Louisiana Criminal Justice Schools

The colleges and universities in Louisiana offer a wealth of options for earning a criminal justice degree. Programs at the associate's, bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degree levels are found across the state, with options to major or specialize in such areas as corrections, emergency management, global security, and public safety administration. Many schools have also launched online criminal justice degree programs, including McNeese State University and Northwestern State University of Louisiana.

Quick Facts

*For not-for-profit colleges and universities with criminal justice degree programs.

Criminal Justice Degree Programs in Louisiana

Louisiana's criminal justice schools offer programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels both on-campus and online. Earning a degree in criminal justice can jump-start your career, qualifying you for advanced positions, salary incentives, and other benefits. Holding a degree can also qualify you for a greater range of opportunities. For example, the Federal Bureau of Prisons maintains two facilities in Louisiana and prefers to hire applicants for corrections positions who have a bachelor's degree. The Louisiana State Police requires applicants who do not have peace officer experience to have completed at least 60 college credit hours. Wherever your interests lie, a general criminal justice degree or a specialty program can help you get hired in Louisiana's growing criminal justice industry.

Top-Ranked Schools with Criminal Justice Programs in Louisiana

Kiplinger's Best Values in Public Colleges*

• Louisiana State University (#93 in-state, #88 out-of-state)

*Institution-wide ranking.

Criminal Justice Degree Schools Best Online Bachelor's Programs

• Northwestern State University of Louisiana

US News Best Online Graduate Criminal Justice Programs

• McNeese State University (#51-#67)
• University of Louisiana at Monroe (#51-#67)

Profiles of Well-Known Schools in Louisiana

Loyola University New Orleans
The College of Social Sciences at Loyola University New Orleans offers students a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice, a Bachelor of Criminal Justice, a Master of Criminal Justice, and a Master of Science in Criminal Justice Administration. Loyola University has a relationship with Innocence Project New Orleans (IPNO), which has a stipend-supported summer internship for criminal justice majors. The College of Social Sciences has its own semester-long and summer study abroad programs such as the Summer Program in Avila, Spain and the Loyola Summer Program in Italy: The Crossroads of Culture, Art and Religion. The Department of Criminal Justice has 20 full- and part-time faculty who specialize in organizational theory, forensics, crime and technology, and international risk analysis.

Louisiana State University
Undergraduate students at Louisiana State University can pursue a criminology concentration with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology. Within the Department of Sociology is the CAPER (Crime and Policy Evaluation Research) Group, which consists of more than 30 crime and social policy researchers and professionals and their collaborative projects. Criminology concentration students take the standard sociology foundation courses and then move on to specialized upper-level courses such as Sociology of the Criminal Justice System, Criminal Violence, or Sociology of Youth and Crime. A unique feature of the LSU Department of Sociology is the Video Ethnography Laboratory, which creates avenues for students to use experimental media in their research.

Bossier Parish Community College
Bossier Parish Community College offers an Associate of Applied Science in Criminal Justice with optional concentrations in Corrections, Law Enforcement, Legal Systems, or Medicolegal Death Investigation. The criminal justice programs at this school prepare students to begin criminal justice careers at the entry level with degree completion in as little as one and a half years with accelerated four-week and eight-week classes. Bossier Parish Community College is one of only three colleges in the US offering a Medicolegal Death Investigation concentration. Students who successfully complete this program are eligible to sit for the American Board of Medicolegal Death Investigators, Inc. registry level exams. Courses from any concentration area may transfer to partially fulfill the requirements for a bachelor's degree in criminal justice for students who choose to continue their studies at a four-year school.

Notable Alumni from Louisiana Universities

• New Orleans Superintendent of Police Ronal W Serpas PhD - University of New Orleans
• Lafayette Police Chief Jim Craft - Louisiana State University
• Jefferson Parish Sheriff Newell D. Normand - University of New Orleans
• Caddo Parish Sheriff Steve Prator - Louisiana State University

Police Quote: "There are always two sides to every story and somewhere in the middle lies the truth. Never turn down a promotion even if it means a move to a place or position you did not want to work in."

