How To Become A Corporal: What It Is and Career Path

What is a corporal and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

A corporal supervises the performance of the police personnel under his/her command as directed by the sergeant. The essential functions of a corporal include assisting in directing employees in designated shifts and assigning work, recommending commendation, disciplinary actions, discharge, and transfer to the squad commander. He/She also assists in evaluating performance, interrogating suspects, and gathering evidence. A corporal prepares extensive reports for cases, assists prosecutors in the preparation of cases in court, and also testifies in court.

A corporal needs to pay full and detailed attention to ensure the accuracy of his/her work. He/She must also be able to handle stress effectively without it affecting performance at work. Plus, he/she must be able to establish and maintain working relationships with his/her colleagues and act effectively in emergency and stressful situations. The minimum educational requirement is a high school diploma and four years of successful experience as a police officer. The average annual pay for a Corporal is $42,068 a year.

ScoreCorporalUS Average

Salary

4.0

Avg. Salary $51,741

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level

10.0

Growth Rate -10%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity

7.5

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.94%

Asian 2.03%

Black or African American 15.84%

Hispanic or Latino 19.12%

Unknown 5.26%

White 56.82%

Gender

female 11.04%

male 88.96%

Age - 40

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 40

Stress Level

10.0

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity Level

8.0

Complexity Level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance

5.7

Work Life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a corporal

Explore corporal education requirements

Most common corporal degrees

Bachelor's

35.1 %

High School Diploma

34.0 %

Associate

19.8 %

Start to develop specific corporal skills

Skills	Percentages
Public Safety	15.77%
Combat	9.76%
Non	8.36%
Vehicle Maintenance	7.99%
Weapons Systems	6.09%

Complete relevant corporal training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 1-3 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New corporals learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a corporal based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real corporal resumes.

Gain additional corporal certifications

Corporal certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific corporal certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

The most common certifications for corporals include EPA Amusement Operators Safety Certification (EPA) and First Aid, CPR and AED Instructor.

More About Certifications

Research corporal duties and responsibilities

Manage transport of supplies/equipment and perform planning and execution functions to support movement in both training and combat environments.
Train in CPR and a use.
Supervise USAF military and contractors on base.
Receive a wealth of medical training knowledge including CPR and emergency care.

Prepare your corporal resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your corporal resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a corporal resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose From 10+ Customizable Corporal Resume templates

Build a professional Corporal resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Corporal resume.

Apply for corporal jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a corporal job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

How do corporals rate their job?

-/5

5 Stars

4 Stars

3 Stars

2 Stars

1 Star

Corporal reviews

A zippia user wrote a review on Dec 2023

Pros

Leadership training and a chance to become more