With a median salary of $48,696, a basic patrolling police officer makes considerably more than the national average of $41,334.97 (2008). If you enjoy a career where you get to see something new every day and protect others along the way, working as a police officer should be something that comes naturally to you. Working as a basic patrolling officer can also be the stepping stone to a more lucrative career as a sergeant, sheriff, or police chief.
If you prove proficient not only at doing police work but at leading others in doing police work, you may be able to go from being a police officer to being a sheriff or police chief. Those working in this capacity must maintain an understanding of what life is like for their patrolling officers while also grasping the politics and organizational concepts essential to leading an entire police force. With 80 percent of all sheriffs and police chiefs making between $84,745 and $105,858, this is a considerably lucrative career path. As the competition between police officers for these higher positions can be fierce, having a master's degree could be the very thing to land you the job.
If you find law enforcement interesting but shy away from the idea of actually going out and handcuffing bad guys, a career as a criminologist may be for you. Instead of actively enforcing the law, criminologists focus on the more academic aspects of criminal justice, studying the behaviors of offenders and finding ways to prevent crime. While the average criminologist with a bachelor's degree can expect to start out making only about $30,000 a year, getting a master's degree allows you to start out making an average of $55,000 a year.