South Carolina Community Colleges
Criminal Justice Programs
Criminal justice programs at community colleges in this state. Law-enforcement, corrections, and pre-law pathways.
6 colleges · 73 sections · 29 unique courses · Summer 2026 · Updated today
South Carolina community college criminal-justice programs feed directly into law enforcement, corrections, court, and victim-services careers across the state. The 73 sections at 6 SCTCS colleges this term cover criminology, criminal law, evidence and procedure, corrections theory, and the field-applicable foundation police academies expect from recruits.
The CC criminal-justice associate isn't a shortcut to becoming a police officer — most South Carolina departments still require academy graduation regardless of degree — but it counts strongly during the hiring process, qualifies you for higher entry pay grades at many agencies, and is the standard prep for federal law-enforcement, probation officer, and corrections-officer roles that increasingly prefer degree holders.
Earnings & outcomes for Criminal Justice graduates
Federal College Scorecard data on what graduates of this program actually earn after completion. Where a school’s cohort is too small to publish, we show the national benchmark for the same field of study.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, per-program (4-digit CIP) data. CIP 4301 — Criminal Justice and Corrections. School cohorts are suppressed by the federal source when fewer than ~30 completers in the reporting cohort.
Colleges offering Criminal Justice
| College | Sections | Courses | Online | Awards/yr | 5-yr earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trident Technical College | 16 | 12 | — | 57 | — |
| Horry-Georgetown Technical College | 13 | 7 | — | 47 | — |
| Midlands Technical College | 12 | 7 | 10 | 75 | $40,524 |
| Tri-County Technical College | 12 | 8 | — | 32 | $45,011 |
| Greenville Technical College | 10 | 10 | 10 | 65 | $40,921 |
| Piedmont Technical College | 10 | 10 | 5 | 45 | $42,853 |
Criminal Justice Availability Snapshot
How criminal justice sections are being offered across 6 colleges in South Carolina this term (73 sections total).
Delivery format
- in person27 (37%)
- online24 (33%)
- hybrid21 (29%)
- zoom1 (1%)
When sections meet
- Morning (before noon)17
- Afternoon (noon–5 PM)10
- Evening (5 PM and after)2
- Asynchronous / TBA44
Start dates
Sections begin on 11 distinct dates. 13 late-start more than two weeks after the term's earliest start.
Instructor diversity
Taught by 23 distinct instructors across 6 colleges.
Degree requirements by college
Expand a college to see the courses required for graduation. Data sourced from each college's official catalog.
Central Carolina Technical College1 program
Powered by Modern Campus Catalog™.
General Education Core Courses
Fall Semester
Spring Semester
Fall Semester
Spring Semester
Spring Semester
Fall Semester
Spring Semester
Summer Semester
Fall Semester
Spring Semester
Departmental Approved Electives
Source: College catalog
Spartanburg Community College1 program
Powered by Modern Campus Catalog™.
Course Requirements
- ART 101Art History and Appreciationnot offered
- ELEC XXXornot offered
- MUS 105Music Appreciationnot offered
- ASL 101American Sign Language Inot offered
- ELEC XXXornot offered
- SPA 101Elementary Spanish Inot offered
- COL 103College Skillsnot offered
- CRJ 101Introduction to Criminal Justicenot offered
- CRJ 115Criminal Law Inot offered
- CRJ 125Criminologynot offered
- CRJ 130Policy Administrationnot offered
- CRJ 210The Juvenile and the Lawnot offered
- CRJ 220The Judicial Processnot offered
- CRJ 236Criminal Evidencenot offered
- CRJ 242Correctional Systemnot offered
- ENG 101English Composition Inot offered
- ENG 102English Composition IInot offered
- HIS 201American History: Discovery to 1877not offered
- ELEC XXXornot offered
- PSC 201American Governmentnot offered
- MAT 103Quantitative Reasoningnot offered
- ELEC XXXornot offered
- MAT 120Probability & Statisticsnot offered
- SOC 101Introduction to Sociologynot offered
- SOC 205Social Problemsnot offered
- SPC 205Public Speakingnot offered
- PSY 201General Psychologynot offered
- AST 101Solar System Astronomynot offered
- ELEC XXXornot offered
- BIO 101Biological Science Inot offered
- ELEC XXXornot offered
- CHM 105General, Organic and Biochemistrynot offered
- ELEC XXXornot offered
- PHY 201Physics Inot offered
First Semester
Second Semester
Third Semester
- ART 101Art History and Appreciationnot offered
- ELEC XXXornot offered
- MUS 105Music Appreciationnot offered
- CRJ 115Criminal Law Inot offered
- CRJ 242Correctional Systemnot offered
- HIS 201American History: Discovery to 1877not offered
- ELEC XXXornot offered
- PSC 201American Governmentnot offered
- AST 101Solar System Astronomynot offered
- ELEC XXXornot offered
- BIO 101Biological Science Inot offered
- ELEC XXXornot offered
