other required records.
Prepare course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts.
Plan, evaluate, and revise curricula, course content, course materials, and methods of instruction.

How to become one

Educational requirements vary by subject and the type of educational institution. Typically, postsecondary teachers must have a Ph.D. However, a master's degree may be enough for some postsecondary teachers at community colleges, and others may need work experience in their field of expertise.

Typical education to start: Doctoral or professional degree

Read the full guide from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Ways in

College: Law & Justice degrees, Offered by 29 universities in the US

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

Median pay: $76,590 a year The middle half earn $60,020 to $100,870.
About 15,700 people work in this job now, and about 15,900 are projected by 2035. (+1.5%)
People already use generative AI for a good share of this work, which usually changes the job more than it replaces it. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as high.

Questions people ask

How do I become a Postsecondary Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Teacher?

How much does a Postsecondary Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Teacher earn in the US?

Median full-time pay is $76,590 a year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The middle half earn $60,020 to $100,870.

Is a Postsecondary Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Teacher a growing career in the US?

Employment is projected to stay about the same by 2035: about 15,700 people now and 15,900 later (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Do you need a degree to become a Postsecondary Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Teacher?

Usually. 94% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Will AI change the work of a Postsecondary Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Teacher?

People already use generative AI for a good share of this work, which usually changes the job more than it replaces it. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as high.

Sources

Microsoft Research: Working with AI: AI applicability by occupation (2025-12-22 (built on O*NET 29.0)), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Employment Projections (2025-35 (released 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Outlook Handbook (2025-35 edition (published 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS); photographs excluded, retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03

Updated 2026-10-03

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.