What can you do with a Criminal Justice degree from Texas State University?

First, some facts. Of the Criminal Justice graduates from Texas State University we've analyzed , here's how many have used (or NOT used) their degree in their career:


These are estimates based on AI analysis of 13 LinkedIn profiles (see below).

The verdict? Horrible! Overall, with an average relevance score of 31%, Criminal Justice graduates from Texas State University have an exceptionally lower likelihood (-36%) of finding work in this field compared to the average graduate across all fields:

Average score: 31%
Average relevance score across all fields: 67%

And for comparison, here's the chart for all profiles we've looked at across all degrees.

× Chart

Also, after graduating, only 30% of these graduates have pursued further education other than another Bachelor's degree (such as a Masters degree or other), compared to the average across all profiles of 35%. This suggests a Bachelors degree is enough for most Criminal Justice graduates, and it's normal to look for work straight after graduation.

See the details:

View a random Criminal Justice graduate from Texas State University and our analysis:


Relevance score: 15%

We think this person has NOT gone into a career related to their degree.

DEGREE INFO

Graduated in 2010 from Texas State University with a Bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice. No other secondary education since.

JOB HISTORY SINCE GRADUATION
Bartender
RIO
Feb 2013 - Mar 2016
The bartending position does not utilize any skills or knowledge related to criminal justice, focusing instead on hospitality and beverage service.

Bar Manager
Normans Dueling pianos
Feb 2018 - Jul 2019
As a bar manager, the job focuses on managing a hospitality service rather than applying criminal justice knowledge or skills, which makes it irrelevant to the degree.

Bar Manager
AC Hotels
Jun 2019 - Sep 2020
The bar manager role at AC Hotels also does not require any criminal justice knowledge, emphasizing hospitality and management instead.

AGM
Bungalow Heights
Dec 2020 - Jan 2024
While the AGM position involves some management and customer service aspects that might touch on conflict resolution, it does not directly apply the core knowledge or skills from a criminal justice degree.

Food and Beverage Manager
Revolution Soccer Complex
Apr 2023 - Present
The food and beverage manager role focuses on hospitality and event coordination rather than utilizing criminal justice knowledge or skills, thus warranting a score of 0.

ABOUT

No information provided.

What jobs can you get with a Criminal Justice degree from Texas State University?

The top 10 most common jobs done by the graduates we've analyzed (ranked most common to least) are:


Looking at the career paths of students who graduated with a Criminal Justice degree from Texas State University, it seems like a lot of them ended up in jobs that don't really connect to their field of study. Many found themselves in roles like sales representatives, marketing coordinators, and various positions in the hospitality industry. For example, several alumni ended up working in bars or hospitality management, which are jobs that focus more on customer service and business than on criminal justice-related tasks. Even those who did land roles in domains that could be somewhat relevant, like the Security Specialist or the Assets Protection Team Leader at Target, still didn’t fully tap into their criminal justice backgrounds as much as one might expect.

On the flipside, there were a handful of graduates who took roles that genuinely connected to criminal justice themes. Positions like Victim Advocate and Legal Assistant highlight how some individuals found meaningful ways to put their degree to use, engaging directly with victims and legal systems. But overall, it looks like while some found rewarding paths in the criminal justice arena, a large number took jobs that seem pretty unrelated to their studies. It's a reminder that not every degree leads directly to a specific career, and many graduates may have to explore different fields before finding their niche.

Here is a visual representation of the most common words in job titles for Criminal Justice graduates (this is across all Criminal Justice graduates we've analyzed, not just those who went to Texas State University):

What kind of career trajectories do Criminal Justice graduates from Texas State University have? What do they do 1, 5 or 10 years out?

When you look at the career paths of Texas State University graduates with Criminal Justice degrees, it really shows a mixed bag. Right out of college, many of them seem to jump into roles that aren’t directly related to criminal justice. For instance, some have worked in sales, hospitality, and even tech positions. This could suggest that while they might have many skills from their education, they sometimes struggle to land jobs that directly tie into their degree right after graduating.

Fast forward five to ten years, and the picture doesn't necessarily get clearer. Some have carved out noteworthy careers, particularly in roles connected to community service, victim advocacy, and legal assistance. However, a sizable number have drifted into unrelated fields, like marketing, logistics, or mechanics. While it’s great to see some graduates making real impacts in areas like victim advocacy or corporate roles, it’s pretty clear that not every grad is landing a role that aligns perfectly with their studies. So, if you’re thinking about majoring in Criminal Justice, it’s good to stay flexible and open-minded about where a degree might take you!

How hard is a Criminal Justice degree from Texas State University?

Getting a Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice at Texas State University is generally considered to be on the moderate side in terms of difficulty. While you’ll definitely have to put in your fair share of work, the courses are designed to be engaging and often involve real-world applications, making it easier to stay interested. There are plenty of projects, papers, and possibly even some hands-on experiences involved, but if you manage your time well and stay organized, it’s totally manageable. Overall, it’s not as tough as some of the more technical or math-heavy degrees, but it will still challenge you to think critically about the justice system and social issues. Just keep up with your readings and assignments, and you should be good to go!

How long does it take?

Most commonly, in the LinkedIn profiles we've looked at, it takes people 4 years to finish a Bachelor degree in Criminal Justice.

Do Criminal Justice graduates from Texas State University tend to make good money?

Looking at these Texas State University grads, it seems like they're pretty mixed in terms of how much money they're making. Some of the folks, especially those in tech or sales, like the developers and account execs, likely have decent salaries—especially since jobs in those fields often pay well as you gain experience. On the flip side, roles like bartending or some of the non-profit work might not generate as much cash. Overall, it seems like some are on solid financial footing, especially those who climbed the corporate ladder or got into tech, while others are probably still hustling to make ends meet, especially if they’re in lower-paying positions. So, it's kind of a mixed bag!

What buzzwords do Criminal Justice graduates use to describe themselves?

Here is a visual representation of the most common words seen in the "about" section of LinkedIn profiles who have a Bachelor degree in Criminal Justice (this is across all Criminal Justice graduates we've analyzed, not just those who went to Texas State University). This may or may not be useful:

What are the best colleges for Criminal Justice?

Here are all colleges offering a Bachelor degree in Criminal Justice (ordered by the average relevance score of their Criminal Justice graduates, best to worst) where we have analyzed at least 10 of their graduates:

College Score Count
Westfield State University 77 10
University of Central Missouri 70 11
Monroe College 69 13
Bowling Green State University 67 10
American Military University 67 28
Kennesaw State University 64 12
East Carolina University 62 18
Ferris State University 62 16
Liberty University 61 18
San Diego State University 61 17
Temple University 60 16
West Chester University of Pennsylvania 60 10
Michigan State University 59 17
University of Delaware 59 11
Old Dominion University 59 13
California State University-Sacramento 55 22
Georgia State University 54 10
Florida Atlantic University 54 16
University of Phoenix 53 31
San Francisco State University 53 12
Radford University 52 10
John Jay College (CUNY) 52 37
Sam Houston State University 51 42
University of Nevada, Reno 51 10
University of Central Florida 50 27
Florida International University 50 33
University of North Carolina at Charlotte 50 17
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania 49 10
University of New Haven 49 17
University of Maryland University College 48 11
The University of Texas at San Antonio 46 17
University of Nevada-Las Vegas 45 12
University of Cincinnati 44 14
Grand Valley State University 43 12
Saint Leo University 43 13
University of North Texas 41 21
Troy University 38 12
Colorado Technical University 33 17
Texas State University 31 13
University of North Florida 28 10
Norwich University 27 13