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Hostage negotiator education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a hostage negotiator. Hostage negotiators usually study criminal justice, business, or law enforcement. 52% of hostage negotiators hold a bachelor's degree, and 20% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 92 real hostage negotiator resumes to see exactly what hostage negotiator education sections show.
The most common colleges for hostage negotiators are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.
There are also many online hostage negotiator courses to help get the education required to be a hostage negotiator.
What education do you need to become a hostage negotiator?
What degree do you need to be a hostage negotiator?
- Bachelor's, 52%
- Associate, 20%
- Master's, 15%
- High School Diploma, 13%
What should I major in to become a hostage negotiator?
- Criminal Justice, 42%
- Business, 8%
- Law Enforcement, 8%
- Psychology, 7%
- Other Majors, 35%
Most common colleges for hostage negotiators
| Hostage negotiator common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of Phoenix | 9.52% |
| Central Washington University | 4.76% |
| University of Houston | 4.76% |
| Milligan College | 4.76% |
| University of Akron | 4.76% |
Best majors for hostage negotiators
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Criminal Justice | 42.4% |
| 2 | Business | 8.5% |
| 3 | Law Enforcement | 8.5% |
| 4 | Psychology | 6.8% |
| 5 | Management | 5.1% |
Best colleges for hostage negotiators
The best colleges for hostage negotiators are Northeastern University, Boston University, and George Washington University, The.
A hostage negotiator with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for hostage negotiators. 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 hostage negotiators.
1. Pennsylvania State University
University Park, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$18,454
Enrollment
40,108
2. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Enrollment
9,142
3. SUNY at Binghamton
Vestal, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$9,808
Enrollment
13,990
4. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,522
Enrollment
13,760
5. University of New Haven
West Haven, CT • Private
In-state tuition
$39,270
Enrollment
5,041
6. University of Georgia
Athens, GA • Private
In-state tuition
$11,830
Enrollment
29,474
7. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
8. SUNY at Albany
Albany, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$10,011
Enrollment
13,434
9. Western Carolina University
Cullowhee, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$3,926
Enrollment
9,835
10. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$55,695
Enrollment
6,596
20 best online courses for hostage negotiators
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Top 10 most affordable universities for hostage negotiators
The most affordable schools for hostage negotiators are California State University - Bakersfield, suny farmingdale, and california state university - long beach.
If the best universities for hostage negotiators 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 hostage negotiators.
1. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
2. SUNY Farmingdale
Farmingdale, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,306
Cost of attendance
16,091
3. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
4. Florida International University
Miami, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,556
Cost of attendance
19,434
5. USF Sarasota-Manatee
Sarasota, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,587
Cost of attendance
13,043
6. Florida Atlantic University
Boca Raton, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$4,831
Cost of attendance
19,559
7. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Cost of attendance
14,469
8. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Cost of attendance
20,456
9. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
10. SUNY Polytechnic Institute
Utica, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,238
Cost of attendance
21,567
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for hostage negotiators
The hardest universities for hostage negotiators to get into are Northeastern University, Boston University, and George Washington University, The.
Some great schools for hostage negotiators 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 hostage negotiators 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. George Washington University, The
Washington, DC • Private
Admissions rate
42%
SAT average
1,380
4. SUNY at Binghamton
Vestal, NY • Private
Admissions rate
40%
SAT average
1,376
5. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
6. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
7. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
8. American University
Washington, DC • Private
Admissions rate
32%
SAT average
1,320
9. Syracuse University
Syracuse, NY • Private
Admissions rate
50%
SAT average
1,284
10. University of Denver
Denver, CO • Private
Admissions rate
56%
SAT average
1,300
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for hostage negotiators
The easiest schools for hostage negotiators to get into are Notre Dame College, nyack college, and gwynedd mercy university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a hostage negotiator 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 hostage negotiators.
1. Notre Dame College
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
994
2. Nyack College
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
999
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. Presentation College
Aberdeen, SD • Private
Admissions rate
97%
SAT average
1,050
6. Curry College
Milton, MA • Private
Admissions rate
93%
SAT average
1,026
7. The University of Texas at El Paso
El Paso, TX • Private
Admissions rate
100%
SAT average
1,035
8. Felician University
Lodi, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
81%
SAT average
999
9. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
10. University of North Texas at Dallas
Dallas, TX • Private
Admissions rate
83%
SAT average
992
Average hostage negotiator salary by education level
| Hostage negotiator education level | Hostage negotiator salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $122,212 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $59,486 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $104,116 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $67,657 |
Hostage negotiator education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025