Criminal Justice Schools in Denver: Programs, Salaries, and How to Get Hired

Updated September 25, 2026

A dozen colleges in the Denver metro area offer a criminal justice program, from certificates through a doctorate, led by the University of Denver, MSU Denver, and CU Denver. Colorado’s median pay for CJ careers ranges from $45,150 for security guards to $105,480 for detectives, per May 2025 BLS data, and Denver PD starts recruits above $73,000.

Denver runs its criminal justice system across six patrol districts and dozens of state and municipal agencies. That means openings for patrol officers, correctional officers, detectives, court staff, and private security, all at once, in one metro area. The Denver Police Department is the largest single employer in the field locally, staffing its six districts with patrol, investigative, and community-service units.

Featured Programs:

Looking Beyond Denver Proper

If a program in the city doesn’t fit, Colorado’s other major metro has its own set of schools.

Colorado Springs

Criminal Justice Degrees You Can Earn in Denver

Denver-area schools run the full ladder: certificates, associate degrees, bachelor’s degrees, and graduate programs. An associate degree gets you in the door for entry-level patrol, corrections, and security roles. A bachelor’s opens up federal work and lets you pick a concentration, such as forensic psychology or homeland security, which can matter later when a promotion board or a specialized unit is comparing candidates. Tuition varies widely by school: at the University of Colorado-Denver, undergraduate tuition runs around $415 per credit hour. Run the math against your target program before you commit, and check both federal need-based aid and school-specific merit scholarships.

Where to Study Criminal Justice in the Denver Metro

Twelve institutions in the Denver metro area (Denver, Aurora, Lakewood, Littleton, and Westminster) offer a criminal-justice-family program at some credential level, per federal education data. Confirm current enrollment, format, and admission requirements directly with each school before applying.

Institution	City	Control	Credential Levels Offered
University of Denver	Denver	Private nonprofit	Bachelor’s, Master’s
University of Colorado Denver	Denver	Public	Bachelor’s, Master’s
Metropolitan State University of Denver	Denver	Public	Associate, Bachelor’s
Community College of Denver	Denver	Public	Associate, Undergraduate certificate
Regis University	Denver	Private nonprofit	Bachelor’s
Emily Griffith Technical College	Denver	Public	Undergraduate certificate
Community College of Aurora	Aurora	Public	Associate
Colorado State University Global	Aurora	Public	Bachelor’s, Master’s
Red Rocks Community College	Lakewood	Public	Associate
Colorado Christian University	Lakewood	Private nonprofit	Bachelor’s
Arapahoe Community College	Littleton	Public	Associate
Front Range Community College	Westminster	Public	Associate

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 September 2026.

Local Groups Worth Knowing

A few Denver-based groups are worth joining once you’re in the field or close to it: the Professional Private Investigators Association of Colorado, the Rocky Mountain Paralegal Association, the Denver Police Foundation, and the Denver Police Protective Association.

What Denver-Area Criminal Justice Careers Pay

As of May 2025 BLS wage data, Colorado’s median pay for a security guard is $45,150 a year, a job that generally needs no degree but also offers the least room to move up. A bailiff earns a median of $63,320, and a correctional officer earns $62,140. Colorado’s projected count of correctional officer jobs is shrinking 15% from 2024 to 2034, per ProjectionsCentral. Move into supervision, and the median for a first-line supervisor of correctional officers rises to $81,460.

Investigative work pays more: a detective earns a median of $105,480 in Colorado, though that role is also projected to shrink slightly, down 4.9% by 2034, per ProjectionsCentral. Patrol work is the growth path here: Colorado’s police and sheriff’s patrol officers earn a median of $97,350 and the role is projected to grow 8.7% by 2034, faster than every other occupation on this page.

Denver PD’s own 2026 pay scale starts recruits at $73,065 and tops out above $112,000 for a Police Officer 1st Grade, according to the department’s own recruitment and salary page. Sworn officers can also join the Denver Police Protective Association, which represents the department’s rank and file.

May 2025 US Bureau of Labor Statistics salary figures for Security Guards, Correctional Officers and Bailiffs, and Police and Detectives. 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 September 2026.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a degree to become a police officer in Denver?

No. Denver Police Department’s own recruit requirements call for a high school diploma or GED, not a college degree. A degree can still help with promotions later and is required for most federal agencies, but it isn’t a hiring floor for entry-level patrol work here.

What’s the fastest criminal justice degree I can get in Denver?

An undergraduate certificate, offered at schools like Emily Griffith Technical College and Community College of Denver, is the quickest credential and typically takes under a year. It won’t replace an associate or bachelor’s degree for competitive hiring, but it’s a low-cost way to test the field.

Which Denver-area criminal justice career pays the most?

Among the roles on this page, detectives have the highest Colorado median at $105,480 a year, per May 2025 BLS data. Denver PD’s top patrol grade also climbs past $112,000 with seniority.

Key Takeaways

No degree required to start. Denver PD hires patrol recruits with a high school diploma. A degree pays off later, at promotion boards and at federal agencies.
Twelve metro-area schools, six credential levels. From a one-year certificate to a doctorate, the Denver metro covers the full range.
Correctional and detective roles are shrinking. Patrol is growing. Colorado projects patrol officer jobs up 8.7% by 2034, while correctional officer and detective roles are both projected to decline.
Denver PD starts above $73,000. That’s before the added pay bumps for education incentives and specialty assignments.

If tuition is the sticking point, look at financial aid built specifically for criminal justice majors before you take out loans. It covers eligibility, award amounts, and deadlines.

Looking beyond this city? Read the full guide to Criminal Justice Schools in Colorado.