Post job

Detention sergeant education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
2 min read
Usually, detention sergeants don't need a college education. The most common degree for detention sergeants is bachelor's degree with 39% graduates, with only 25% detention sergeant graduates earning high school diploma. Detention sergeants who decided to graduate from college often finish University of North Carolina at Greensboro or University of California, Santa Barbara. Some good skills to have in this position include direct supervision, booking and emergency situations.

What education do you need to become a detention sergeant?

What degree do you need to be a detention sergeant?

The most common degree for detention sergeants is bachelor's degree, with 39% of detention sergeants earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are high school diploma degree at 25% and high school diploma degree at 18%.
  • Bachelor's, 39%
  • High School Diploma, 25%
  • Associate, 18%
  • Diploma, 8%
  • Other Degrees, 10%

What should I major in to become a detention sergeant?

You should major in criminal justice to become a detention sergeant. 42% of detention sergeants major in criminal justice. Other common majors for a detention sergeant include law enforcement and business.

Best majors for detention sergeants

RankMajorPercentages
1Criminal Justice42.3%
2Law Enforcement10.3%
3Business7.7%
4General Studies6.4%
5Sociology5.1%

20 best online courses for detention sergeants

Advertising disclosure

1. Microsoft Office 365 Administration

udemy
4.5
(2,676)

Microsoft Office 365 Administration...

2. MS Office Course Bundle- Word , Powerpoint , Excel & Outlook

udemy
4.3
(319)

MS Office Learn and Polish the Most Desirable Office Courses at work , MS Word , MS Excel , MS Powerpoint and MS Outlook...

3. MS Office Complete Training - Beginner to Expert Level

udemy
4
(311)

Complete Practical training in MS Office 2010 to 2019 and Office 365 in MS Excel, MS Word, MS Power Point and MS Access...

4. Microsoft Office 2016 Essential Training: 9 Course Bundle

udemy
4.5
(893)

Comprehensive, all-in-one training to get the most out of Microsoft Office 2016. 9-in-1 courses with 70 hours of video...

5. The Ultimate Microsoft Office 2016 Training Bundle

udemy
4.5
(4,167)

The Most Convenient Way to Boost Your Confidence And Learn MS Office 2016 Inside And Out—Quickly, No Travel or Classes...

6. Microsoft Office 2010 Made Easy

udemy
4.6
(301)

An easy step-by-step course that will help anyone master the basics of Microsoft Word, Excel, Power Point, and Access...

7. Ultimate Microsoft Office; Excel, Word, PowerPoint & Access

udemy
4.5
(11,600)

Learn basic to advanced Microsoft Office skills in this 9-course bundle for Office 365 or Office 2019...

8. Effective Legal Office Administration

udemy
4.5
(1,067)

Effective Legal Office Administration...

9. The Ultimate Microsoft Office 2013 Training Bundle 71 Hours

udemy
4.6
(818)

The Most Convenient Way to Boost Your Confidence And Learn MS Office 2013 Inside And Out—Quickly, No Travel or Classes...

10. Microsoft Office Essential Skills

udemy
4.6
(2,029)

Learn the essential Microsoft Office skills employers want from a Microsoft Certified Trainer!...

11. The Ultimate Microsoft Office 2021/365 Training Bundle

udemy
4.5
(640)

Learn the essentials of Microsoft Office in this 6-course bundle for Office 365 or Office 2021 users...

12. MS Office - Advanced - Efficiency Training

udemy
4.4
(2,504)

Learn the most important shortcuts and time saving tools in Outlook, Excel, Word and Power Point. WIN at Office!...

13. Microsoft Office 365 Ultimate Bootcamp 2023

udemy
4.2
(320)

WORD, EXCEL, ACCESS, POWERPOINT, PUBLISHER & TEAMS...

14. Microsoft Office; Excel, Word & PowerPoint 2019 - Beginners

udemy
4.6
(958)

Learn the essentials of Microsoft Office in this 3-course bundle for Office 365 or Office 2019 users...

15. The ultimate real-life Office 365 productivity course

udemy
4.4
(5,368)

Transition to a digital workplace and boost Office 365 productivity through real life storytelling and best practices...

16. MS Office; Excel, Word, Access & PowerPoint 2019 - Beginners

udemy
4.5
(1,407)

Learn the essentials of Microsoft Office in this 4-course bundle for Office 365 or Office 2019 users...

17. The Ultimate Microsoft Office 2010 Training Bundle 48 Hours

udemy
4.7
(846)

The Most Convenient Way to Boost Your Confidence And Learn MS Office 2010 Inside And Out—Quickly, No Travel or Classes...

18. MS Office 2013: 10-in-1 Courses To Maximize Productivity

udemy
4.6
(612)

Comprehensive, all-in-one training to get the most out of Microsoft Office 2013. 10-in-1 courses with 80 hours of video...

19. Microsoft Office Word, Excel, Power Point For Beginners

udemy
4.1
(382)

The Most Convenient Way to Boost Your Confidence And Learn MS Office Inside And Out—Quickly, No Travel or Classes...

20. Excel 2016 (365) Intermediate Training Course Office 365

udemy
4.3
(581)

Go beyond the Excel 2016 basics. Excel 2016 is included with Microsoft Office 365...

Average detention sergeant salary by education level

According to our data, detention sergeants with a Master's degree earn the highest average salary, at $47,276 annually. Detention sergeants with a Bachelor's degree earn an average annual salary of $44,497.
Detention sergeant education levelDetention sergeant salary
Master's Degree$47,276
High School Diploma or Less$36,785
Bachelor's Degree$44,497
Some College/ Associate Degree$38,947

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Browse protective service jobs