K9 handler education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a k9 handler. K9 handlers usually study criminal justice, law enforcement, or business. 31% of k9 handlers hold a bachelor's degree, and 26% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 484 real k9 handler resumes to see exactly what k9 handler education sections show.

The most common colleges for k9 handlers are the Columbia Southern University and the Columbia Southern University.

There are also many online k9 handler courses to help get the education required to be a k9 handler.

What education do you need to become a k9 handler?

What degree do you need to be a k9 handler?

The most common degree for k9 handlers is bachelor's degree, with 31% of k9 handlers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 26% and associate degree degree at 23%.

Bachelor's, 31%

Associate, 26%

High School Diploma, 23%

Diploma, 11%

Other Degrees, 9%

What should I major in to become a k9 handler?

You should major in criminal justice to become a k9 handler. 41% of k9 handlers major in criminal justice. Other common majors for a k9 handler include law enforcement and business.

Criminal Justice, 41%

Law Enforcement, 10%

Business, 8%

General Studies, 7%

Other Majors, 34%

Most common colleges for k9 handlers

K9 handlers often get their degrees at Columbia Southern University, Western Washington University, and Vincennes University. Here are the most common colleges for k9 handlers in the US based on their resumes.

K9 handler common college	Percentages
Columbia Southern University	11.11%
Western Washington University	8.33%
Vincennes University	8.33%
Miami Dade College	5.56%
Upper Iowa University	5.56%

Show more common k9 handler colleges

Best majors for k9 handlers

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Criminal Justice	40.6%
2	Law Enforcement	10.0%
3	Business	8.3%
4	General Studies	6.7%
5	Law	6.1%

Show more common k9 handler majors

Best colleges for k9 handlers

The best colleges for k9 handlers are Boston University, Stanford University, and Northwestern University.

A k9 handler with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for k9 handlers. 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 k9 handlers.

1. California State University - Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,309

Enrollment

9,142

2. SUNY at Binghamton

Vestal, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$9,808

Enrollment

13,990

3. San Diego State University

San Diego, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,488

Enrollment

30,018

4. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,306

Enrollment

9,394

5. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$53,948

Enrollment

17,238

6. Howard University

Washington, DC • Private

In-state tuition

$26,756

Enrollment

6,166

7. SUNY at Albany

Albany, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$10,011

Enrollment

13,434

8. Western Carolina University

Cullowhee, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$3,926

Enrollment

9,835

9. SUNY College at Plattsburgh

Plattsburgh, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,369

Enrollment

5,229

10. SUNY College at Oswego

Oswego, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,440

Enrollment

7,039

20 best online courses for k9 handlers

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Top 10 most affordable universities for k9 handlers

The most affordable schools for k9 handlers are SUNY Farmingdale, california state university - bakersfield, and usf sarasota-manatee.

If the best universities for k9 handlers 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 k9 handlers.

1. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,306

Cost of attendance

16,091

2. California State University - Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,309

Cost of attendance

16,714

3. USF Sarasota-Manatee

Sarasota, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,587

Cost of attendance

13,043

4. California State University - Dominguez Hills

Carson, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,942

Cost of attendance

14,469

5. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

6. Minot State University

Minot, ND • Private

In-state tuition

$7,064

Cost of attendance

15,576

7. SUNY Polytechnic Institute

Utica, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,238

Cost of attendance

21,567

8. Florida International University

Miami, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,556

Cost of attendance

19,434

9. Clayton State University

Morrow, GA • Private

In-state tuition

$5,419

Cost of attendance

17,697

10. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,656

Cost of attendance

21,623

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for k9 handlers

The hardest universities for k9 handlers to get into are Boston University, Stanford University, and Northwestern University.

Some great schools for k9 handlers 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 k9 handlers 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. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

2. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,497

3. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,508

4. George Washington University, The

Washington, DC • Private

Admissions rate

42%

SAT average

1,380

5. SUNY at Binghamton

Vestal, NY • Private

Admissions rate

40%

SAT average

1,376

6. University of Tulsa

Tulsa, OK • Private

Admissions rate

41%

SAT average

1,321

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 Denver

Denver, CO • Private

Admissions rate

56%

SAT average

1,300

10. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,466

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for k9 handlers

The easiest schools for k9 handlers to get into are Nyack College, notre dame college, and gwynedd mercy university.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a k9 handler 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 k9 handlers.

1. Nyack College

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

98%

SAT average

999

2. Notre Dame College

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

994

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. University of North Texas at Dallas

Dallas, TX • Private

Admissions rate

83%

SAT average

992

6. Curry College

Milton, MA • Private

Admissions rate

93%

SAT average

1,026

7. Felician University

Lodi, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

81%

SAT average

999

8. Presentation College

Aberdeen, SD • Private

Admissions rate

97%

SAT average

1,050

9. Manor College

Jenkintown, PA • Private

Admissions rate

94%

SAT average

898

10. Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Bartlesville, OK • Private

Admissions rate

68%

SAT average

964

Average k9 handler salary by education level

K9 handlers with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $46,732 annually. With a Doctorate degree, k9 handlers earn a median annual income of $45,928 compared to $44,271 for k9 handlers with an Bachelor's degree.

K9 handler education level	K9 handler salary
Master's Degree	$46,732
High School Diploma or Less	$38,744
Bachelor's Degree	$44,271
Doctorate Degree	$45,928
Some College/ Associate Degree	$42,098

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Updated January 8, 2025

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.

Updated January 8, 2025

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