Career comparison
Criminal Justice Professor vs. Detective
Side-by-side pay, training, growth and day-to-day duties to help you choose between two related careers.
Detectives earn more at the median ($93,790 vs. $76,590), while detectives usually get to work faster (3–5 years as a police officer of training). Criminal justice professors teach how the justice system works and research crime and policing. Detectives investigate crimes, gather evidence and build cases that hold up in court.
Pay data: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Outlook: BLS 2025–35 · Checked October 15, 2026
| Criminal Justice Professor | Detective | |
|---|---|---|
| Median pay | $76,590 | $93,790 ($45.09/hr) |
| Pay range (10th–90th) | $45,000 – $140,240 | $55,390 – $160,540 |
| Job growth, 2025–35 | +1.5% (slower than average) | +0.2% (little or no change) |
| Openings per year | 1,100 | 7,800 |
| Typical entry education | Doctoral or professional degree | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Training time | 5–7 years after a bachelor’s | 3–5 years as a police officer |
| Key credential | Ph.D. in criminology | State peace officer certification |
| Work setting | Faculty work in classrooms, offices and with justice agencies.. | Detectives work in offices, in the field, at crime scenes and in court, sometimes in dangerous situations.. |
What each job does
Criminal Justice Professor
- Teach criminal justice courses
- Prepare students for justice careers
- Conduct research on crime and policy
- Partner with agencies
- Advise students
Detective
- Investigate crimes and review case reports
- Process scenes and collect evidence
- Interview victims, witnesses and suspects
- Write search and arrest warrants
- Analyze records, video and digital evidence
How they’re similar
Both careers involve working with people, working independently, and high-pay. They sit in different fields, education & childcare and public safety & security, but share transferable skills such as communication and persistence.
Which should you choose?
Choose criminal justice professor if…
- I care about justice
- I like teaching
- I enjoy research
Choose detective if…
- I love solving puzzles
- I’m persistent
- I can talk with all kinds of people
Still torn? Take the Criminal Justice Professor fit quiz and the Detective fit quiz, or the full Career Match Quiz.
Quick comparisons
Which pays more, criminal justice professor or detective?
Detectives earn more at the median: $93,790 versus $76,590 for criminal justice professors, based on BLS May 2025 data.
Which takes less time to train for?
Detectives typically train faster (3–5 years as a police officer) than criminal justice professors (5–7 years after a bachelor’s).
Which career has better job growth?
BLS projects criminal justice professors to grow +1.5% from 2025–35, compared with +0.2% for detectives.