Criminal Justice Schools in Kansas
Programs, Educational Options and Resources for Kansas Students
In a state that boasts vast open prairie spaces, attending criminal justice school in Kansas can give students a look at both urban and rural crime fighting and prevention. From metropolitan police forces to law enforcement protecting parks and natural ecosystems, Kansas employs over 35,000 professionals in legal and protective service fields associated to criminal justice. This page explores the best criminal justice schools, the variety of degree programs available and includes stats and information on some of the potential careers students can seek after criminal justice school in Kansas.
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Most Popular Criminal Justice Careers in Kansas
Kansas employs a range of people across the criminal justice field, from deputies and patrol officers to forensic scientists, paralegals and trial attorneys. Scroll over the boxes below to check out the most popular career paths for people interested in criminal justice in Kansas. These common careers include state-specific employment and salary statistics, and the degree requirements for each field in Kansas, which can be a good way to for students to check the level of education they need before pursuing a criminal justice degree. Police, Sheriff & Highway Patrol Officers Correctional Officer Compliance Officer Paralegal and Legal Assistant Court, Municipal and License Clerks Detectives and Criminal Investiagors Probation Officer
Side by Side: Comparing Kansas with Criminal Justice Nationally
As students consider attending criminal justice school in Kansas, they should also consider the cost of living in the state, and the return on investment a criminal justice degree can bring in the state. The graphs below pinpoint several careers that students in criminal justice school may consider pursuing, with detailed information about the average salary and job growth projections in Kansas compared to the national average. Each occupation also includes details about the minimum education requirements for Kansas students.
| JOB | National | Kansas |
|---|---|---|
| Lawyer | 105,790 | 136,260 |
| Arbitrators, Mediators, Conciliators | 62,300 | 69,060 |
| Forensic Science Technician | 49,640 | 60,090 |
| Paralegal | 44,370 | 52,390 |
| Fire Inspector, Investigator | 54,590 | 59,800 |
| Private Detective | 45,300 | 52,840 |
| Gaming Surveillance Officer | 31,970 | 33,880 |
| Fish & Game Warden | 43,750 | 54,970 |
| Criminal Justice Professor | 47,090 | 64,460 |
| JOB | National | Kansas |
|---|---|---|
| Police, Sheriff, Patrol Officer | 4.2% | 5.0% |
| Correctional Officer | 0.2% | 3.7% |
| Forensic Science Technician | 10.9% | 26.4% |
| Paralegal | 7.6% | 16.9% |
| Detective, Criminal Investigator | -1.2% | 1.7% |
| Judge, Magistrate | 0.7% | 1.3% |
| Court Clerk | 4.5% | 5.4% |
| Probation Officer | -4% | 3.6% |
| Criminal Justice Professor | 9.9% | 21.3% |
Where to Work after Criminal Justice School in Kansas
For criminal justice program graduates, it may be difficult to decide where in Kansas they can do the most good and meet their career and salary goals. The chart below explores the cities and regions of Kansas that employ criminal justice workers and how their wages vary by their employment location to help interested graduates see which parts of Kansas are most in need of protective service or legal employees.
Professional Resources for Criminal Justice in Kansas
Business Compliance Resources
- Association of Corporate Counsel, Mid-America Chapter
Operating in Kansas City and serving Kansas and central to western Missouri, the ACC Mid-America Chapter is a membership organization for business legal counsel professionals - Kansas Business Center
This site includes important regulatory information on starting, maintaining and operating a business in Kansas. - Better Business Bureau, Kansas City
The BBB sets and maintains standards for businesses and charities, and provides a wide range of information, including reviews, reports, directories and listings in Kansas. - Kansas Department of Revenue
A site for registering a business and paying taxes, as well as answering questions on other business tax-related topics. - Small Business/Community Support, Kansas Department of Health and Environment
As a division of the Kansas’s environmental health department, this body supervises several aspects of environmental education in Kansas and provides ombudsman services for any small business queries about who to contact in the Department of the Environment.
Correctional Resources
- Kansas Correctional Association
A professional group comprised of correctional professionals in Kansas, the mission of this association is to advance the correctional process for both youth and adult offenders in the state of Kansas. - Kansas Department of Corrections
With informational resources on inmates and new policies and procedures as well as employment information, this website has all public information about Kansas’ correctional facilities, community resources and contacts - Reaching Out From Within, Courage to Change
A community group supporting prison rehabilitation programs in Kansas, ROFW provides programs designed specifically to help improve inmate behavior while still in prison with their “Courage to Change” movement.
Court & Judicial Resources
- Kansas Association of Court Services Officers
The primary program for probation services for the State of Kansas, KASCO’s programs include adult and juvenile parole and probation, domestic and child welfare services - Kansas Court Reporters Association
A membership group for professional court reporters in the state of Kansas. Learn more about the profession and search careers on this page. - Kansas Judicial Branch
A resource for finding Kansas City, district, appellate and supreme courts, court records and personnel and job application information - Kansas, The United States Department of Justice
Links to appellate and bankruptcy courts; Kansas district, state and local courts; laws and regulations; lawyer resources; state agencies; and various departments that may assist with legal education opportunities or other general information. - United States District Court, District of Kansas
District court information for Kansas, from forms, judges and rules to information for attorneys or those interested in self-representation.
Legal Resources
- American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas
This branch of the national protection group has information on current events, local issues and civil liberties cases in Kansas. - Kansas City Legal Secretary Association
A local branch of the National Association of Legal Secretaries, this professional group is based in Kansas City and promotes a high degree of professionalism amongst legal support workers in the state. They also provide a scholarship program. - Kansas Legal Services
A statewide non-profit working to help low-income Kansans with legal and mediation services. - Douglas County Legal Aid Society
There may be legal aid resources for major cities or various counties in Kansas, such as Douglas County, that interested parties can investigate. - Kansas Bar Association
Use this website to find out more on becoming a lawyer in Kansas, as well as find continuing legal education resources and community engagement programs.
