A criminal psychologist plays a crucial role in understanding criminal behaviour from a scientific perspective. They study criminals’ psychology and motivations to assist professionals, such as prosecutors and police, determine why people commit crimes. 

If you are thinking of choosing it as your career path, then it is important to know what it takes as well as the responsibilities of the occupation so you can plan accordingly. This article outlines how you can become a criminal psychologist and the potential job opportunities and salary expectations. 

What Do You Do as a Criminal Psychologist?

The majority of criminal psychologists work with law enforcement agencies, where they conduct studies of criminal behavior, often as part of criminal investigations. They assist law enforcement professionals in building profiles of offenders and make them understand the motivations and reasons behind the crime as well as outline potential next steps to follow. 

Criminal psychologists also assist prosecutors and defence attorneys in deciding which arguments are most persuasive for their cases. They are often asked to conduct climate surveys in high-profile cases to determine whether pre-trial publicity has affected public opinion.

What Are the Required Criminal Psychologist Qualifications?

If you are interested in becoming a criminal psychologist, follow these steps:

• Complete your bachelor’s degree
• Earn a master’s degree in criminal, forensic, or clinical psychology
• Complete a doctoral program (PhD) in criminal, forensic, or clinical psychology
• Complete internships
• Completing the supervised work experience requirement
• Pass the EPPP and state exams
• Conduct a background check
• Comply with any additional state requirements (if any)
• Make an application for licensure

Let’s discuss these qualifications for a criminal psychologist in a little detail:

Educational Path to Becoming a Criminal Psychologist

To pursue a career in criminal psychology, aspiring psychologists typically start with a Bachelor of Science (BS) degree program, to gain a strong foundation in psychological theories, methods, and practices. Many universities offer criminal and forensic psychology bachelor’s programs. Check their admission requirements, fees along with course outline before applying to them. 

Further advancing in this field usually requires a master’s degree, which prepares graduates for entry-level roles in criminology and forensics. 

However, for the most sought-after positions, an APA-accredited doctorate (PhD) is necessary, with some programs requiring 1-2 internships. By doing so, you will be able to specialize and become licensed to practice psychology in your chosen field and even start private practice.

Clinical Experience Required for Criminal Psychologist

Psychology graduate programs often require students to complete supervised clinical hours during which they gain practical experience working with clients.

Criminal Psychologist Licensing and Certification

While the requirements for licensure vary from state to state, a person is required to have a license in order to practice psychology. The majority of states require a Ph.D. that is accredited by the APA in order to obtain a license.

No matter what the degree, all states require criminal psychology professionals to complete supervised practice hours (under the direction of a licensed psychologist) before obtaining licensure. To maintain that license, continuous professional development is also required.

It is essential to become a licensed criminal psychologist to ensure quality, facilitate mandatory reporting, adhere to professional conduct standards, and observe legislation, regulations, and bylaws.

What’s the Difference Between Criminal Psychology and Forensic Psychology?

It is correct to state that criminal psychologists and forensic psychologists are both professionals who are trained to study unlawful conduct and to study criminals, but they do so in different ways. Here is how:

Category	Criminal Psychology	Forensic Psychology
Educational Requirement	Typically holds a master’s degree in criminal justice or psychology. Some may have experience in law enforcement, such as working with the police force.	Requires a doctorate in psychology. Specialized training in evaluating mental disorders in suspects.
Work Environment	Works closely with police stations to create criminal profiles. Visits crime scenes to analyze criminal intentions and build psychological profiles.	Provides expert opinions in courtrooms on the mental state of defendants. Works in rehabilitation clinics, assessing and recommending treatment for suspects and victims.
What They Do	Studies criminals’ behavior, motives, and thought processes. Creates psychological profiles to help law enforcement track suspects. Conducts interviews with criminals to understand their mindset.	Assesses mental competency of defendants for trials. Evaluates witness credibility by analyzing nonverbal cues. Provides therapy and rehabilitation recommendations for victims and offenders.
Career Progression	Can advance to roles like criminal profiler, behavioral analyst, or law enforcement consultant. May transition into teaching or research in criminology and psychology.	Can work as expert witnesses, rehabilitation specialists, or clinical psychologists. Can move into academic, government, or private practice specializing in forensic assessments.

Criminal Psychologist Career Progression

Entry Level Roles 

A criminal psychologist starts their career by taking entry-level positions that offer basic exposure to criminal behavior analysis, psychological assessments and research activities. 

Working as research assistants, forensic interviewers, or case managers to gain experience with law enforcement and correctional facilities while studying criminal psychological behavior is the usual start. The initial experiences of criminal psychologists help them build essential competencies for profiling risk evaluation and offender treatment.

Mid-Level Roles 

Criminal psychologists transition to mid-level positions, which include criminal profiling and law enforcement consulting roles, after gaining relevant experiences. At this point, working professionals collaborate closely with investigative teams to analyze crime patterns while conducting offender behavior studies alongside profile development. 

Law enforcement and legal professionals benefit from assessments that criminal psychologists deliver to suspects, victims and inmates to make informed decisions.

Senior Positions 

Later on, those who reach senior positions conduct criminal investigations by examining perpetrators’ mental states to help law authorities detect criminal intentions and psychological conditions. Practicing criminal psychologists who gain significant experience can manage teams of psychologists who work in law enforcement agencies or private firms.

These professionals find employment opportunities at correctional facilities and law enforcement agencies, court systems, and rehabilitation centers throughout their professional lives. Through regular professional development and practical experience, they can construct a fulfilling career dedicated to studying and managing criminal actions.

How Long Does it Take to Become a Criminologist?

To become a criminologist, it typically takes 6 to 10 years, depending on education, experience, and career aspirations. Below is a step-by-step progression, highlighting key milestones in the journey.