 Jim Craft, Lafayette Police Chief and 2nd Vice President of the Louisiana Association of Chiefs of Police

Louisiana Criminal Justice Careers

Unless an individual has eight years of work experience, the only way to become a probation and parole officer for the Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections is to have a four-year degree, such as a bachelor's in criminal justice. The Louisiana State Police will also waive experience requirements for individuals who have completed college coursework, and pays an annual salary of $50,928 after one year of service in conjunction with comprehensive benefits.⁵

Despite New Orleans' difficult recovery from Hurricane Katrina, the population of the state is expected to grow over the next twenty years. Louisiana is home to three federal correctional facilities and also has the fifth-highest violent crime rate in the country.

The city of New Orleans is also seeking police officers, with an annual salary of $49,517 after the first year.⁶ Completion of a bachelor's degree in a field such as criminal justice will generate an automatic additional $2,000 in annual salary for police officers in New Orleans.⁶ The Baton Rouge Police Department also matches New Orleans' college incentive. Both police departments offer extremely generous benefits packages including insurance, paid leave, and overtime opportunities. Finally, both departments also offer additional salary benefits for holders of degrees above the bachelor's level. The average annual salary for protective service professionals, including police and patrol officers in the state of Louisiana, was $35,150 as of May 2015.⁷

Louisiana Criminal Justice Salary and Jobs

Occupation	Number Employed	Average Annual Salary
Correctional Officers and Jailers	8,480	$34,170
First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives	1,890	$62,930
Detectives and Criminal Investigators	1,910	$60,990
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers	10,530	$38,100

Data from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics as of May 2015.^8,9,10,11

Louisiana's Criminal Justice Employment Outlook

Louisiana's unemployment rate as of May 2016 was 6.3%.¹² This was above the national average of 4.7%, though below the state's 10-year unemployment peak in September 2005 at a rate of 11.2%.¹² The previous 10-year low occurred in July 2006, with 3.6% unemployment rate.¹² Government-related employment is a good proxy for criminal justice jobs in Louisiana. Projections Central includes the following positions in its projections:

• Police and Sheriff Patrol: 480 annual openings; 46% in these positions report completing at least some college, with 24% holding an associate's degree.^13,14
• Correctional Officers: 370 annual openings; 37% in these positions report completing at least some college, with 15% holding a post-secondary certificate.^13,15
• Detectives and Criminal Investigators: 60 annual openings; 37% in these positions report completing at least some college, with 21% holding an associate's degree.^13,16
• Security Guards: 420 annual openings; 4% in these positions report completing at least some college.^13,17
• Paralegals: 150 annual openings; 86% in these positions report completing at least some college, with 30% holding an associate's degree and 44% holding a bachelor's degree.^13,18
• Forensic Science Technicians: 10 annual openings; these positions typically require at least a bachelor's degree.¹³

The above-mentioned estimates are a result of employment growth as well as replacements.

The Mercatus Center, a conservative think tank, analyzed and rated the long-term solvency of each state government. Louisiana ranked 33rd in the nation based on the state's budgeting process and cash/tax collection as well as its pension projections.¹⁹ This is an indication that new employees should keep an eye on Louisiana's ability to fulfill its obligation of paying employee pensions.

Directory of Not-for-Profit Louisiana Universities Offering Campus-based and Online Criminal Justice Degrees

To earn a criminal justice degree in Louisiana, we recommend finding an accredited campus-based or online program for pursuing your associate's, bachelor's, or master's degree in the growing field of criminal justice.

Tip: If you don't live near a campus-based school that offers a program of interest, consider an online degree or a university in an adjacent state (Texas, Arkansas, or Missouri).

