Post job

Fingerprint expert education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a fingerprint expert. Fingerprint experts usually study political science, criminal justice, or sociology. 33% of fingerprint experts hold a bachelor's degree, and 33% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 10 real fingerprint expert resumes to see exactly what fingerprint expert education sections show.

The most common colleges for fingerprint experts are the College of Southern Nevada and the College of Southern Nevada.

There are also many online fingerprint expert courses to help get the education required to be a fingerprint expert.

What education do you need to become a fingerprint expert?

What degree do you need to be a fingerprint expert?

The most common degree for fingerprint experts is bachelor's degree, with 33% of fingerprint experts earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 33% and associate degree degree at 17%.
  • Bachelor's, 33%
  • Associate, 33%
  • High School Diploma, 17%
  • Master's, 17%

What should I major in to become a fingerprint expert?

You should major in political science to become a fingerprint expert. 38% of fingerprint experts major in political science. Other common majors for a fingerprint expert include criminal justice and sociology.

Most common colleges for fingerprint experts

Fingerprint experts often get their degrees at College of Southern Nevada, University of the District of Columbia, and Waynesburg University. Here are the most common colleges for fingerprint experts in the US based on their resumes.
Fingerprint expert common collegePercentages
College of Southern Nevada20.00%
University of the District of Columbia20.00%
Waynesburg University20.00%
Jamestown Business College20.00%
Morehouse College20.00%

Best majors for fingerprint experts

RankMajorPercentages
1Political Science37.5%
2Criminal Justice25.0%
3Sociology12.5%
4Law Enforcement12.5%
5Nursing12.5%

Best colleges for fingerprint experts

The best colleges for fingerprint experts are Columbia University in the City of New York, Johns Hopkins University, and Northwestern University.

A fingerprint expert with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for fingerprint experts. 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 fingerprint experts.

1. University of Washington

Seattle, WA • Private

In-state tuition

$11,207

Enrollment

30,905

2. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$59,430

Enrollment

8,216

3. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

In-state tuition

$53,740

Enrollment

5,567

4. Duke University

Durham, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$55,695

Enrollment

6,596

5. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$50,420

Enrollment

7,582

6. Washington University in St Louis

Saint Louis, MO • Private

In-state tuition

$53,399

Enrollment

7,356

7. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Enrollment

31,503

8. San Jose State University

San Jose, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,796

Enrollment

27,125

9. SUNY at Binghamton

Vestal, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$9,808

Enrollment

13,990

10. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, MI • Private

In-state tuition

$15,262

Enrollment

30,079

20 best online courses for fingerprint experts

Advertising disclosure

1. Evidence-based Toxicology

coursera

Welcome to the Evidence-based Toxicology (EBT) course. In medicine and healthcare, evidence-based medicine has revolutionized the way that information is evaluated transparently and objectively. Over the past ten years, a movement in North America and Europe has attempted to translate this revolution to the field of toxicology. The Center for Alternatives to Animal Testing (CAAT) within the department of Environmental Health and Engineering at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health...

2. Opioid Epidemic: From Evidence to Impact

coursera

While prescription opioids serve an invaluable role for the treatment of cancer pain and pain at the end of life, their overuse for acute and chronic non-cancer pain as well as the increasing availability of heroin and illicit fentanyl, have contributed to the highest rates of overdose and opioid addiction in U.S. history. Evidence-informed solutions are urgently needed to address these issues and to promote high-quality care for those with pain. This course and the report it is based on are a...

3. Digital Forensics and Electronic Evidence

udemy
4.4
(2,017)

An introduction for legal professionals and other individuals with an interest in computer forensics...

4. Introduction to Criminal Psychology

udemy
4.3
(846)

Understand the Forensic Psychology of the Criminal Mind...

5. Introduction to International Criminal Law

coursera

-- About the Course -- From the Nuremberg trial to the case against Saddam Hussein, from the prosecution of Al-Qaeda terrorists to the trial of Somali pirates – no area of law is as important to world peace and security as international criminal law. Taught by one of the world’s leading experts in the field, this course will educate students about the fundamentals of international criminal law and policy. We will explore the contours of international crimes such as genocide, war crimes,...

6. Trade & investment: evidence-based policies for development

coursera

This MOOC prepares students that want to analyse trade and investment policies of developing countries and emerging markets. We couch you for the task of giving evidence-based policy. For students interested in policy advise the course brings a sound understanding of what can and what cannot be done with well-established theories and state-of-the-art research. For students interested in research the asset of this course is to learn how to effectively communicate research findings in a policy...

7. Learn SAP BEx Analyzer - Training Course

udemy
4.6
(1,109)

Learn SAP BW BEx Analyzer Reporting with Peter Moxon. In-Depth SAP BI Training Course - Unlimited Access + Updates!...

8. Introduction to Laser-Cutting

udemy
4.7
(251)

Learn to create designs for laser-cutters in less than a day...

9. Cancer Biology

coursera

The healthcare system is a rapidly evolving field with new research leading to advancements in medicine. Developed at Johns Hopkins University and led by top-ranked Hopkins faculty and cancer experts, this specialization on Cancer Biology focuses on the basics of cancer biology, how cancer metastasis occurs, and specifically, screening guidelines for prostate cancer, the most common cancer in American men.\n\nThis specialization starts with an Introduction to the Biology of Cancer, introduces...

