Master’s in Criminal Justice in Maine: Programs, Pay and Outlook
Updated October 6, 2026
Federal education data lists one Maine institution with a criminal justice master’s: Husson University in Bangor. Most Mainers who want the degree either study there or enroll online. Expect 30 to 36 credits, about two years full time. The payoff is promotion: Maine police supervisors earned a median $92,350 in May 2025, per BLS.
A master’s in criminal justice won’t get you through the Maine Criminal Justice Academy (MCJA) any faster, and it won’t put you on patrol. It can strengthen your case for jobs above patrol: supervisor and command promotions, agency administration, federal hiring at a higher grade, and college teaching. Here’s what the degree costs you in time, where you can earn it in Maine, and what the jobs it leads to actually pay.
What Does a Master’s Change for a Maine Criminal Justice Career?
Most Maine agencies hire patrol officers without any college degree. The master’s earns its keep later, when you’re competing for a stripe or a desk. Some agencies consider education in promotion decisions, but requirements and weighting vary by department and position. Chief and administrator postings sometimes list a graduate degree as preferred. Read the posting for the job you want, not the rumor about it.
Federal hiring is the clearest case. Under Office of Personnel Management (OPM) qualification standards for applicable positions, a related master’s or equivalent graduate degree can satisfy the education requirement at GS-9. Individual occupational series and job announcements may impose different requirements, so read the qualifications section of the announcement you’re targeting. Teaching is similar: many college-level criminal justice teaching positions prefer or require a relevant graduate degree, but faculty qualification requirements vary by institution and position.
Here’s the catch. The degree doesn’t replace street time, and Maine’s supervisor ranks are small. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) counted 440 first-line supervisors of police and detectives in the entire state in May 2025. You’re earning a credential for a short ladder, so plan to stay in the job long enough to climb it.
What Will It Take to Earn the Degree?
Most criminal justice master’s programs run 30 to 36 credits, which works out to about two years of full-time study. Many students are working officers, so part-time study stretching to three years is common. Ask any program how many courses you can realistically carry per term while working rotating shifts.
Some programs require a practicum or internship, and others offer a thesis or capstone project instead. If you’re already working in the field, ask whether a project at your own agency can satisfy the requirement.
Coursework at this level shifts from how the system works to how to run it. Expect topics like these:
- Justice administration and information systems: How agencies manage records and technology. You’ll learn to use offender and victim data while protecting it.
- Public policy and planning: Designing programs and writing policy that holds up under public scrutiny. You’ll also learn to measure whether a program actually worked.
- Corporate security: How protecting a business differs from public policing. Expect to plan a security operation around a company’s real risks.
- White collar crime: Fraud, embezzlement, and the offenders who commit them. The focus is on how these cases get built and investigated.
- Psychology and the law: How psychological research and evidence shape fair, ethical outcomes in court.
- Labor and employment law: The statutes you’ll manage under once you supervise sworn and civilian staff.
- Advanced criminological theory: The research on why crime happens. It drives most of the prevention policy you’ll be asked to carry out.
Course titles vary by school, so pull the current catalog before you enroll.
Where Can You Study for a Criminal Justice Master’s in Maine?
Federal education data lists one Maine institution with a master’s in the criminal justice family: Husson University in Bangor, a private nonprofit. Husson also reports a graduate certificate in homeland security. Federal data can lag a school’s catalog, so check enrollment status, format, and admission requirements directly with Husson before you apply.
| Institution | City | Type | Program Family | Credential |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Husson University | Bangor | Private nonprofit | Criminal Justice | Master’s |
| Husson University | Bangor | Private nonprofit | Homeland Security | Graduate certificate |
If Bangor isn’t a workable commute, an online program is another option. Before you pay tuition, check that the school is regionally accredited and, if your agency offers an education incentive, that the degree will count toward it.
School and program data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, institution file May 2025 and field-of-study file April 2025. Data accessed October 2026.
What Do Criminal Justice Leaders Earn in Maine?
