It wasn't long ago that choosing criminal justice as a major likely meant you were headed for a career in law, law enforcement, corrections, or social services. Today, however, more criminal justice degree program graduates are finding employment opportunities in a wide range of fields, including homeland, private and corporate security.

The shift is due in large part to supply and demand, though recent events have certainly played no small part as well. The field of homeland security has grown exponentially in the wake of the 9/11 tragedy, yet few of the many agencies who fall under the umbrella of the newly created Department of Homeland Security are able to fill their open positions. Criminal justice majors who once thought of working for municipal and state police departments now have the option of working for the Federal government, instead - an option that more and more criminal justice degree holders are deciding on.

In the corporate sector, former law enforcement officers are often thought of as the gold standard for security directors and disaster management specialists. Declining numbers of retirees who wish to start new careers and the increasingly technical aspects of managing the many data and information related threats to corporations has created a shortage of individuals capable of handling these often challenging positions. This, in turn, has forced corporate America to rely less on work experience and more on education, making criminal justice program graduates a popular choice.

The criminal justice field can be extremely lucrative for graduates, and with all the new opportunities abounding, it's little wonder why enrollment numbers are up nationwide. But financial compensation and job growth are only part of the picture, with job satisfaction ratings for criminal justice related positions at an all time high, most notably among women. Though criminal justice has long been thought of as a traditionally male dominated field, more and more women are choosing criminal justice programs as their academic path to secure and rewarding employment, according to the U.S. Department of Justice – National Criminal Justice Reference Service.

Whether in corrections, parole, social services, law enforcement, security or law, one thing is certain; the criminal justice field is evolving and the opportunities presented are almost limitless.