Criminal Justice Colleges in Utah: Degrees & Salaries

Updated September 17, 2026

Utah has 17 colleges offering a criminal justice, legal support, homeland security, or fire protection program, from certificates at technical colleges through Weber State’s master’s degree. As of May 2025 BLS data, a Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officer here earns a median $77,310 a year, and the state projects double-digit job growth in several CJ occupations through 2034.

Utah’s criminal justice job market is more than just Salt Lake City. The state’s population reached an estimated 3.54 million as of July 2025, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Here’s how the degree paths break down, which criminal justice colleges in Utah actually offer them, and what the jobs pay once you’re in them.

Criminal Justice Education in Utah

Utah’s schools run the full ladder: two-year associate degrees, four-year bachelor’s programs, and master’s-level study for people who already have field experience. If you’re coming in with time already worked in law enforcement, corrections, or probation, a graduate degree can open supervisory and administrative roles. If you’re starting from zero, a bachelor’s degree is a common path, built around a core of science, math, and English, with criminal justice electives kicking in during junior and senior years. Program structure, including any fieldwork or internship requirement, varies by school. Check the specific program’s curriculum before enrolling.

Specialized coursework you’ll see across these programs includes:

A History of U.S. Criminal Justice
The American Criminal Justice System
Research Methodologies in Criminal Justice
The Courts in the U.S. Legal System
Criminal Justice Ethics
A History of Race Relations in the U.S.
Legal Research and Writing

Featured Programs:

Criminal Justice Colleges in Utah: Where to Study

17 Utah institutions offer programs in the criminal justice family, per U.S. Department of Education data. None are distance-only, so every school below has a physical campus in the state.

Institution	City	Type	Credential Levels	Program Areas
	Brigham Young University	Provo	Private nonprofit, 4-year	Bachelor’s	Criminal Justice
	Weber State University	Ogden	Public, 4-year	Associate, Bachelor’s, Master’s	Criminal Justice, Security Science and Technology
	Utah Valley University	Orem	Public, 4-year	Associate, Bachelor’s, Certificate	Criminal Justice, Fire Protection, Legal Support Services, Security Science and Technology
	Utah Tech University	Saint George	Public, 4-year	Associate, Bachelor’s, Certificate	Criminal Justice
	Southern Utah University	Cedar City	Public, 4-year	Associate, Bachelor’s	Criminal Justice, Legal Support Services
	Westminster University	Salt Lake City	Private nonprofit, 4-year	Bachelor’s	Criminal Justice
	Salt Lake Community College	Salt Lake City	Public, 2-year	Associate, Certificate	Criminal Justice, Homeland Security, Legal Support Services
	Snow College	Ephraim	Public, 4-year	Associate	Criminal Justice
	Utah State University	Logan	Public, 4-year	Associate	Criminal Justice
	University of Utah	Salt Lake City	Public, 4-year	Graduate Certificate	Homeland Security
	Ensign College	Salt Lake City	Private nonprofit, 4-year	Associate, Certificate	Legal Support Services
	Provo College	Provo	Private for-profit, 4-year	Associate, Bachelor’s, Certificate	Criminal Justice, Legal Support Services
	Eagle Gate College – Layton	Layton	Private for-profit, 4-year	Associate, Bachelor’s, Certificate	Criminal Justice, Legal Support Services
	Eagle Gate College – Murray	Murray	Private for-profit, 4-year	Associate, Bachelor’s, Certificate	Criminal Justice, Legal Support Services
Bridgerland Technical College	Logan	Public, less than 2-year	Certificate	Criminal Justice, Fire Protection
Davis Technical College	Kaysville	Public, less than 2-year	Certificate	Fire Protection
Uintah Basin Technical College	Roosevelt	Public, less than 2-year	Certificate	Criminal Justice

Weber State offers the most complete pathway in the state—associate through master’s-level study in one system. This table reflects U.S. Department of Education Scorecard filings, which can lag how a school currently markets its own catalog. A school’s CIP-code filing does not always match the program name on its website. Confirm current enrollment, program name, format, and admission requirements directly with any school on this list before applying.

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.

Job Outlook and Salaries for Criminal Justice Careers in Utah

As of May 2025 BLS wage data, here’s what four common criminal justice roles pay in Utah, alongside how the U.S. Department of Labor-sponsored ProjectionsCentral expects each to grow through 2034:

Median Annual Wage	Utah Job Growth, 2024-34	Avg. Annual Openings
Correctional Officers and Jailers	$67,290	4.1%	190
Paralegals and Legal Assistants	$63,220	14.2%	360
Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officers	$77,310	17.4%	510
Detectives and Criminal Investigators	$78,920	11.9%	40

Patrol work carries the highest projected openings on this list. The 510 average annual openings for Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officers reflect both projected employment growth and normal replacement needs, not growth alone. Paralegal work shows the second-highest growth rate at 14.2%.

Federal work is also on the table. Utah hosts field offices for the Dept. of Homeland Security, the Dept. of Justice, the U.S. Marshals, and the Treasury Dept., which hire criminal investigators, transportation security inspectors, and federal corrections officers directly. Federal pay scales and requirements run separately from the state figures above.

May 2025 US Bureau of Labor Statistics salary figures for Correctional Officers and Jailers, Paralegals and Legal Assistants, and Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officers, Detectives, and Criminal Investigators. 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

How many schools in Utah offer a criminal justice degree?

17 Utah institutions offer programs in the criminal justice family, per U.S. Department of Education data. That covers criminal justice, legal support, homeland security, fire protection, and security science programs, from certificates at technical colleges through Weber State’s master’s degree.

What does a police officer make in Utah?

As of May 2025 BLS data, a Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officer in Utah earns a median of $77,310 a year. ProjectionsCentral expects the role to grow 17.4% in Utah between 2024 and 2034, with about 510 average annual openings.

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

A college degree is not a statewide requirement for Utah peace-officer certification. Utah POST (Peace Officer Standards and Training) sets the entry bar: U.S. citizenship, a high school diploma or GED, and completion of the POST basic training and certification process. A felony conviction disqualifies an applicant outright, while misdemeanor offenses trigger a waiting period and individual review rather than an automatic bar. Individual agencies can add their own hiring requirements on top of the state minimum, including a preference for a degree at the time of promotion.

What’s the fastest path into criminal justice work in Utah?

Requirements vary by occupation and employer, but an associate degree or technical college certificate can be a faster route into entry-level corrections, security, or legal support roles than a four-year degree. For sworn law-enforcement work in Utah, POST certification (not the degree itself) is the requirement that actually gates the job. Confirm the specific requirements with the agency or academy you’re targeting.

Key Takeaways

Utah has 17 in-state schools offering a CJ-family program, per federal education data, ranging from technical college certificates to Weber State’s master’s. Program details may lag behind a school’s current catalog, so confirm specifics directly with the school before applying.
Patrol work shows the highest projected openings among these four roles: an average of 510 annual openings through 2034, reflecting both growth and normal replacement needs.
Paralegal work shows the fastest projected growth rate on this table, at 14.2%.
Utah POST certification, not a college degree, is what actually gates sworn law-enforcement work in the state. A felony conviction disqualifies an applicant; misdemeanors trigger individual review.

Worried about paying for the degree? The scholarships guide lists awards built for criminal justice majors, with eligibility, amounts, and deadlines.

Read: Scholarships for Criminal Justice Majors and Grad Students