Criminal Justice Degree Programs in Louisiana

Updated October 14, 2026

Louisiana offers criminal-justice-family programs at 32 schools, spanning certificates through master’s degrees, leading into courts, corrections, and law enforcement careers statewide. Police and sheriff’s patrol officers earned a median $48,380 in May 2025 (BLS), paralegals $60,250. A degree can help your resume, but Louisiana’s hiring agencies set their own requirements, and the POST Council’s training standards apply only after you’re hired.

State Agency: Office of the Attorney General

Outside Gibsland, a roadside marker commemorates where police officers shot and killed Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow in 1934, a reminder that Louisiana law enforcement has never been easy or safe work, according to the FBI’s own account of the manhunt. You’ll face shift work, public scrutiny, and a hiring process that varies by agency, each with its own background checks, physical standards, and testing. Thirty-two Louisiana colleges and universities offer a program somewhere in the criminal-justice family of study, from certificates to master’s degrees, covering the careers discussed below.

Featured Programs:

Criminal Justice Education in Louisiana

Curriculum varies by school and by credential level, but core coursework in a Louisiana criminal justice program commonly covers topics such as:

History of the American Criminal Justice System
Introduction to Courts and Legal Services
Introduction to Penology
Law and Society
Common Constitutional Issues in Criminal Justice

Later coursework at many schools moves into more specialized topics: research and analytics, victim psychology, and how Louisiana’s courts, corrections, and patrol agencies are structured day-to-day. Some programs also include a work-study placement or internship requirement, so check with your target school to see whether that’s built into the degree plan.

Where to Study Criminal Justice in Louisiana

Thirty-two Louisiana institutions offer a program somewhere in the broader criminal-justice family of study (criminal justice, legal support, homeland security, fire protection, or security science) at some credential level, per U.S. Department of Education data. That doesn’t mean all 32 offer a program specifically titled “Criminal Justice,” and while none are classified as distance-only institutions, that institution-level designation doesn’t tell you whether an individual program runs online, in person, or hybrid. The table below lists every institution with the credential levels it reports in the criminal-justice family. Confirm current enrollment, course format, and admission requirements directly with any school before you apply; federal data reports what a school told the Department of Education, not what’s enrolling students today.

Institution	City	Type	Credential Levels Offered
Baton Rouge Community College	Baton Rouge	Public	Associate
Bossier Parish Community College	Bossier City	Public	Certificate, Associate
Central Louisiana Technical Community College	Alexandria	Public	Certificate, Associate
Delgado Community College	New Orleans	Public	Certificate, Associate
Dillard University	New Orleans	Private nonprofit	Bachelor’s
Fletcher Technical Community College	Schriever	Public	Associate
Grambling State University	Grambling	Public	Bachelor’s, Master’s
Herzing University-New Orleans	Metairie	Private nonprofit	Associate, Bachelor’s
Louisiana Christian University	Pineville	Private nonprofit	Bachelor’s
Louisiana Delta Community College	Monroe	Public	Certificate, Associate
Louisiana State University-Alexandria	Alexandria	Public	Bachelor’s
Louisiana State University-Eunice	Eunice	Public	Certificate, Associate
Louisiana State University-Shreveport	Shreveport	Public	Bachelor’s
Loyola University New Orleans	New Orleans	Private nonprofit	Bachelor’s, Master’s
McNeese State University	Lake Charles	Public	Associate, Bachelor’s, Master’s
Miller-Motte College-McCann-Monroe	Monroe	Private for-profit	Associate
Nicholls State University	Thibodaux	Public	Bachelor’s
Northshore Technical Community College	Lacombe	Public	Certificate, Associate
Northwestern State University of Louisiana	Natchitoches	Public	Associate, Bachelor’s, Graduate Certificate, Master’s
Nunez Community College	Chalmette	Public	Certificate, Associate
Remington College-Lafayette Campus	Lafayette	Private nonprofit	Associate
Remington College-Shreveport Campus	Shreveport	Private nonprofit	Associate, Bachelor’s
SOWELA Technical Community College	Lake Charles	Public	Certificate, Associate
South Louisiana Community College	Lafayette	Public	Associate
Southeastern Louisiana University	Hammond	Public	Bachelor’s
Southern University and A & M College	Baton Rouge	Public	Associate, Bachelor’s, Master’s
Southern University at New Orleans	New Orleans	Public	Bachelor’s, Post-baccalaureate Certificate, Master’s
Southern University at Shreveport	Shreveport	Public	Associate
Tulane University of Louisiana	New Orleans	Private nonprofit	Certificate, Associate, Post-baccalaureate Certificate, Graduate Certificate, Bachelor’s, Master’s
University of Louisiana at Lafayette	Lafayette	Public	Bachelor’s, Master’s
University of Louisiana at Monroe	Monroe	Public	Bachelor’s, Master’s
University of New Orleans	New Orleans	Public	Graduate Certificate

