Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Teachers, Postsecondary
Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Teachers, Postsecondary (SOC 25-1111) earn a median $76,590 a year in the United States, with 13,150 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is California.
What criminal justice and law enforcement teachers, postsecondary do
Criminal justice and law enforcement teachers teach college courses in criminal justice, corrections, and law enforcement administration. Their lectures cover criminal law, defensive policing, and investigation techniques; they also guide class discussion, grade papers, and administer exams. Some pursue research. Law teachers, who work in law schools, are classified separately. They also prepare syllabi and other course materials, keep attendance and grade records, and plan and revise curricula and methods of instruction. They keep up with the field by reading current literature, talking with colleagues, and taking part in professional organizations. Alternate titles show appointments such as adjunct criminal justice instructor, assistant professor, and college faculty member. The occupation includes those primarily engaged in teaching and those who combine teaching with research.
Typical entry: According to O*NET, the most commonly reported level of education for this occupation is a master's degree.
Also called: Adjunct Criminal Justice Instructor, Adjunct Instructor, Adjunct Professor, Assistant Professor, Associate Professor.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 13,150 |
| Annual | $45,000 | $60,020 | $76,590 | $100,870 | $140,240 | $87,550 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where criminal justice and law enforcement teachers, postsecondary earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 1,460 | 0.08 | 0.95 |
| Annual | $68,960 | $82,190 | $139,720 | $216,150 | $259,890 | $150,800 | ||||
| Colorado | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 370 | 0.13 | 1.52 |
| Annual | $45,050 | $71,330 | $122,050 | $148,710 | $148,710 | $108,140 | ||||
| Maryland | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 220 | 0.08 | 0.94 |
| Annual | $31,780 | $31,780 | $99,600 | $105,680 | $132,910 | $85,170 | ||||
| Pennsylvania | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 790 | 0.13 | 1.54 |
| Annual | $56,770 | $76,040 | $94,710 | $113,460 | $123,000 | $92,840 | ||||
| Oregon | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 70 | 0.04 | 0.45 |
| Annual | $31,290 | $74,550 | $93,960 | $136,790 | $206,880 | $105,590 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 1,460 | 0.08 | 0.95 |
| Annual | $68,960 | $82,190 | $139,720 | $216,150 | $259,890 | $150,800 | ||||
| North Carolina | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 1,220 | 0.25 | 2.92 |
| Annual | $43,600 | $53,290 | $63,020 | $74,290 | $77,780 | $63,970 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 1,150 | 0.08 | 0.96 |
| Annual | $39,580 | $51,920 | $77,270 | $97,460 | $126,670 | $79,370 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 880 | 0.09 | 1.08 |
| Annual | $50,400 | $68,200 | $82,770 | $107,230 | $208,930 | $100,130 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 840 | 0.08 | 1.00 |
| Annual | $50,490 | $59,290 | $61,550 | $77,590 | $80,520 | $67,820 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 150 | 0.09 | 1.06 |
| Annual | $91,850 | $159,020 | $223,240 | $250,700 | $250,700 | $200,140 | ||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 130 | 0.05 | 0.64 |
| Annual | $95,720 | $132,300 | $170,070 | $271,800 | $295,650 | $188,890 | ||||
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 150 | 0.10 | 1.14 |
| Annual | $79,700 | $128,240 | $168,410 | $221,370 | $260,440 | $170,200 | ||||
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 50 | 0.05 | 0.54 |
| Annual | $79,820 | $95,280 | $139,790 | $169,440 | $221,050 | $145,830 | ||||
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 230 | 0.14 | 1.69 |
| Annual | $52,670 | $84,430 | $137,340 | $148,710 | $148,710 | $122,810 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 920 | 0.10 | 1.15 |
| Annual | $32,220 | $53,280 | $86,690 | $117,650 | $208,930 | $97,500 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 660 | 0.11 | 1.24 |
| Annual | $65,250 | $79,780 | $103,870 | $169,340 | $220,920 | $129,070 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 340 | 0.08 | 0.88 |
| Annual | $46,350 | $60,840 | $66,040 | $81,090 | $102,180 | $73,850 | ||||
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 270 | 0.09 | 1.10 |
| Annual | $45,740 | $75,170 | $83,930 | $119,840 | $124,180 | $89,760 | ||||
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 250 | 0.06 | 0.72 |
| Annual | $47,550 | $61,920 | $81,080 | $109,600 | $131,680 | $90,790 | ||||
Top industries employing criminal justice and law enforcement teachers, postsecondary
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools employ 53.8% of criminal justice and law enforcement teachers, postsecondary nationally (7,080 jobs) at a median $77,890 a year, followed by Junior Colleges (44.8%) and Technical and Trade Schools (0.8%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools NAICS 611300 | 7,080 | 53.8% | $77,890 | * |