Leadership roles pay well here. According to BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) estimates for May 2025, the median for first-line supervisors of police and detectives in Maine was $92,350, about $25,000 above the patrol officer median of $67,050. For context, the median across all 12,240 protective service jobs in the state was $51,730.
| Occupation | Maine Median Salary (May 2025) | Maine Employment | Projected Change, 2024–34 |
|---|---|---|---|
| First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives | $92,350 | 440 | -3.3% |
| Detectives and Criminal Investigators | $88,310 | 550 | -3.8% |
| Emergency Management Directors | $84,050 | 80 | -1.0% |
| Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists | $71,140 | 160 | -5.3% |
| Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officers | $67,050 | 2,120 | -3.2% |
Now the hard part. Every occupation in that table is projected to shrink slightly in Maine through 2034, according to ProjectionsCentral. Supervisors of police and detectives are expected to go from 430 jobs to 410, with about 30 openings a year—nearly all of them from retirements and people leaving the field, not new positions. That’s the competition you’re preparing for: a handful of seats a year, and a master’s can help you stand out at agencies that weigh education.
May 2025 US Bureau of Labor Statistics salary figures for Police and Detectives, Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists, and Emergency Management Directors. Long-term (2024-34) job growth projections from the US Department of Labor-sponsored resource, ProjectionsCentral. Figures reflect state-level data, not school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary. Data accessed October 2026.
How Can You Pay for a Master’s in Maine?
Ask your own agency first. Some Maine departments reimburse tuition for job-related coursework, which is often more than most scholarships. Next, check the Maine Chiefs of Police Association, which has offered scholarships to criminal justice students in the state. Check its site for current awards and deadlines.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a master’s degree to be a police officer in Maine?
No. Maine law enforcement officers must meet MCJA training and certification requirements, and the required pathway differs for full-time and part-time officers. Full-time officers complete the Basic Law Enforcement Training Program (BLETP), and part-time officers complete the Law Enforcement Pre-Service Training Program (LEPS), which has its own certification process. Pre-employment students who complete BLETP can become eligible to take the Maine Law Enforcement Officer’s Certification Examination once they’re hired. A master’s becomes useful later, for promotion, federal hiring or teaching.
How long does a criminal justice master’s take?
Most programs require 30 to 36 credits. That’s about two years of full-time study, or around three years if you’re working full time and studying part time.
Which Maine schools offer a master’s in criminal justice?
Federal education data lists Husson University in Bangor as the Maine institution with a criminal justice master’s. Check enrollment status and format directly with the school. Online programs are the other common route for Maine students.
How much do criminal justice leaders earn in Maine?
According to BLS May 2025 data, first-line supervisors of police and detectives in Maine earned a median of $92,350. Detectives earned $88,310 and emergency management directors earned $84,050.
Are criminal justice jobs growing in Maine?
Not overall. ProjectionsCentral’s 2024–34 projections show small declines for patrol officers, detectives, supervisors and probation officers in Maine. Openings still come up every year, mostly from retirements and turnover.
Key Takeaways
- The degree is for the second half of a career: Maine agencies don’t require it to hire you, but it can help with promotion at agencies that weigh education, with federal grade eligibility, and with teaching jobs.
- In-state options are thin: Federal data lists Husson University in Bangor for a criminal justice master’s, so online study is the other realistic path.
- Leadership pays: Maine’s police supervisor median was $92,350 in May 2025, about $25,000 above patrol.
- The ladder is short: Maine’s criminal justice jobs are projected to shrink slightly through 2034, so openings come from turnover, not growth.
Worried about paying for the degree? The scholarships guide lists awards built for criminal justice majors and grad students, with eligibility, amounts and deadlines.
Read: Scholarships for Criminal Justice Majors and Grad Students
Looking for a Master’s in Criminal Justice in Another State?
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Montana
- New Hampshire
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Oklahoma
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- Vermont
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Want the bigger picture? Read the full guide to Master’s Degree in Criminal Justice.