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 Criminal Justice Careers Pay in Louisiana

Louisiana’s legal occupations employed 17,160 people as of May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), covering everything from court clerks to practicing attorneys. Paralegals and legal assistants earned a median of $60,250 a year (BLS, May 2025), with Louisiana employment projected to grow 5.4 percent through 2034 (ProjectionsCentral, 2024-34). Arbitrators, mediators, and conciliators, a smaller and more specialized track, earned $46,100 (BLS, May 2025).

Protective service occupations are the bigger draw: 58,850 people worked in the field statewide as of May 2025 (BLS), a category spanning policing, corrections, and private security. Police and sheriff’s patrol officers earned a median of $48,380, and officers in a first-line supervisor role earned $70,470 (BLS, May 2025). Louisiana is projected to add jobs in both roles through 2034, with patrol officer openings growing 3.5 percent and supervisor openings 3.4 percent (ProjectionsCentral, 2024-34).

Corrections looks different. Correctional officers and jailers earned a median of $39,850 in May 2025 (BLS), and Louisiana corrections employment is projected to decline 10.2 percent through 2034 (ProjectionsCentral, 2024-34). Correctional supervisors earned a median of $58,960 (BLS, May 2025).

Occupation	Median Annual Wage (May 2025)	Projected Growth (2024-34)
Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officers	$48,380	+3.5%
First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives	$70,470	+3.4%
Correctional Officers and Jailers	$39,850	-10.2%
First-Line Supervisors of Correctional Officers	$58,960	Not available
Paralegals and Legal Assistants	$60,250	+5.4%
Arbitrators, Mediators, and Conciliators	$46,100	Not available

May 2025 US Bureau of Labor Statistics salary figures for Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officers, Correctional Officers, Paralegals and Legal Assistants, and Arbitrators, Mediators, and Conciliators. 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.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

Not at most Louisiana departments. Agencies set their own hiring requirements, which typically include a background check, physical and written testing, and a minimum education level that’s often a high school diploma rather than a college degree. Separately, Louisiana’s Council on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST Council) sets statewide minimum training and certification standards that officers complete and maintain once hired. POST doesn’t hire or swear anyone in; the employing agency does.

What’s the hiring process like for Louisiana law enforcement?

It varies by agency. In general, you apply directly to the department or sheriff’s office you want to work for, go through that agency’s own screening and testing, and then attend a POST-certified academy as part of your training once hired. Some agencies may prefer or require some college coursework. Check with the specific department you’re interested in, since requirements aren’t uniform statewide.

How much do criminal justice jobs pay in Louisiana?

It depends on the track. Patrol officers earned a median $48,380 in May 2025, paralegals $60,250, and correctional officers $39,850, all according to BLS data. Supervisory titles in each field carry higher medians, though the data doesn’t tell us how long it typically takes to reach one.

Does Louisiana have fully online criminal justice degree programs?

None of the 32 Louisiana institutions in federal education data are classified as distance-only institutions, but that designation describes the school, not any individual program. The data doesn’t indicate whether a specific criminal justice program is offered online, in person, or in a hybrid format, so confirm delivery format directly with each school.

Key Takeaways

32 schools, multiple credential levels: Louisiana institutions offer programs in the criminal-justice family from certificates through master’s degrees, per federal education data, though not every school offers a program under that exact title.
Hiring and POST certification are separate: Louisiana agencies set their own hiring requirements. The POST Council sets statewide training and certification standards that come after you’re hired, not a credential you need beforehand.
Patrol and corrections pay differently: Police and sheriff’s patrol officers earn $48,380 against $39,850 for correctional officers (BLS, May 2025), and Louisiana corrections employment is projected to decline 10.2 percent through 2034 (ProjectionsCentral).
Paralegal work is one legal-track option: At $60,250 median and 5.4 percent projected growth through 2034, it’s one of several paths a criminal-justice-adjacent degree can lead to in Louisiana’s courts.

Worried about paying for the degree? Start with the scholarships built for criminal justice students before you look at loans. The list covers eligibility, amounts, and deadlines.

Read: Scholarships for Criminal Justice Majors and Grad Students

Looking for Criminal Justice Programs in Another State?

Online programs may not be available in all areas