Idaho Criminal Justice Schools
- 7 schools offering criminal justice degrees in Idaho are in our database (see below).
- Of the criminal justice programs in Idaho, 5 offer associate’s degrees or certificates, 5 offer bachelor’s degrees and above, and 1 offers master’s or doctoral degrees.
- 1 school offering online criminal justice degrees in Idaho ranked in US News & World Report’s Best Online Bachelor’s Programs: Northwest Nazarene University (#187).
- 0 schools in Idaho are on Kiplinger’s Best College Values.
Profiles of Well-Known Schools in Idaho
University of Idaho: Through the Department of Sociology and Anthropology, University of Idaho students can pursue a Bachelor of Arts or a Bachelor of Science in Sociology with an emphasis in criminology. This academic route enables students to study criminal activity through a multidisciplinary perspective, taking a combination of different social science courses. The sociology faculty who teach criminology-related courses are world-renowned experts in comparative criminology, deviance, and crime and social control. The University of Idaho is one of the premier institutions of higher education in the Northwest with the Princeton Review consistently naming it a top school for academics as well as one of the top environmentally responsible colleges.
Lewis-Clark State College: Lewis-Clark State College, located in Lewiston, provides a bachelor’s degree in Justice Studies to prepare students to start a career with local and federal criminal justice agencies. There are three concentrations available including criminal justice, corrections/human services, and language or computer science. The curriculum focuses on social and behavioral sciences including courses in criminal law, criminal procedure, juvenile delinquency, deviant behavior, and corrections in America.
Idaho Criminal Justice Salary and Jobs
Occupation | Number Employed | Average Annual Salary |
---|---|---|
Correctional Officers and Jailers | 1,850 | N/A |
First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives | 630 | $72,090 |
Detectives and Criminal Investigators | 420 | $65,570 |
Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officers | N/A | N/A |
Data from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics as of May 2015.4,5,6,7
Idaho Criminal Justice Degrees
Idaho is projected to have population growth almost twice that of the average in the rest of the country over the next 20 years, and has a violent crime rate that is just a little more than half the country’s average. As Idaho continues to grow, it will need professionals trained in the criminal justice field to keep its citizens safe and protected from injustice.
Earning an Idaho criminal justice degree can help determined individuals make a difference in their communities and fulfill their goals while following their interests. If you are interested in the field that aims to reduce crime in our neighborhoods, then a criminal justice degree can help you attain a job that is rewarding and exciting. There is a wide range of possibilities within the criminal justice field and you can find a criminal justice program that is best tailored to help you meet your goals.
The City of Pocatello offers preferential employment to holders of an associate’s degree or higher, and they offer a generous benefits package. The City of Boise requires coursework such as criminal justice classes for its police force. Located in the scenic Idaho Panhandle, the Coeur d’Alene Police Department is another employer of criminal justice professionals and prefers applicants with a minimum of an associate’s degree. The Idaho State Police offers a comprehensive benefits package, which starts while a recruit is undergoing training at the academy. The Idaho Department of Correction hires officers with a starting salary of $28,662 per year with comprehensive benefits.8 Both the Idaho State Police and Department of Correction require two years of experience, although that requirement can be waived with two years of post-high school education. The average annual salary for protective service occupations in the state, which includes Idaho police and patrol officers, was $39,800 as of May 2015.9
While several colleges offer a classroom setting with a traditional lecture format for learning about criminal justice, there are also online criminal justice degrees that can provide the same education without having to attend classes in-person. This can be a more convenient option, especially if you do not live near a college with a criminal justice program.
Respected leaders who have graduated from universities in Idaho
- Nampa Police Chief LeRoy Forsman- Northwest Nazarene University, Nampa, ID
- Caldwell Chief of Police Chris Allgood – Boise State University, Boise, ID
- Twin Falls Police Chief Brian Pike- College of Southern Idaho, Twin Falls, ID
- Ada County Sheriff Gary Raney- Boise State University, Boise, ID
Idaho’s Criminal Justice Employment Outlook
- Police and Sheriff Patrol: 1,050 annual openings; 46% in these positions report completing at least some college, with 24% holding an associate’s degree.11,12
- Correctional Officers: Projections not available; 37% in these positions report completing at least some college, with 15% holding a post-secondary certificate.11,13
- Detectives and Criminal Investigators: 180 annual openings; 37% in these positions report completing at least some college, with 21% holding an associate’s degree.11,14
- Security Guards: 730 annual openings; 4% in these positions report completing at least some college.11,15
- Paralegals and Legal Assistants: Projections not available; 86% in these positions report completing at least some college, with 30% holding an associate’s degree and 44% holding a bachelor’s degree.11,16
These estimates are based on both replacements and jobs growth.
The Mercatus Center is a conservative think tank that rated the long-term solvency of each state government. After looking at Idaho’s budgeting, tax and cash collection, and employee pensions, the state was ranked 12th in the nation.17 This is an indicator of sound financial management, and new hires can feel relatively confident that the state will be able to fulfill pension obligations to its employees.
Idaho Criminal Justice Career Interviews
- Gary Raney, Ada County Sheriff
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Directory of Idaho Universities Offering Campus-based and Online Criminal Justice Degrees
For residents living in Idaho, we recommend an accredited campus-based or online program if you are interested in pursuing an associate’s, bachelor’s, or master’s degree in the growing field of criminal justice.
Tip: If you don’t live near a campus-based school that offers a program of interest, consider an online degree or a university in an adjacent state (Oregon, Washinton, Montana,Wyoming, Utah, or Nevada).
Boise State University (Boise)
Associate of Science | Criminal Justice
Bachelor of Science | Criminal Justice
Bachelor of Science | Computer Science: Cybersecurity
Bachelor of Science | Chemistry: Forensics
Master of Arts | Criminal Justice
Minor | Addiction Studies
Minor | Cybersecurity
Minor | Military Science
Certificate | Dispute Resolution: Mediation Focus
Certificate | Dispute Resolution: Life Skills Focus
Certificate | Leadership and Human Relations
Certificate | Refugee Services
Post-Baccalaureate Certificate | Addiction Studies
Post-Baccalaureate Certificate | Victim Services
Post-Baccalaureate Certificate | Conflict Management
Post-Baccalaureate Certificate | Refugee Services


