Earn Respect by Earning a
Criminal Justice Degree!
Get Started!
Being a security guard is an important job, but you earn for something greater. Instead of protecting a company or building, you want to protect your community. Police officers keep our streets safe and in doing so they command a lot of respect. With just a two year degree, you too can be among those honored ranks.
Facts
- The higher paying security guard positions are expected to see more competition in the coming years.
- 16 percent of security guards and gaming surveillance officers worked part time in 2008.
- Armored car guards commonly wear bullet-proof vests and carry fire arms.
Facts
- Police officers work for the city; sheriffs for the county; and state troopers for the state.
- These professionals have one of the highest rates of illness and on-the-job injuries.
- Junior officers commonly work nights, weekends and holidays.
Tasks
- Investigate any disturbances or alarms.
- Patrol grounds of buildings to check for intrusions or other crimes.
- Write daily reports describing activities and any unusual events.
Tasks
- Enforce criminal and traffic laws.
- Arrest criminal suspects.
- Assess incidents to determine if a law was violated.
Salary
In 2009, the average annual salary of a security guard was
 26,430
Salary
In 2009, the average annual salary of a police officer was
55,180
What's Next
If you want to go into law enforcement, in particular at the state or county level, you will want to get at least an associate in criminal justice. Even in local police departments, applicants with degrees have a higher chance of being hired because of the competitive nature of the current job market. There are top-notch criminal justice programs offered online that may even give you credit for your experience as a security guard.
*All job data is collected from the Department of Labor and be found at these sites: http://online.onetcenter.org/ and http://www.bls.gov/bls/employment.htm.
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