- CHM 105General, Organic and Biochemistrynot offered
- ELEC XXXornot offered
- PHY 201Physics Inot offered
Fourth Semester
Source: College catalog
Trident Technical College1 program
Part A - General Education Requirements
Part B - Major Requirements
- CRJ 101Introduction to Criminal Justice1 section
- CRJ 115Criminal Law I1 section
- CRJ 125Criminology1 section
- CRJ 126Criminal Justice Research Methods1 section
- CRJ 130Police Administration1 section
- CRJ 220The Judicial Processnot offered
- ELEC XXXornot offered
- BUS 121Business Law I4 sections
- CRJ 222Ethics in Criminal Justice1 section
- CRJ 230Criminal Investigation I3 sections
- CRJ 236Criminal Evidence1 section
- CRJ 242Correctional Systems3 sections
- ENG 102English Composition II5 sections
- ELEC XXXElectives - Select twelve credits. A minimum of two courses must have the CRJ prefix. Students can also choose one three-hour college-level course from the academic catalog.not offered
- CRJ 110Police Patrolnot offered
- CRJ 120Constitutional Lawnot offered
- CRJ 202Criminalisticsnot offered
- CRJ 224Police Community Relationsnot offered
- CRJ 232White Collar Crime Investigation1 section
- CRJ 233Cyber Crimes and the Law1 section
- CRJ 235Practical Crime Scene Investigationsnot offered
- CRJ 243Criminal Profiling1 section
- CRJ 244Probation, Pardon and Parolenot offered
- CRJ 246Special Problems in Criminal Justicenot offered
- CRJ 250Criminal Justice Internship Inot offered
- HSM 104Terrorism and Homeland Securitynot offered
- HSM 202Transportation and Border Securitynot offered
- HSM 203Intelligence Analysis and Security Managementnot offered
- CWE 113Cooperative Work Experience Inot offered
- CWE 123Cooperative Work Experience IInot offered
Source: College catalog
York Technical College3 programs
Common Criminal Justice courses
- CRJ 230Criminal Investigation I(10 sections)
- CRJ 101Intro to Criminal Just(7 sections)
- CRJ 242Correctional Systems(6 sections)
- CRJ 125Criminology(4 sections)
- CRJ 130Police Administration(4 sections)
- CRJ 203Forensic Photography(4 sections)
- CRJ 222Ethics in Criminal Justice(4 sections)
- CRJ 236Criminal Evidence(4 sections)
- CRJ 115Criminal Law I(3 sections)
- CRJ 145Juvenile Delinquency(3 sections)
- CRJ 120Constitutional Law(2 sections)
- CRJ 220The Judicial Process(2 sections)
Career outlook for Criminal Justice graduates
Federal Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data for the primary career outcome of this program (2024 OEWS release). Compare South Carolina’s typical pay to the national picture before choosing where to study.
South Carolina's typical pay is about 18% below the typical state — common for lower cost-of-living states, but worth weighing against tuition savings.
Wage data reflects all workers in the occupation, not just recent CC graduates — entry-level pay is typically lower. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS.
Frequently asked questions
- Do I need a criminal-justice degree to become a police officer in South Carolina?
- No — police academies in South Carolina accept candidates with just a high school diploma or GED plus background-check clearance. But a CJ associate's makes a difference in three ways: it boosts your competitive ranking in hiring, qualifies you for higher entry pay at most municipal agencies (typically a $1–3k starting-salary bump), and lets you sit for promotional exams sooner.
- What jobs does this degree qualify me for besides policing?
- Corrections officer (county jail, state prison), probation/parole officer, court clerk, victim advocate, security supervisor, juvenile-justice case manager, federal-agency entry roles (CBP, TSA, US Marshals support staff). Many graduates work corrections or court roles for a few years while preparing for police-academy admission.
- Can I transfer CJ credits to a four-year program?
- Yes — most South Carolina state universities have criminal-justice bachelor's programs with articulated transfer from the SCTCS associate. Some specialized degrees (forensic science, cybersecurity-focused CJ, pre-law CJ) require specific lower-division courses, so confirm with the target university's transfer office before locking your schedule.
- How long does the criminal-justice associate take?
- Two years full-time. Many South Carolina community colleges offer evening and online sections aimed at working students — current corrections officers, security personnel, and military veterans use those formats to complete the degree while staying in their current jobs.
Compare Criminal Justice programs in other states
Same comparison view, different state systems. Useful if you’re considering an out-of-state community college or just want to see how South Carolina’s criminal justice programs stack up.
Other programs in South Carolina
Some programs may not be offered at every college — pages render only when the program meets a coverage threshold for the state.