Law Enforcement Resources
- Kansas Bureau of Investigation
This department employs special agents, forensic scientists and clerical workers to collect and disseminate high-quality evidence analysis and crime data. - Kansas Gang Investigators Association
Supporting correctional and law enforcement professionals in Kansas, the KGJA is a group for criminal justice professionals working to combat the rising number of gang related crimes in the state. - Kansas Juvenile Officers Association
A combination of the Kansas D.A.R.E. program and Kansas School Resource Officers Association, the KJOA works with the Kansas Juvenile Justice System, juvenile courts and corrections and school law enforcement. - Kansas Peace Officers Association
This organization seeks to create a community among Kansas peace officers, advance criminal justice sciences and encourage development and improvement in law enforcement standards. - Kansas Law Enforcement Crisis Intervention Team Council
Part of a movement to educate and train first responders to safely engage with individuals experiencing mental health crises, reducing the risk of escalation and violence. - Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center
Information on basic training as well as continuing education, upcoming events and further resources for law enforcement personnel.
Wildlife & Environmental Resources
- Kansas International Association of Arson Investigators
From wildland to community fire inspection and investigation, the KSIAAI focuses on fire-related issues in the state of Kansas, and provides training and scholarship programs for students. - Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism
An informational resource on hunting, fishing, boating, camping and other outdoor activities. There are links to resources about licenses and education and employment opportunities. - Kirwin National Wildlife Refuge
This site has information on hunting and fishing in Kansas’ national wildlife refuge. It also has a page on employment as a Federal Wildlife Officer. - Kansas Wildlife Federation
A local affiliate of the National Wildlife Federation, the KWF is an advocate for wildlife, sportsmen and environmental managers across Kansas’ ecosystems.
The Best Criminal Justice Schools in Kansas
Many factors determine the best criminal justice schools in each state. For Kansas, this list ranks some of the most important factors for students – like cost, enrollment and student-to-teacher ratios – to rank each criminal justice school in Kansas from top to bottom. Check out the stats each school provides below.
Washburn University
Topeka, KS- 4 year
- Campus + Online
- In-State$8,594
- Out-of-state$19,346
- In-State$9,306
- Out-of-state$18,788
- Retention Rate69%
- Acceptance RateN/A
- Students Enrolled6,285
- Institution TypePublic
- Percent Online Enrollment38%
- AccreditationYes
Newman University
- Wichita, KS
- 4 year
- Campus + Online
- In-State$30,386
- Out-of-state$30,386
- In-State$10,458
- Out-of-state$10,458
- Retention Rate72%
- Acceptance Rate67%
- Students Enrolled3,205
- Institution TypePrivate
- Percent Online Enrollment24%
- AccreditationYes
Wichita State University
- Wichita, KS
- 4 year
- Campus + Online
- In-State$6,709
- Out-of-state$15,890
- In-State$5,435
- Out-of-state$13,348
- Retention Rate69%
- Acceptance Rate92%
- Students Enrolled15,342
- Institution TypePublic
- Percent Online Enrollment51%
- AccreditationYes
Kansas Wesleyan University
- Salina, KS
- 4 year
- Campus + Online
- In-State$29,500
- Out-of-state$29,500
- In-StateN/A
- Out-of-stateN/A
- Retention Rate68%
- Acceptance Rate61%
- Students Enrolled716
- Institution TypePrivate
- Percent Online Enrollment35%
- AccreditationYes
Bethany College
- Lindsborg, KS
- 4 year
- Campus
- In-State$27,770
- Out-of-state$27,770
- In-StateN/A
- Out-of-stateN/A
- Retention Rate58%
- Acceptance Rate68%
- Students Enrolled816
- Institution TypePrivate
- Percent Online Enrollment0%
- AccreditationYes
Fort Hays State University
- Hays, KS
- 4 year
- Campus + Online
- In-State$3,990
- Out-of-state$14,070
- In-State$3,582
- Out-of-state$10,206
- Retention Rate74%
- Acceptance Rate91%
- Students Enrolled15,908
- Institution TypePublic
- Percent Online Enrollment55%
- AccreditationYes
Central Christian College of Kansas
- McPherson, KS
- 4 year
- Campus + Online
- In-State$18,246
- Out-of-state$18,246
- In-StateN/A
- Out-of-stateN/A
- Retention Rate61%
- Acceptance RateN/A
- Students Enrolled677
- Institution TypePrivate
- Percent Online Enrollment65%
- AccreditationYes
Sterling College
- Sterling, KS
- 4 year
- Campus + Online
- In-State$26,000
- Out-of-state$26,000
- In-State$13,860
- Out-of-state$13,860
- Retention Rate59%
- Acceptance Rate40%
- Students Enrolled653
- Institution TypePrivate
- Percent Online Enrollment14%
- AccreditationYes
Friends University
- Wichita, KS
- 4 year
- Campus + Online
- In-State$28,944
- Out-of-state$28,944
- In-State$11,358
- Out-of-state$11,358
- Retention Rate69%
- Acceptance Rate46%
- Students Enrolled1,818
- Institution TypePrivate
- Percent Online Enrollment45%
- AccreditationYes
MidAmerica Nazarene University
- Olathe, KS
- 4 year
- Campus + Online
- In-State$31,036
- Out-of-state$31,036
- In-State$13,797
- Out-of-state$13,797
- Retention Rate72%
- Acceptance Rate55%
- Students Enrolled1,909
- Institution TypePrivate
- Percent Online Enrollment44%
- AccreditationYes