| Junior Colleges NAICS 611200 | 5,890 | 44.8% | $74,760 | * |
| Technical and Trade Schools NAICS 611500 | 100 | 0.8% | $60,760 | * |
| State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999200 | 40 | 0.3% | $80,080 | * |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (13,150). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $64,600 for criminal justice and law enforcement teachers, postsecondary in May 2021 and $76,590 in May 2025, with employment of 13,790 and 13,150.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $64,600 | * | 13,790 |
| May 2022 | $64,990 | * | 13,900 |
| May 2023 | $69,030 | * | 13,390 |
| May 2024 | $71,470 | * | 13,560 |
| May 2025 | $76,590 | * | 13,150 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
42 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California profile | * | $139,720 | $68,960 | $259,890 | 1,460 | 0.08 | 0.95 |
| 2 | Colorado profile | * | $122,050 | $45,050 | $148,710 | 370 | 0.13 | 1.52 |
| 3 | Maryland profile | * | $99,600 | $31,780 | $132,910 | 220 | 0.08 | 0.94 |
| 4 | Pennsylvania profile | * | $94,710 | $56,770 | $123,000 | 790 | 0.13 | 1.54 |
| 5 | Oregon profile | * | $93,960 | $31,290 | $206,880 | 70 | 0.04 | 0.45 |
| 6 | Rhode Island profile | * | $84,270 | $49,020 | $131,220 | 70 | 0.13 | 1.56 |
| 7 | Minnesota profile | * | $83,060 | $64,820 | $128,730 | 100 | 0.03 | 0.39 |
| 8 | New York profile | * | $82,770 | $50,400 | $208,930 | 880 | 0.09 | 1.08 |
| 9 | Louisiana profile | * | $82,100 | $51,150 | $123,310 | 70 | 0.04 | 0.42 |
| 10 | Wisconsin profile | * | $81,890 | $48,860 | $99,910 | 300 | 0.10 | 1.19 |
| 11 | Delaware profile | * | $80,510 | $41,370 | $114,270 | 40 | 0.08 | 0.93 |
| 12 | Iowa profile | * | $79,690 | $59,410 | $91,980 | 80 | 0.05 | 0.61 |
| 13 | Massachusetts profile | * | $79,500 | $49,820 | $137,780 | 380 | 0.11 | 1.24 |
| 14 | New Hampshire profile | * | $79,190 | $49,040 | $111,000 | 40 | 0.06 | 0.70 |
| 15 | Mississippi profile | * | $78,520 | $51,360 | $136,500 | 110 | 0.10 | 1.12 |
| 16 | Texas profile | * | $77,270 | $39,580 | $126,670 | 1,150 | 0.08 | 0.96 |
| 17 | South Carolina profile | * | $76,960 | $57,030 | $131,020 | 150 | 0.06 | 0.75 |
| 18 | Michigan profile | * | $76,770 | $39,510 | $125,210 | 360 | 0.08 | 0.96 |
| 19 | West Virginia profile | * | $76,730 | $46,520 | $131,700 | 90 | 0.12 | 1.44 |
| 20 | Utah profile | * | $76,650 | $52,950 | $106,220 | 80 | 0.04 | 0.52 |
| 21 | Ohio profile | * | $76,610 | $35,920 | $116,170 | 420 | 0.08 | 0.90 |
| 22 | Connecticut profile | * | $73,090 | $64,170 | $129,280 | 200 | 0.12 | 1.38 |
| 23 | Washington profile | * | $72,700 | $48,360 | $106,200 | 120 | 0.04 | 0.41 |
| 24 | New Jersey profile | * | $71,610 | $32,220 | $122,490 | 530 | 0.12 | 1.46 |
| 25 | Georgia profile | * | $71,510 | $49,160 | $93,590 | 320 | 0.07 | 0.77 |
| 26 | Arizona profile | * | $71,230 | $65,370 | $136,620 | 310 | 0.09 | 1.12 |
| 27 | Missouri profile | * | $70,500 | $34,850 | $108,580 | 360 | 0.12 | 1.45 |
| 28 | Wyoming profile | * | $69,530 | $48,290 | $103,030 | 40 | 0.14 | 1.65 |
| 29 | Indiana profile | * | $68,340 | $50,290 | $102,880 | 170 | 0.05 | 0.61 |
| 30 | North Dakota profile | * | $67,720 | $61,500 | $107,220 | 40 | 0.10 | 1.22 |
| 31 | Nevada profile | * | $67,440 | $49,310 | $106,030 | 60 | 0.04 | 0.49 |
| 32 | Illinois profile | * | $66,040 | $42,860 | $104,220 | 480 | 0.08 | 0.94 |
| 33 | Alabama profile | * | $65,280 | $46,630 | $118,560 | 130 | 0.06 | 0.73 |
| 34 | North Carolina profile | * | $63,020 | $43,600 | $77,780 | 1,220 | 0.25 | 2.92 |
| 35 | Oklahoma profile | * | $62,990 | $31,630 | $69,730 | 90 | 0.05 | 0.62 |
| 36 | Arkansas profile | * | $62,380 | $48,600 | $64,320 | 60 | 0.04 | 0.50 |
| 37 | Tennessee profile | * | $62,090 | $46,760 | $103,180 | 190 | 0.06 | 0.70 |
| 38 | Nebraska profile | * | $61,650 | $46,450 | $121,790 | 70 | 0.06 | 0.76 |
| 39 | Florida profile | * | $61,550 | $50,490 | $80,520 | 840 | 0.08 | 1.00 |
| 40 | Kentucky profile | * | $60,280 | $30,030 | $107,230 | 100 | 0.05 | 0.59 |
| 41 | Kansas profile | * | $50,270 | $34,850 | $86,280 | 70 | 0.05 | 0.58 |
| – | Virginia profile | * | * | * | * | 270 | 0.07 | 0.77 |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (25-1110), with their national median annual wage.
Part of Educational Instruction and Library Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 25-1111 Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Teachers, Postsecondary.
*- Wage estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked. A withheld or top-coded median in that table shows the marker explained above.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them. A withheld or top-coded cell in that table shows the marker explained above.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 25-1111, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 25-1111.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.