Criminal Justice Schools in Wisconsin

Academic and Professional Opportunities for Wisconsin’s Criminal Justice Students

Criminal justice students in Wisconsin have a diverse range of choices for a degree program or certificate. The state has programs from varying institutions; large and small, public and private, bachelor’s degrees and certificates, there are many options from which to choose. Before entering a degree or certificate program, criminal justice students should research the career fields in which they’re interested to see what education level is recommended. This site can be used as a launch pad for students to begin their research. Below, one can: read about the leading criminal justice schools, search according to criteria that are important to them, and get information on and compare potential career outcomes.

RANKING THE BEST CRIMINAL JUSTICE SCHOOLS IN WISCONSIN

OUR METHODOLOGY +

To be considered for this ranking, schools were required to meet the following criteria: Accredited at the institutional level Private nonprofit or public school Minimum of 1 bachelor’s or master’s degree in subject area for 4-year schools Minimum of 1 associate degree or certificate program in subject area for 2-year schools Schools were then scored on factors such as: Cost & Financial Aid Number and variety of program offerings Student-teacher ratios Graduation rates (4-year schools only) Placement and support services offered Academic/Career counseling services Employment services Loan default rates These factors were assembled for each school and rated using a peer-based-value (PBV) calculation. PBV compares the cost of a program to the cost of other programs with the same (or similar) qualitative score and cost. PBV denotes the overall value or “bang for your buck” of a college or degree program.

Students should consider potential criminal justice schools carefully. While some attributes mean more to some people than to others, there are certain traits in these programs that all potential applicants should consider. Below, we’ve ranked criminal justice in Wisconsin according to the following important characteristics: costs, total enrollment, class size, and acceptance rate. Read on for the rankings and descriptions of each.

Top 2-Year Criminal Justice Schools in Wisconsin

WISCONSIN’S MOST POPULAR CRIMINAL JUSTICE CAREERS

Once a student has discovered an interest in the criminal justice field, they should research potential careers to which their education can lead them. The table below gives potential students an illustration of specific careers in the criminal justice field, as well as how many people hold those jobs, how much they make, and the education level required to apply.

Police, Sheriff & Highway Patrol Officers

Total Employed in Wisconsin12,040
Median Salary in Wisconsin$54,750
Degree Level Required in WisconsinAcademy Program

Correctional Officer

Total Employed in Wisconsin7,130
Median Salary in Wisconsin$41,770
Degree Level Required in WisconsinCertification

Paralegal and Legal Assistant

Total Employed in Wisconsin4,470
Median Salary in Wisconsin$44,980
Degree Level Required in WisconsinVaries; up to Bachelor’s

Compliance Officer

Total Employed in Wisconsin3,720
Median Salary in Wisconsin$58,100
Degree Level Required in WisconsinBachelor’s

Court, Municipal and License Clerks

Total Employed in Wisconsin2,800
Median Salary in Wisconsin$24,510
Degree Level Required in WisconsinVaries; up to Bachelor’s

Probation Officer

Total Employed in Wisconsin1,450
Median Salary in Wisconsin$49,620
Degree Level Required in WisconsinBachelor’s

Detectives and Criminal Investigators

Total Employed in Wisconsin1,280
Median Salary in Wisconsin$70,150
Degree Level Required in WisconsinVaries; up to Bachelor’s

HOW WISCONSIN COMPARES FOR CRIMINAL JUSTICE CAREERS

As Wisconsin’s criminal justice students make their way toward their career goals, they will likely want to see the earning potential of that career, as well as how it stacks up in Wisconsin compared to the national average. In the tables below, researchers can get a visual of the careers in which they’re interested. They’ll get an idea of the salary they can earn, how its growth compares to the national average, and again, will see what the degree requirement is.

Salary

Job	National	Wisconsin
Transportation Security Screeners	40,050	40,210
Detectives, Criminal Investigators	73,280	81,490
Police, Sheriff’s Patrol Officers	58,050	62,760
Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers	93,140	108,290
Court Reporter	56,940	60,280
Animal Control Workers	34,420	36,600
Paralegals and Legal Assistants	48,120	53,180
Title Examiners, Abstractors, and Searchers	45,850	51,490
Bailiffs	29,740	45,740

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2015

Job Growth

Job	National	Wisconsin
Compliance Officer	0.033	0.073
Detectives and Investigator	-0.012	0.001
Fish and Game Warden	0.019	0.051
Probation Officers	0.011	0.052
Lawyers	0.033	0.056
Police, Sheriff’s Patrol Officers	0.006	0.05
Bailiffs	0.004	0.047
Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Teachers, Postsecondary	0.16	0.214

Source: Projections Central, 2015

EMPLOYMENT OPTIONS AND STATISTICS IN WISCONSIN

By this point in the research, prospective students and professionals will likely have a career in mind. But what are some careers for graduates of criminal justice programs that are specific to Wisconsin? See the table below for positions across the state, in both the protective service and legal occupation categories, as well as the total number of people that hold those jobs, the largest cities for employment, along with the annual wage employees may earn.

LARGEST AREAS OF EMPLOYMENT IN DESCENDING ORDER

Protective service

Bloomington

Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis

Madison

South Central Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area

Northeastern Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area

Legal service