Detention Officer Education Requirements And Courses

Detention officer education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025

2 min read

Usually, detention officers don't need a college education. The most common degree for detention officers is bachelor's degree with 37% graduates, with only 26% detention officer graduates earning high school diploma. Detention officers who decided to graduate from college often finish University of Phoenix or Sam Houston State University. Some good skills to have in this position include detention facility, direct supervision and booking.

Popular detention officer certifications include Certified Corrections Officer (CCO), First Aid, CPR and AED Instructor, or Security 5 Certification. To improve detention officer qualification and skills, we prepared some online courses to help in detention officer education paths.

What education do you need to become a detention officer?

What degree do you need to be a detention officer?

The most common degree for detention officers is bachelor's degree, with 37% of detention officers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are high school diploma degree at 26% and high school diploma degree at 24%.

Bachelor's, 37%

High School Diploma, 26%

Associate, 24%

Diploma, 6%

Other Degrees, 7%

What should I major in to become a detention officer?

You should major in criminal justice to become a detention officer. 49% of detention officers major in criminal justice. Other common majors for a detention officer include business and general studies.

Criminal Justice, 49%

Business, 10%

General Studies, 6%

Psychology, 6%

Other Majors, 29%

Best majors for detention officers

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Criminal Justice	48.7%
2	Business	10.3%
3	General Studies	6.5%
4	Psychology	5.6%
5	Law Enforcement	3.7%

Show more common detention officer majors

20 best online courses for detention officers

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Average detention officer salary by education level

Detention officers with a Bachelor's degree earn more than those without, at $43,175 annually. With a Associate degree, detention officers earn a median annual income of $42,039 compared to $40,108 for detention officers with an High School Diploma degree.

Detention officer education level	Detention officer salary
High School Diploma or Less	$40,108
Bachelor's Degree	$43,175
Some College/ Associate Degree	$42,039