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Detective and intelligence analyst education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a detective and intelligence analyst. Detective and intelligence analysts usually study criminal justice, business, or law enforcement. 69% of detective and intelligence analysts hold a bachelor's degree, and 11% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 70 real detective and intelligence analyst resumes to see exactly what detective and intelligence analyst education sections show.
The most common colleges for detective and intelligence analysts are the George Mason University and the George Mason University.
There are also many online detective and intelligence analyst courses to help get the education required to be a detective and intelligence analyst.
What education do you need to become a detective and intelligence analyst?
What degree do you need to be a detective and intelligence analyst?
- Bachelor's, 69%
- Master's, 11%
- Associate, 11%
- High School Diploma, 3%
- Other Degrees, 6%
What should I major in to become a detective and intelligence analyst?
- Criminal Justice, 32%
- Business, 9%
- Law Enforcement, 9%
- Criminology, 7%
- Other Majors, 43%
Most common colleges for detective and intelligence analysts
| Detective and intelligence analyst common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| George Mason University | 13.64% |
| Louisiana State University and A&M College | 4.55% |
| National University | 4.55% |
| University of New Mexico | 4.55% |
| Ramapo College of New Jersey | 4.55% |
Best majors for detective and intelligence analysts
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Criminal Justice | 31.8% |
| 2 | Business | 9.1% |
| 3 | Law Enforcement | 9.1% |
| 4 | Criminology | 6.8% |
| 5 | Political Science | 4.5% |
Best colleges for detective and intelligence analysts
The best colleges for detective and intelligence analysts are Boston University, Stanford University, and Northwestern University.
A detective and intelligence analyst with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for detective and intelligence analysts. 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 detective and intelligence analysts.
1. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Enrollment
9,142
2. SUNY at Binghamton
Vestal, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$9,808
Enrollment
13,990
3. San Diego State University
San Diego, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,488
Enrollment
30,018
4. SUNY Farmingdale
Farmingdale, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,306
Enrollment
9,394
5. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$53,948
Enrollment
17,238
6. Howard University
Washington, DC • Private
In-state tuition
$26,756
Enrollment
6,166
7. SUNY at Albany
Albany, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$10,011
Enrollment
13,434
8. Western Carolina University
Cullowhee, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$3,926
Enrollment
9,835
9. SUNY College at Plattsburgh
Plattsburgh, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,369
Enrollment
5,229
10. SUNY College at Oswego
Oswego, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,440
Enrollment
7,039
20 best online courses for detective and intelligence analysts
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Top 10 most affordable universities for detective and intelligence analysts
The most affordable schools for detective and intelligence analysts are SUNY Farmingdale, california state university - bakersfield, and usf sarasota-manatee.
If the best universities for detective and intelligence analysts 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 detective and intelligence analysts.
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. USF Sarasota-Manatee
Sarasota, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,587
Cost of attendance
13,043
4. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Cost of attendance
14,469
5. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
6. Minot State University
Minot, ND • Private
In-state tuition
$7,064
Cost of attendance
15,576
7. SUNY Polytechnic Institute
Utica, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,238
Cost of attendance
21,567
8. Florida International University
Miami, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,556
Cost of attendance
19,434
9. Clayton State University
Morrow, GA • Private
In-state tuition
$5,419
Cost of attendance
17,697
10. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for detective and intelligence analysts
The hardest universities for detective and intelligence analysts to get into are Boston University, Stanford University, and Northwestern University.
Some great schools for detective and intelligence analysts 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 detective and intelligence analysts 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. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
2. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
3. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
4. George Washington University, The
Washington, DC • Private
Admissions rate
42%
SAT average
1,380
5. SUNY at Binghamton
Vestal, NY • Private
Admissions rate
40%
SAT average
1,376
6. University of Tulsa
Tulsa, OK • Private
Admissions rate
41%
SAT average
1,321
7. Syracuse University
Syracuse, NY • Private
Admissions rate
50%
SAT average
1,284
8. Boston College
Chestnut Hill, MA • Private
Admissions rate
28%
SAT average
1,429
9. University of Denver
Denver, CO • Private
Admissions rate
56%
SAT average
1,300
10. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
19%
SAT average
1,466
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for detective and intelligence analysts
The easiest schools for detective and intelligence analysts to get into are Nyack College, notre dame college, and gwynedd mercy university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a detective and intelligence analyst 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 detective and intelligence analysts.
1. Nyack College
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
999
2. Notre Dame College
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
994
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. University of North Texas at Dallas
Dallas, TX • Private
Admissions rate
83%
SAT average
992
6. Curry College
Milton, MA • Private
Admissions rate
93%
SAT average
1,026
7. Felician University
Lodi, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
81%
SAT average
999
8. Presentation College
Aberdeen, SD • Private
Admissions rate
97%
SAT average
1,050
9. Manor College
Jenkintown, PA • Private
Admissions rate
94%
SAT average
898
10. Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Bartlesville, OK • Private
Admissions rate
68%
SAT average
964
Average detective and intelligence analyst salary by education level
| Detective and intelligence analyst education level | Detective and intelligence analyst salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $53,400 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $44,558 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $51,891 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $46,639 |
Detective and intelligence analyst education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025