• Complete High School (Foundation Stage) – 4 Years

The pathway to becoming a criminologist starts with a high school education. While studying in school try to focus on subjects like psychology, sociology, and legal studies. Also, participate in extracurricular activities related to law, debate, or social sciences. Make sure to maintain a CGPA of 3.0 or higher to get admission in a reputed college. 

• Earn a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminology or Related Field – 3 to 4 Years

Now, the professional career begins during the college years. After high school, find admission to a bachelor of criminology, psychology, sociology, or criminal justice degree program. Start now by doing some research on top criminal justice colleges in your state. The program helps you to gain foundational knowledge in criminal behavior, legal systems, and crime analysis.

• Apply for Internships 

After a bachelor’s degree, try to complete internships with law enforcement agencies, legal offices, or research institutions. This will help you gain some practical experience in the field. You can work in entry-level roles such as research assistant, crime analyst, or legal assistant or join government agencies, private security firms, or academic research teams.

• Obtain a Master’s Degree in Criminology or a Specialized Field – 2 Years

To advance further in the career, you will need a master’s degree in criminology in a specialized field. This will deepen your knowledge of criminological theories, criminal profiling, and research methods. Specialize in areas like forensic psychology, criminal justice policy, or crime prevention.

• Advance in the Field with More Experience – 2 to 5 Years

After getting a master’s degree, you can start working in mid-level roles such as policy analyst, senior crime investigator, or forensic specialist. Also, get certifications or attend specialized training programs.

• Pursue a PhD – 3 to 5 Years

A PhD or Doctorate is recommended for those interested in academic, research, or high-level consultancy roles. After getting a doctorate they can conduct original research in criminology, criminal behavior, or law enforcement strategies. They can also teach at universities or contribute to policymaking and criminal justice reform.

How to Become a Criminologist for the FBI?

The process of getting into and becoming FBI agents is highly competitive, according to American Public University, and applying for the job can be challenging. FBI employees must adhere to strict standards, particularly when it comes to protecting the national security of the country.

Candidates vying FBI employment must meet all the basic requirements, such as:

• Status as a United States citizen
• Having a minimum age of 23 to 36 years
• Be a graduate of an accredited college or university with a bachelor’s degree
• Experience working full-time for at least two years
• Successful completion of a physical fitness test (PFT) and submission of medical documentation as proof of physical fitness
• Non-conviction of a felony
• Paying your financial obligations on time (child support, taxes, and student loans)
• Having a valid driver’s license
• Registration with the Selective Service (only for males)

The application process for an FBI special agent position consists of four steps:

• Filling out an application
• Participating in the Special Agent Selection System (SASS), a multi-phase process
• Receiving an offer of a conditional appointment
• Successful completion of the Basic Field Training Course (BFTC)

Special agents must also undergo a thorough background investigation to be granted a Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) clearance.

Best Criminal Psychology Jobs, Opportunities, and Salaries

Here is a detailed information on the criminal psychology and criminal justice jobs that you can pursue if you choose to pursue this path in your career:

• Psychological Profiling Jobs

• Criminal profiler. The purpose of criminal profiling is to identify patterns of criminal behavior. It is their objective to find similarities between the psychology of criminals of the past and present. As a result of analyzing evidence, reports, scenes, and testimonies, they formulate profiles and provide law enforcement professionals with reports.

Salary: $83,640 per year

• Criminal Psychiatrist. Criminal psychiatrists diagnose and treat mental disorders in criminals, often in conjunction with legal teams. Criminal psychiatrists benefit from their degrees by helping juries and lawyers assess the mental health of defendants during legal proceedings.‘

Salary: $261,385 per year

• Highest Paying Criminology Jobs

• Criminal psychologist. Criminal psychology degrees can be applied directly to careers as criminal psychologists. They assess the motivations and mental states of people who commit crimes to aid law enforcement. Criminal psychologists have specific responsibilities depending on their speciality and location.

Salary: $104,852 per year

• College professor. College professors are usually experienced criminal psychologists. A criminal psychology professor can teach courses in psychology as well as criminal justice. Criminal psychology professors are responsible for preparing lectures, delivering tests, and advising students.

Salary: $114,792 per year

• Clinical psychologist. The purpose of a clinical psychologist is to assess the mental health of their clients and develop treatment plans that will help them improve their mental health. Using their scientific knowledge, these professionals treat patients with complex medical conditions in clinical settings.

Salary: $103,503 per year

• Entry-Level Criminology Jobs

• Research assistant. Research assistants work with other professional researchers by collecting supporting materials for their research. It is possible that their managers will assign them the responsibility of planning research projects, arranging and scheduling interviews and creating surveys to gather information.

Salary: $45,249 per year

• Probation Officer. Generally, probation officers serve as principal supervisors for those offenders who have been sentenced to probation instead of imprisonment or who have been released from prison and placed on probation.

These offenders are under the supervision of probation officers who are responsible for ensuring that the offenders adhere to and carry out the terms of their probation until the court determines that their sentence has been completed.

Salary: $57,840 per year

• Crime analyst. The role of a crime analyst is to assist law enforcement professionals in investigating and solving crimes. It is also possible for them to assist in developing steps and processes which may assist in reducing the likelihood of similar crimes occurring in the future.

Salary: $65,124 per year

Conclusion 

Criminal psychology can help people understand the criminal mind and provide insight into the criminal justice system, which can prove beneficial for those interested in both.

Psychology can provide a strong foundation for understanding criminal behavior through a major in criminal psychology. It can also provide insight into the criminal justice and legal systems. It can be useful in multiple careers in the criminal justice system, including forensic psychology, law enforcement and criminal investigation.

We hope you find this guide helpful if you plan on becoming a criminal psychologist in your career. 

All the salary data is taken from indeed.com.