Schools with Online and On-Campus Criminal Justice Programs

Bossier Parish Community College (Bossier City)
Associate of Applied Science | Criminal Justice (online or on-campus)
Associate of Applied Science | Medicolegal Death Investigation

Louisiana State University at Alexandria (Alexandria)
Bachelor of Science | Criminal Justice (online or on-campus)
Bachelor of General Studies | Disaster Science and Emergency Management
Minor | Criminal Justice

Louisiana State University-Eunice (Eunice)
Associate of Arts | Criminal Justice (transfer program)
Associate of Science | Criminal Justice (online or on-campus)
Associate of Applied Science | Fire and Emergency Services

McNeese State University (Lake Charles)
Associate of General Studies | Criminal Justice
Bachelor of Science | Criminal Justice
Bachelor of Science | Chemistry: Forensic Chemistry
Master of Science | Criminal Justice: Justice Administration (online)
Minor | Terrorism, Preparedness, and Security
Minor | Criminal Justice

Northwestern State University of Louisiana (Natchitoches)
Bachelor of Arts | Criminal Justice (online or on-campus)
Bachelor of Arts | Organizational Leadership: Public Safety Administration
Bachelor of Science | Addiction Studies (online)
Bachelor of Science | Psychology: Substance Abuse (online)
Bachelor of Science | Unified Public Safety: Law Enforcement Administration (online or on-campus)
Bachelor of Science | Unified Public Safety: Emergency Management Administration (online or on-campus)
Master of Science | Homeland Security (online or on-campus)
Master of Arts | Adult Education | Homeland Security (online or on-campus)
Post-Baccalaureate Certificate | Global Security and Intelligence (online or on-campus)
Program | Army ROTC

Southern University and A & M College (Baton Rouge)
Bachelor of Science | Criminal Justice (online or on-campus)
Master of Science | Criminal Justice (online or on-campus)
Military Science Program | Army ROTC

Tulane University (New Orleans)
Bachelor of Arts | Homeland Security Studies (hybrid online or on-campus)
Master of Professional Studies | Homeland Security Studies (online or on-campus)
Master of Public Health | Disaster Management
Master of Science | Disaster Resilience Leadership
Minor | Homeland Security Studies
Post-Baccalaureate Certificate | Homeland Security Studies
Post-Baccalaureate Certificate | Disaster Management

University of Louisiana at Monroe (Monroe)
Bachelor of Arts | Criminal Justice (online or on-campus)
Bachelor of Arts | Criminal Justice: Abuse Case Management (Certification)
Master of Arts | Criminal Justice (online)
Minor | Criminal Justice
Minor | Military Science

Schools with On-Campus Criminal Justice Programs Only

Baton Rouge Community College (Baton Rouge)
Associate of Science | Criminal Justice
Associate of Arts | Criminal Justice (transfer degree)
Certificate | Emergency Management
Technical Diploma | Correctional Programs

Central Louisiana Technical Community College (Oakdale)
Associate of Applied Science | Criminal Justice
Certificate of Technical Studies | Law Enforcement & Legal Studies
Certificate of Technical Studies | General Criminal Justice Studies
Technical Diploma | Criminal Justice

Delgado Community College (New Orleans)
Associate of Arts | Criminal Justice

Grambling State University (Grambling)
Bachelor of Science | Criminal Justice
Bachelor of Science | Criminal Justice: Paralegal Studies
Bachelor of Science | Chemistry: Forensic Chemistry
Master of Science | Criminal Justice

Louisiana College (Pineville)
Bachelor of Science | Criminal Justice
Minor | Criminal Justice

Louisiana State University-Shreveport (Shreveport)
Bachelor Degree | Criminal Justice: Generalist
Bachelor Degree | Criminal Justice: Forensic Science
Bachelor Degree | Criminal Justice: Political Science

Louisiana Tech University-Barksdale AFB (Bossier City)
Associate of General Studies | Concentration in Criminal Justice
Bachelor of General Studies | Concentration in Criminal Justice

