Criminal Justice Programs in Memphis, TN

Updated September 25, 2026

Memphis has six area colleges reporting a criminal justice program, from Southwest Tennessee Community College’s associate degree to graduate options at the University of Memphis and Christian Brothers University. As of May 2025 BLS data, related occupations in the Memphis metro pay a median of $35,100 for security guards up to $78,920 for detectives.

Memphis runs on shift work. The Memphis Police Department patrols the city through nine precincts, Shelby County runs its own jail and court system, and federal offices in the city handle cases that start on the street and end up in federal court. If you’re weighing a criminal justice career here, the specifics, what training you’ll need, what an agency requires, and what the job pays, come down to the particular occupation and employer you’re aiming for, not a single degree level.

Featured Programs:

Law Enforcement in Memphis

The Memphis Police Department runs nine precincts: Airways, Mt. Moriah, Raines, Ridgeway, Appling Farms, Austin Peay, North Main, Tillman, and Crump. Above the precinct level, the department’s current budget materials organize Police Services into Executive Administration, Support Services, Precincts, Investigative Services, and Special Operations, with further divisions underneath each.

Any Tennessee peace officer, whether hired by MPD, Shelby County, or another agency in the state, has to meet the training and certification standards set by the Tennessee Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Commission, on top of whatever hiring process the individual agency runs. Those processes and academy arrangements differ by agency, so check the specific department’s current recruiting page rather than assuming one applies statewide.

The Memphis Police Department handles city patrol and investigations, while Shelby County runs a separate sheriff’s office, jail system, and court staff through its own hiring process.

Criminal Justice Schools in Other Major Tennessee Cities

Nashville

Getting a Criminal Justice Education in Memphis

Criminal justice programs at Memphis-area schools commonly include coursework in policing, courtroom procedure, corrections, and criminology, though the exact lineup and available electives vary by school. Some programs have you declare a concentration partway through, which narrows your elective options, so check that before enrolling if you already know which specialty you want.

Costs vary a lot by school. For the 2026-27 academic year, the University of Memphis estimates annual tuition and fees at $11,760 for Tennessee residents and $16,656 for nonresidents, per the university’s current fee schedule, though you should confirm the figure for your specific program and credit load before enrolling.

Two Memphis-area groups are worth joining once you’re enrolled: the Greater Memphis Paralegal Alliance for anyone headed toward court or legal support work, and the Memphis Police Association for officers and recruits. Both put you in front of people already doing the job, which beats guessing what the day-to-day is actually like.

Where to Study Criminal Justice in Memphis

Six Memphis-area institutions report offering a criminal-justice-family program at some credential level, per U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard data. That reporting reflects what a school told the Department of Education, not necessarily what’s actively enrolling today, and an institution’s overall distance-only status doesn’t tell you whether a specific program is offered online, in person, or both. Confirm format, current enrollment, and admission requirements directly with each school.

School	Control / Type	Credential Levels	Program Area
University of Memphis	Public, 4-year	Bachelor’s, Master’s	Criminal Justice
Christian Brothers University	Private nonprofit, 4-year	Bachelor’s, Master’s	Criminal Justice; Security Science and Technology
Southwest Tennessee Community College	Public, 2-year	Associate	Criminal Justice; Legal Support Services
Le Moyne-Owen College	Private nonprofit, 4-year	Bachelor’s	Criminal Justice
Remington College-Memphis Campus	Private nonprofit, 2-year	Associate, Bachelor’s	Criminal Justice
Strayer University-Tennessee	Private for-profit, 4-year	Associate, Bachelor’s	Criminal Justice

Christian Brothers University’s second listed program, Security Science and Technology, is a broad federal field-of-study classification that covers more than a traditional criminal justice degree. Confirm the specific program title and content with the school before assuming it’s what you’re looking for.

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.

Criminal Justice Salaries and Job Outlook in Memphis

Wages vary by occupation. Here’s what May 2025 BLS data shows for the Memphis metro and Tennessee statewide, for roles tied to an associate- or bachelor’s-level criminal justice program:

Occupation	Memphis Metro Median (May 2025)	Tennessee Median (May 2025)	TN Job Growth (2024-34)
Security Guard	$35,100	$36,000	+10.3%
Correctional Officer	$53,210	$50,940	+9.4%
Detective / Criminal Investigator	$78,920	$77,090	+4.9%
First-Line Supervisor, Correctional Officers	$75,480	$74,140	not published

These are occupation-level wage estimates, not a record of any one person’s career progression. A detective’s median reflects everyone currently working as a detective in the Memphis metro, not a raise attached to a promotion from patrol.

May 2025 US Bureau of Labor Statistics salary figures for Security Guards, Correctional Officers and Jailers, Detectives and Criminal Investigators, and First-Line Supervisors of Correctional Officers. Long-term (2024-34) job growth projections from the US Department of Labor-sponsored resource, ProjectionsCentral. Figures reflect Memphis-area and Tennessee state data, not school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary. Data accessed September 2026.

Frequently Asked Questions

What degree do I need for a criminal justice career in Memphis?

It varies by occupation and agency. Tennessee’s sworn law-enforcement officers must meet training and certification standards set by the state’s POST Commission, in addition to whatever hiring process MPD, Shelby County, or another department runs; a degree isn’t a universal requirement for these entry points. Detective, supervisory, and federal roles carry their own requirements that vary by agency and occupation, so confirm specifics with the agency you’re targeting. Six Memphis-area schools, including the University of Memphis and Christian Brothers University, offer bachelor’s and master’s options if you’re planning ahead.

How much do criminal justice jobs in Memphis pay?

As of May 2025 BLS data, a security guard in the Memphis metro earns a median of $35,100 per year, a correctional officer $53,210, a first-line supervisor of correctional officers $75,480, and a detective $78,920. Tennessee’s 2024-34 job growth projections from ProjectionsCentral put growth for these occupations at roughly 5% to 10%, depending on the role.

Which Memphis schools offer criminal justice programs?

Six area institutions report offering one, per federal College Scorecard data, though you should confirm current enrollment and format directly with each school: Southwest Tennessee Community College, Remington College-Memphis Campus, Strayer University-Tennessee, Le Moyne-Owen College, Christian Brothers University, and the University of Memphis.

Is the Memphis Police Department hiring right now?

Check the department’s own recruiting page for current openings and requirements. Tennessee’s POST Commission certification requirements apply on top of whatever MPD’s own hiring process covers, so budget time for both.

Key Takeaways

Six schools report a program: Memphis-area schools offer criminal justice options from associate through master’s, per federal education data, but confirm current enrollment and format with the school directly.
Tennessee POST Commission governs certification: Sworn officers statewide, not just at MPD, must meet the state’s training and certification standards in addition to whatever hiring process their specific agency runs.
BLS wages vary by occupation, not by promotion: Memphis-metro medians run from $35,100 for security guards to $78,920 for detectives as of May 2025, but these are occupation-level figures, not a guaranteed raise path for one person.
Federal careers follow separate rules: Federal criminal justice roles, including FBI positions, follow their own pay, hiring, and requirement structures set at the federal level, not the state POST or local agency processes described above.

If tuition is what’s holding you back, look into our scholarships guide for awards built for criminal justice majors, with eligibility and deadlines, before you start looking at loans.

Looking for a Criminal Justice Program in Another State?

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