College of Southern Idaho (Twin Falls)
Associate of Applied Science | Addiction Studies
Associate of Applied Science | Law Enforcement
Associate of Arts | Criminal Justice
Basic Technical Certificate | Law Enforcement
Intermediate Technical Certificate | Law Enforcement
Technical Certificate | Addiction Studies
Idaho State University (Pocatello)
Associate of Applied Science | Cyber-Physical Security
Associate of Arts | Criminology
Bachelor of Arts | Sociology: Criminology
Master of Arts | Sociology: Criminal Justice
Master of Public Administration: Criminal Justice

Lewis-Clark State College (Lewiston)
Bachelor of Arts/ Bachelor of Science | Justice Studies: Corrections/ Human Services
Bachelor of Arts/ Bachelor of Science | Justice Studies: Criminal Justice
Minor | Addiction Studies
Minor | Forensic Science
Minor | Justice Studies
North Idaho College (Coeur d’Alene)
Associate of Applied Science | Administration of Justice
Associate of Arts | Criminal Justice
Basic Technical Certificate | Law Enforcement
Intermediate Technical Certificate | Law Enforcement
Northwest Nazarene University (Nampa)
Bachelor of Arts | Criminal Justice
Bachelor of Science | Criminal Justice
University of Idaho (Moscow)
Bachelor of Arts | Sociology: Criminology

References:
1. National Center for Education Statistics: https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/
2. US News & World Report, Best Online Programs: https://www.usnews.com/education/online-education
3. Kiplinger’s Best College Values: https://www.kiplinger.com/tool/college/T014-S001-kiplinger-s-best-values-in-public-colleges/index.php
4. US Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2015 Occupational Employment and Wages, Correctional Officers and Jailers https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes333012.htm
5. US Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2015 Occupational Employment and Wages, First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives: https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes331012.htm
6. US Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2015 Occupational Employment and Wages, Detectives and Criminal Investigators: https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes333021.htm
7. US Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2015 Occupational Employment and Wages, Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officers: https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes333051.htm
8. Idaho Department of Correction: https://www.idoc.idaho.gov/content/careers/job_descriptions/correctional_officer_duties
9. US Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2015 Occupational Employment and Wages, Protective Service Occupations (Major Group): https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes330000.htm
10. Y Charts 10 Year Unemployment Chart: http://https://ycharts.com/indicators/idaho_unemployment_rate
11. Projections Central Long Term Occupational Projections: http://www.projectionscentral.com/Projections/LongTerm
12. O*Net OnLine, Police Patrol Officers: https://www.onetonline.org/link/details/33-3051.01
13. O*Net OnLine, Correctional Officers and Jailers: https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/33-3012.00
14. O*Net OnLine, Police Detectives: https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/33-3021.01
15. O*Net OnLine, Security Guards: https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/33-9032.00
16. O*Net OnLine, Paralegals and Legal Assistants: https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/23-2011.00
17. Mercatus Center, George Mason University, Ranking the States by Fiscal Condition 2016 Edition: https://www.mercatus.org/statefiscalrankings