Prerequisites to earning advanced degrees often required to begin a career as a criminal profiler include a bachelor's degree in either psychology or criminal justice. Depending upon individual state requirements, a certification examination may be required after completing a bachelor's degree in psychology. Common courses for either degree include research methodology, data collection, psychoanalysis and sociology.
Doctoral degrees (Ph.Ds) in criminal justice are offered in a variety of focus areas. You can specialize in criminal justice philosophy, business administration and human services. The Doctor of Philosophy Criminal Justice program focuses on topics encompassing criminal behavior, intervention, public policy and the penal system. Typically it takes between five to seven years to complete both the bachelor's and Doctorate programs.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) hires special agents to work at the National Center for the Analysis of Violent Crime (NVAVC) in Quantico, Virginia. Although the job title does not actually state criminal profiler, the special agents offer interviewing strategies, case management input, create profiles of unknown subjects and decipher threat assessments. The special unit conducts activity both within the United States and on an international level when requested. In addition to a typical three to 10 years of FBI experience, a bachelor's degree in Forensic or Behavioral Science is routinely required. You can work at the NVAVC without becoming a special agent for the FBI if you have a bachelor's degree. Common job titles for non-agents include crime analyst, intelligence research specialist and violent crime resource specialist. The FBI has an in-house training program and more stringent hiring requirements for criminal profilers than non-federal agencies.
Potential new hires will be subjected to a thorough criminal background check. You should not register for classes if you have a felony record or have been convicted of drug or sexual-related misdemeanor charges. Practical experience as an investigator with a law enforcement agency may also be required before securing employment in the field. Profilers can also work on an independent basis, similar to private investigators. As a liaison with law enforcement agencies, attorneys or hired directly by families, independent profilers work on unsolved or cold cases to aid in the capture or identification of the felon. As of 2011, the average criminal profiler salary ranged from $55,000 to $60,000 annually.