10. Splunk Search Expert

coursera

By completing Search Expert 101, 102 & 103, you will be able to write efficient searches, perform correlations, create visualizations, and leverage subsearches and lookups. This course will also show you how to get started using your machine data to provide actionable reports and dashboards for your organization...

11. General Biology I: Foundations of Biology

udemy
4.5
(390)

An essential course in Biology for students of all ages...

12. Expert Nail Technician Course - Become a SuperStar Nail Tech

udemy
5
(428)

Learn how to do stunning designs, sculpt durable nails and market your nail business!...

13. Critical Issues in Urban Education

coursera

Urban school reform in the United States is characterized by contentious, politicized debate. This course explores a set of critical issues in the education and educational reform space, with a focus on aspects of the field that have sparked controversy and polarized views. We will dig into these debates, situating them within the larger history of public education and school reform, and considering the viewpoints, the evidence, and translation of issues into educational policy. We will...

14. Chemical Biology

coursera

Chemical biology is a burgeoning field that has rapidly risen to prominence. This surge of interest has been fuelled by chemical biology’s applicability to understanding critical processes in live cells or model organisms in real time. This success has arisen because chemical biology straddles a nexus between chemistry, biology, and physics. Thus, chemical biology can harness rapid chemistry to observe or perturb biological processes, that are in turn reported using physical assays, all in an...

15. Unit Testing Dotnet (.NET) Application with xUnit.net & MOQ

udemy
4.4
(3,094)

Mocking Techniques, Test Driven Development (TDD), and Unit Testing Legacy Code with x Unit. NET + Interview Questions...

16. Criminology and Criminal Psychology Certified CSI+ Course

udemy
4.2
(339)

Learn Criminal Law and Start your career with certification of Criminal Law and Criminal Psychology, Learn Criminology...

17. Presentation Skills: Give a Great New Business Pitch

udemy
4.5
(1,246)

Presentation skills - You can make your prospects understand and remember your unique value proposiiton...

18. Programming Numerical Methods in Python

udemy
4.3
(781)

A Practical Approach to Understand the Numerical Methods...

19. Become an expert in the NEW Agile SAP Activate Methodology

udemy
4.3
(397)

Learn how to successfully implement SAP projects using the NEW Agile SAP Activate Methodology from top SAP experts...

20. Certified Data Analytics Expert With Minitab Accredited

udemy
4.6
(284)

Certified Data Analytics Expert With Minitab Accredited Minitab Data Analysis For All Backgrounds...

Top 10 most affordable universities for fingerprint experts

The most affordable schools for fingerprint experts are Hunter College of the City University of New York, california state university - long beach, and california state university - bakersfield.

If the best universities for fingerprint experts 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 fingerprint experts.

1. Hunter College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,182

Cost of attendance

13,998

2. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

3. California State University - Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,309

Cost of attendance

16,714

4. California State University - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,749

Cost of attendance

14,823

5. University of South Florida

Tampa, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,410

Cost of attendance

20,456

6. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

7. California State University - Dominguez Hills

Carson, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,942

Cost of attendance

14,469

8. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,656

Cost of attendance

21,623

9. California State University - Fullerton

Fullerton, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,886

Cost of attendance

17,645

10. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York

Brooklyn, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,240

Cost of attendance

13,991

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for fingerprint experts

The hardest universities for fingerprint experts to get into are Columbia University in the City of New York, Johns Hopkins University, and Northwestern University.

Some great schools for fingerprint experts 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 fingerprint experts 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. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

6%

SAT average

1,512

2. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,513

3. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,508

4. Washington University in St Louis

Saint Louis, MO • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,506

5. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

Admissions rate

5%

SAT average

1,520

6. Duke University

Durham, NC • Private

Admissions rate

9%

SAT average

1,516

7. Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

17%

SAT average

1,507

8. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,466

9. University of Chicago

Chicago, IL • Private

Admissions rate

7%

SAT average

1,520

10. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for fingerprint experts

The easiest schools for fingerprint experts to get into are Bluefield College, wayland baptist university, and felician university.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a fingerprint expert 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 fingerprint experts.

1. Bluefield College

Bluefield, VA • Private

Admissions rate

95%

SAT average

980

2. Wayland Baptist University

Plainview, TX • Private

Admissions rate

98%

SAT average

1,003

3. Felician University

Lodi, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

81%

SAT average

999

4. Kean University

Union, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

86%

SAT average

991

5. Saint Martin's University

Lacey, WA • Private

Admissions rate

96%

SAT average

1,111

6. William Paterson University of New Jersey

Wayne, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

93%

SAT average

994

7. San Francisco State University

San Francisco, CA • Private

Admissions rate

72%

SAT average

1,054

8. La Roche College

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

99%

SAT average

1,008

9. Notre Dame College

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

994

10. Sonoma State University

Rohnert Park, CA • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

1,072

Average fingerprint expert salary by education level

According to our data, fingerprint experts with a Master's degree earn the highest average salary, at $56,246 annually. Fingerprint experts with a Associate degree earn an average annual salary of $49,245.
Fingerprint expert education levelFingerprint expert salary
Master's Degree$56,246
High School Diploma or Less$43,308
Bachelor's Degree$45,918
Some College/ Associate Degree$49,245

Fingerprint expert education FAQs

Search for fingerprint expert jobs

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 life, physical, and social science jobs