Best Criminal Justice Schools in Washington
Academic and Professional Resources in Washington for Criminal Justice Students
Start making changes in your career and your community with a degree from a criminal justice school in Washington. Employers in every corner of Washington, from Spokane to Walla Walla to the Olympic Peninsula, are looking for qualified individuals with strong backgrounds in criminal justice. A degree from a criminal justice school in Washington can help new applicants stand out and can improve a current employee’s qualifications and performance. Continue reading to learn what schools best fit your needs and to explore the different career fields available.
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WASHINGTON’S BEST CRIMINAL JUSTICE SCHOOLS
The criminal justice field encompasses a wide variety of professions that call for different academic requirements. To help students narrow down this search and find the best school or program for them, we have ranked schools across the country based on a variety of current criteria important to students, such as up-to-date tuition costs, total enrollment, student-to-teacher ratio, and acceptance rates. Explore the top-ranking criminal justice schools and programs for 2017 here.
Washington State University
Pullman, WA- 4 year
- Campus + Online
- In-State$9,953
- Out-of-state$24,531
- In-State$11,493
- Out-of-state$25,248
- Retention Rate79%
- Acceptance Rate76%
- Students Enrolled31,607
- Institution TypePublic
- Percent Online Enrollment21%
- AccreditationYes
Seattle University
- Seattle, WA
- 4 year
- Campus + Online
- In-State$45,765
- Out-of-state$45,765
- In-State$19,280
- Out-of-state$19,280
- Retention Rate88%
- Acceptance Rate78%
- Students Enrolled7,199
- Institution TypePrivate
- Percent Online Enrollment4%
- AccreditationYes
Saint Martin's University
- Lacey, WA
- 4 year
- Campus
- In-State$38,150
- Out-of-state$38,150
- In-State$15,300
- Out-of-state$15,300
- Retention Rate78%
- Acceptance Rate96%
- Students Enrolled1,629
- Institution TypePrivate
- Percent Online Enrollment19%
- AccreditationYes
Heritage University
- Toppenish, WA
- 4 year
- Campus + Online
- In-State$17,988
- Out-of-state$17,988
- In-State$9,336
- Out-of-state$9,336
- Retention Rate74%
- Acceptance RateN/A
- Students Enrolled971
- Institution TypePrivate
- Percent Online Enrollment4%
- AccreditationYes
City University of Seattle
- Seattle, WA
- 4 year
- Campus + Online
- In-State$13,120
- Out-of-state$13,120
- In-State$11,430
- Out-of-state$11,430
- Retention RateN/A
- Acceptance RateN/A
- Students Enrolled1,960
- Institution TypePrivate
- Percent Online Enrollment80%
- AccreditationYes
PREVALENT WASHINGTON CRIMINAL JUSTICE CAREERS
A degree in criminal justice can help you join a variety of careers in Washington, from vital law-enforcement jobs to fields related to the function of the state’s court system. Start exploring your options by looking at the most popular jobs in Washington’s criminal justice fields; the table below shows some of these careers with along with the number of individuals working in Washington, the median salary, and the degree level typically required.
SIDE BY SIDE: HOW WASHINGTON COMPARES FOR CRIMINAL JUSTICE CAREERS
Criminal justice graduates in Washington are greeted with an exceptionally strong job market in a large range of careers. Indeed, Forbes named Washington the second-best state to make a living in for 2015. That comes as no surprise when you consider that many Washington careers have annual salaries and growth rates above the national average.
Salary
| Job | National | Washington |
|---|---|---|
| Police, Sheriff’s Patrol Officers | 62,760 | 76,340 |
| Correctional Officers | 46,750 | 52,930 |
| Fire Inspectors and Investigators | 61,660 | 87,690 |
| Paralegals | 53,180 | 59,590 |
| Detectives, Criminal Investigators | 81,490 | 83,050 |
| Transit and Railroad Police | 47,610 | 67,850 |
| Judicial Law Clerks | 58,920 | 59,840 |
| Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers | 93,140 | 100,120 |
| Bailiffs | 45,740 | 52,170 |
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2015
Job Growth
| Job | National | Washington |
|---|---|---|
| Court Reporters | 0.015 | 0.242 |
| Court, Municipal, and License Clerks | 0.045 | 0.138 |
| Police, Sheriff’s Patrol Officers | 0.05 | 0.11 |
| Private Detectives and Investigators | 0.011 | 0.081 |
| Paralegals and Legal Assistants | 0.076 | 0.084 |
| Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers | -0.036 | 0.025 |
| Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists | 0.011 | 0.066 |
| Lawyers | 0.056 | 0.095 |
| Judges, Magistrates, and Magistrates | 0.006 | 0.106 |
| Animal Control Workers | 0.058 | 0.167 |
Source: Projections Central, 2015
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS WITH A CRIMINAL JUSTICE DEGREE IN WASHINGTON
Criminal justice graduates have a wide range of options in Washington state for potential careers, from patrol officers on quiet streets of Davenport to paralegals in downtown Seattle. Some of these careers are on the protective services side, while others are more closely involved with the court system. Overall, there are a variety of ways to put a criminal justice degree to work in Washington.
LARGEST AREAS OF EMPLOYMENT IN DESCENDING ORDER
Protective service
Seattle-Bellevue
Vancouver
Tacoma-Lakewood
Spokane-Spokane Valley
Southwest Washington nonmetropolitan area
Legal service
Seattle-Bellevue
Vancouver
Tacoma-Lakewood
Spokane-Spokane Valley
Olympia-Tumwater
PROFESSIONAL RESOURCES FOR CRIMINAL JUSTICE IN WASHINGTON
BUSINESS COMPLIANCE RESOURCES
CORRECTIONAL RESOURCES
COURT & JUDICIAL RESOURCES
LEGAL RESOURCES
LAW ENFORCEMENT RESOURCES
WILDLIFE & ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES
