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Law Enforcement Officer Education Requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a law enforcement officer. Law enforcement officers usually study criminal justice, law enforcement, or business. 47% of law enforcement officers hold a bachelor's degree, and 26% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 3,968 real law enforcement officer resumes to see exactly what law enforcement officer education sections show.
The most common colleges for law enforcement officers are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.
There are also many online law enforcement officer courses to help get the education required to be a law enforcement officer.
There are certain law enforcement officer certifications that you should consider. These law enforcement officer certifications include Certified Law Enforcement Analysts (CLEA) and Certified Security Supervision & Management (CSS).
What education do you need to become a law enforcement officer?
What degree do you need to be a law enforcement officer?
- Bachelor's, 47%
- Associate, 26%
- High School Diploma, 10%
- Master's, 9%
- Other Degrees, 8%
What should I major in to become a law enforcement officer?
- Criminal Justice, 45%
- Law Enforcement, 10%
- Business, 10%
- Law, 6%
- Other Majors, 29%
Most common colleges for law enforcement officers
Law Enforcement Officer Common College  | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of Phoenix | 18.92% |
| American University | 9.80% |
| University of South Carolina - Columbia | 6.76% |
| Florida State University | 6.42% |
| Miami Dade College | 5.41% |
Best majors for law enforcement officers
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Criminal Justice | 44.7% |
| 2 | Law Enforcement | 10.4% |
| 3 | Business | 9.8% |
| 4 | Law | 5.9% |
| 5 | General Studies | 4.4% |
Best colleges for law enforcement officers
The best colleges for law enforcement officers are Northeastern University, Boston University, and Stanford University.
A law enforcement officer with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for law enforcement officers. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become law enforcement officers.
1. Pennsylvania State University
University Park, PA • Private
In-State Tuition
$18,454
Enrollment
40,108
2. Syracuse University
Syracuse, NY • Private
In-State Tuition
$51,853
Enrollment
14,759
3. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-State Tuition
$7,309
Enrollment
9,142
4. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-State Tuition
$6,798
Enrollment
31,503
5. SUNY at Binghamton
Vestal, NY • Private
In-State Tuition
$9,808
Enrollment
13,990
20 best online courses for law enforcement officers
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Top 10 most affordable universities for law enforcement officers
The most affordable schools for law enforcement officers are SUNY Farmingdale, california state university - bakersfield, and california state university - long beach.
If the best universities for law enforcement officers are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for law enforcement officers.
1. SUNY Farmingdale
Farmingdale, NY • Private
In-State Tuition
$8,306
Cost of Attendance
16,091
2. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-State Tuition
$7,309
Cost of Attendance
16,714
3. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-State Tuition
$6,798
Cost of Attendance
18,306
U
4. USF Sarasota-Manatee
Sarasota, FL • Private
In-State Tuition
$5,587
Cost of Attendance
13,043
5. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-State Tuition
$6,942
Cost of Attendance
14,469
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for law enforcement officers
The hardest universities for law enforcement officers to get into are Northeastern University, Boston University, and Stanford University.
Some great schools for law enforcement officers are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for law enforcement officers based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions Rate
19%
SAT Average
1,466
2. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions Rate
22%
SAT Average
1,420
3. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions Rate
4%
SAT Average
1,497
4. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions Rate
8%
SAT Average
1,508
5. SUNY at Binghamton
Vestal, NY • Private
Admissions Rate
40%
SAT Average
1,376
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for law enforcement officers
The easiest schools for law enforcement officers to get into are Notre Dame College, nyack college, and gwynedd mercy university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a law enforcement officer without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for law enforcement officers.
1. Notre Dame College
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions Rate
90%
SAT Average
994
2. Nyack College
New York, NY • Private
Admissions Rate
98%
SAT Average
999
3. Gwynedd Mercy University
Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private
Admissions Rate
92%
SAT Average
1,031
4. Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX • Private
Admissions Rate
98%
SAT Average
1,003
5. Curry College
Milton, MA • Private
Admissions Rate
93%
SAT Average
1,026
Average law enforcement officer salary by education level
| Law Enforcement Officer education level | Law Enforcement Officer salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $44,414 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $37,210 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $42,209 |
| Doctorate Degree | $43,649 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $40,248 |
Law Enforcement Officer Education FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common protective service questions.
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025