Criminal Justice Education in Minneapolis
Have you ever wanted to serve your community as a badge-carrying member of the Minneapolis Police Department? The MPD, in addition to other prominent criminal justice employers, may be looking for dedicated people like you to join their team.
The Minneapolis Police Department serves the community in its five precincts, staffed with over 800 educated police officers. They regularly put new officers through the rigorous training academy. In addition, they note that graduates with Bachelor’s degrees are often considered for specialized assignments or job titles in the department.
If a criminal justice career sounds like it is right up your alley, it starts with a thorough education in the field. Check out our list of featured schools below. You can contact as many schools as you want for information; use this information to make the best decision for your educational future.
As you begin to plan your schedule, keep in mind that the Minneapolis/St. Paul Metro Transit is open to you. With a bus system and four different Metro lines, you can essentially go anywhere in the city with a Metro pass. In addition to daily passes, they offer monthly passes that allow you to ride as many times as you want.
Learn About Minneapolis Criminal Justice Programs
As one of the Twin Cities, Minneapolis has lots of educational opportunities for students. There are also many schools in its twin city, St. Paul. Many of these schools offer Bachelor’s degrees, but Associate’s degree programs are also common in Minneapolis.
If you decide to pursue an Associate’s degree in criminal justice, you can plan on a two-year commitment. You take general education courses in fields like English, math, and science, to prepare you for the educational rigors of criminal justice. When you reach your criminal justice courses, you may take courses in fields like victimology, Internet crime, criminal procedure, and psychology of criminal justice.
A bachelor’s degree, requiring about four year of study, can prepare you for different career fields in criminal justice. While you take many of the same classes as an Associate’s degree student, you also take higher-level courses that give you a more in-depth understanding of the field as a whole. You may also have the opportunity to choose a concentration. If you know what environment you want to work in, choosing a specialized field of study can give you the qualifications you need to work in your selected setting.
It’s important to compare tuition and financial aid programs at different schools. Tuition tends to be lower at community colleges than at four-year institutions. As an example, tuition at the Minneapolis Community & Technical College is $5,342 per year.
There are many different criminal justice associations in Minneapolis. Joining one that fits your career goals can put you in contact with potential future coworkers and employers. Consider groups like the Minnesota Association of Private Investigators and Protective Agents, the Minnesota Paralegal Association, and the Minneapolis Police Fraternal Association.
Job Outlook for Criminal Justice Graduates in Minneapolis
Once you have finally earned your criminal justice degree, it is time to put it to work by starting a criminal justice career. Consider the options listed below as you figure out where you want your future to take you.
Associate degree graduates can apply for a variety of entry-level positions. Some of the most popular are listed below with their median salaries as noted on the Bureau of Labor Statistics for 2022:
- Security guard: $39,090 per year
- Correctional officer: $58,720 per year
Having a bachelor’s degree may open up more career paths to you. Consider the following jobs, listed with their median salaries:
- Supervisor of correctional officers: $88,000 per year
- Detective: $86,530 per year
- Sheriff’s patrol officer: $82,540 per year
You may also consider joining the Minneapolis Police Department as a police officer. They offer a starting salary of $71,160.96 per year plus a full benefits package. If you make it into this elite group, you can also join the Minneapolis Police Officers Federation. This local group supports police officers by offering legislative updates, charity information, special merchandise, and different resources to help you work as efficiently as possible.
2022 US Bureau of Labor Statistics salary and employment figures for Minneapolis, St. Paul and Bloomington, MN-WI positions contained here reflect national data, not school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary. Data accessed November 2023.
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