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Firearms instructor education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a firearms instructor. Firearms instructors usually study criminal justice, law enforcement, or business. 47% of firearms instructors hold a bachelor's degree, and 23% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 1,050 real firearms instructor resumes to see exactly what firearms instructor education sections show.
The most common colleges for firearms instructors are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.
There are also many online firearms instructor courses to help get the education required to be a firearms instructor.
There are certain firearms instructor certifications that you should consider. These firearms instructor certifications include Certified Law Enforcement Analysts (CLEA) and Instructor.
What education do you need to become a firearms instructor?
What degree do you need to be a firearms instructor?
- Bachelor's, 47%
- Associate, 23%
- High School Diploma, 12%
- Master's, 8%
- Other Degrees, 10%
What should I major in to become a firearms instructor?
- Criminal Justice, 43%
- Law Enforcement, 9%
- Business, 9%
- General Studies, 7%
- Other Majors, 32%
Most common colleges for firearms instructors
| Firearms instructor common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of Phoenix | 12.50% |
| American University | 8.75% |
| Liberty University | 7.50% |
| Troy University | 6.25% |
| Saint Leo University | 6.25% |
Best majors for firearms instructors
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Criminal Justice | 43.4% |
| 2 | Law Enforcement | 9.0% |
| 3 | Business | 8.6% |
| 4 | General Studies | 7.3% |
| 5 | Law | 4.2% |
Best colleges for firearms instructors
The best colleges for firearms instructors are Northeastern University, Boston University, and University of Tulsa.
A firearms instructor with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for firearms instructors. 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 firearms instructors.
1. Baker College
Owosso, MI • Private
In-state tuition
$9,800
Enrollment
8,319
2. Pennsylvania State University
University Park, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$18,454
Enrollment
40,108
3. Lewis University
Romeoville, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$32,450
Enrollment
4,217
4. North Carolina State University
Raleigh, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$9,101
Enrollment
23,708
5. California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$9,816
Enrollment
21,047
6. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Enrollment
31,503
7. University of Idaho
Moscow, ID • Private
In-state tuition
$7,864
Enrollment
7,528
8. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,522
Enrollment
13,760
9. Texas A&M University
College Station, TX • Private
In-state tuition
$11,870
Enrollment
53,194
10. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
20 best online courses for firearms instructors
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Top 10 most affordable universities for firearms instructors
The most affordable schools for firearms instructors are California State University - Long Beach, california state university - los angeles, and usf sarasota-manatee.
If the best universities for firearms instructors 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 firearms instructors.
1. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
2. California State University - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,749
Cost of attendance
14,823
3. USF Sarasota-Manatee
Sarasota, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,587
Cost of attendance
13,043
4. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
5. Minot State University
Minot, ND • Private
In-state tuition
$7,064
Cost of attendance
15,576
6. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York
Brooklyn, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,240
Cost of attendance
13,991
7. Florida Atlantic University
Boca Raton, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$4,831
Cost of attendance
19,559
8. Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN • Private
In-state tuition
$9,992
Cost of attendance
22,430
9. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
10. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for firearms instructors
The hardest universities for firearms instructors to get into are Northeastern University, Boston University, and University of Tulsa.
Some great schools for firearms instructors 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 firearms instructors 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. University of Tulsa
Tulsa, OK • Private
Admissions rate
41%
SAT average
1,321
4. California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo, CA • Private
Admissions rate
30%
SAT average
1,339
5. George Washington University, The
Washington, DC • Private
Admissions rate
42%
SAT average
1,380
6. North Carolina State University
Raleigh, NC • Private
Admissions rate
47%
SAT average
1,336
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 Washington
Seattle, WA • Private
Admissions rate
49%
SAT average
1,347
10. Tulane University
New Orleans, LA • Private
Admissions rate
17%
SAT average
1,428
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for firearms instructors
The easiest schools for firearms instructors to get into are Gwynedd Mercy University, wayland baptist university, and nyack college.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a firearms instructor 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 firearms instructors.
1. Gwynedd Mercy University
Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,031
2. Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
1,003
3. Nyack College
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
999
4. Thomas More University
Crestview Hills, KY • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
1,099
5. Felician University
Lodi, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
81%
SAT average
999
6. Grand View University
Des Moines, IA • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,060
7. Centenary University
Hackettstown, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
67%
SAT average
987
8. La Roche College
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
99%
SAT average
1,008
9. Holy Family University
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
72%
SAT average
1,017
10. Ottawa University
Ottawa, KS • Private
Admissions rate
78%
SAT average
1,024
Average firearms instructor salary by education level
| Firearms instructor education level | Firearms instructor salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $49,754 |
| Doctorate Degree | $60,640 |
Firearms instructor education FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common education, training, and library questions.
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025