Loyola University New Orleans (New Orleans)
Bachelor of Arts | Criminal Justice
Bachelor of Arts | Sociology: Crime, Law & Social Control
Bachelor of Arts | Sociology: Social Justice & Inequalities
Bachelor of Science | Forensic Chemistry
Master of Criminal Justice | Criminal Justice
Master of Pastoral Studies and Master of Science in Criminal Justice | Dual Degree program
Master of Science in Counseling/ Master of Science in Criminal Justice | Dual Degree program
Minor | Forensic Chemistry
Minor | Criminal Justice

Nicholls State University (Thibodaux)
Associate of Science | Safety Technology

South Louisiana Community College (Lafayette)
Associate of Science | Criminal Justice

Southeastern Louisiana University (Hammond)
Bachelor of Arts | Criminal Justice
Bachelor of Science | Forensic Science
Minor | Criminal Justice
Honors Diploma | Criminal Justice

Southern University at New Orleans (New Orleans)
Bachelor of Science | Criminal Justice
Bachelor of Science | Forensic Science
Master of Arts | Criminal Justice: Law Enforcement
Master of Arts | Criminal Justice: Corrections
Minor | Criminal Justice: Juvenile Justice

Southern University at Shreveport (Shreveport)
Associate of Applied Science | Criminal Justice Administration

Sowela Technical Community College (Lake Charles)
Associate of Applied Science | Criminal Justice
Technical Competency Area Certificate | General Criminal Justice Studies
Certificate of Technical Studies | General Legal Studies
Certificate of Technical Studies | Criminal Justice System Studies
Technical Diploma | Criminal Justice

University of Louisiana at Lafayette (Lafayette)
Bachelor of Science | Criminal Justice
Master of Science | Criminal Justice: Juvenile Justice
Minor | Forensics
Minor | Criminal Justice Forensics

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References:
1. National Center for Education Statistics: https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/
2. Kiplinger's Best Values in Public Colleges: https://www.kiplinger.com/tool/college/T014-S001-kiplinger-s-best-values-in-public-colleges/index.php
3. College Factual Best Criminal Justice & Corrections Colleges: https://www.collegefactual.com/majors/protective-security-safety-services/criminal-justice-and-corrections/rankings/top-ranked/
4. US News Best Online Graduate Criminal Justice Programs: https://www.usnews.com/education/online-education/criminal-justice/rankings
5. Louisiana State Police: https://www.lsp.org/recruit.html#benefits
6. New Orleans Police Department: https://www.nola.gov/nopd/
7. US Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2015 Occupational Employment and Wages, Protective Service Occupations (Major Group): https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes330000.htm
8. US Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2015 Occupational Employment and Wages, Correctional Officers and Jailers https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes333012.htm
9. US Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2015 Occupational Employment and Wages, First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives: https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes331012.htm
10. US Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2015 Occupational Employment and Wages, Detectives and Criminal Investigators: https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes333021.htm
11. US Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2015 Occupational Employment and Wages, Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers: https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes333051.htm
12. Y Charts 10 Year Unemployment Chart: https://https://ycharts.com/indicators/louisiana_unemployment_rate
13. Projections Central Long Term Occupational Projections: https://www.projectionscentral.com/Projections/LongTerm
14. O*Net OnLine, Police Patrol Officers: https://www.onetonline.org/link/details/33-3051.01
15. O*Net OnLine, Correctional Officers and Jailers: https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/33-3012.00
16. O*Net OnLine, Police Detectives: https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/33-3021.01
17. O*Net OnLine, Security Guards: https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/33-9032.00
18. O*Net OnLine, Paralegals and Legal Assistants: https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/23-2011.00
19. Mercatus Center, George Mason University, Ranking the States by Fiscal Condition 2016 Edition: https://www.mercatus.org/statefiscalrankings