Loss prevention specialist education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a loss prevention specialist. Loss prevention specialists usually study criminal justice, business, or psychology. 46% of loss prevention specialists hold a bachelor's degree, and 26% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 6,797 real loss prevention specialist resumes to see exactly what loss prevention specialist education sections show.

The most common colleges for loss prevention specialists are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.

There are also many online loss prevention specialist courses to help get the education required to be a loss prevention specialist.

There are certain loss prevention specialist certifications that you should consider. These loss prevention specialist certifications include Certified Criminal Justice Specialist (CCJS) and Certified Billing and Coding Specialist (CBCS).

What education do you need to become a loss prevention specialist?

What degree do you need to be a loss prevention specialist?

The most common degree for loss prevention specialists is bachelor's degree, with 46% of loss prevention specialists earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 26% and associate degree degree at 16%.

Bachelor's, 46%

Associate, 26%

High School Diploma, 16%

Diploma, 4%

Other Degrees, 8%

What should I major in to become a loss prevention specialist?

You should major in criminal justice to become a loss prevention specialist. 51% of loss prevention specialists major in criminal justice. Other common majors for a loss prevention specialist include business and psychology.

Criminal Justice, 51%

Business, 15%

Psychology, 4%

General Studies, 4%

Other Majors, 26%

Most common colleges for loss prevention specialists

Loss prevention specialists often get their degrees at University of Phoenix, Sam Houston State University, and John Jay College of Criminal Justice of the City University of New York. Here are the most common colleges for loss prevention specialists in the US based on their resumes.

Loss prevention specialist common college	Percentages
University of Phoenix	22.79%
Sam Houston State University	7.12%
John Jay College of Criminal Justice of the City University of New York	6.84%
University of North Texas	4.84%
Michigan State University	4.84%

Show more common loss prevention specialist colleges

Best majors for loss prevention specialists

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Criminal Justice	50.5%
2	Business	14.7%
3	Psychology	4.1%
4	General Studies	4.0%
5	Liberal Arts	2.5%

Show more common loss prevention specialist majors

Best colleges for loss prevention specialists

The best colleges for loss prevention specialists are Boston University, Stanford University, and Northwestern University.

A loss prevention specialist with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for loss prevention specialists. 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 loss prevention specialists.

1. California State University - Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,309

Enrollment

9,142

2. University of Nebraska - Lincoln

Lincoln, NE • Private

In-state tuition

$9,242

Enrollment

20,592

3. Bowling Green State University

Bowling Green, OH • Private

In-state tuition

$11,105

Enrollment

13,729

4. Western Carolina University

Cullowhee, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$3,926

Enrollment

9,835

5. California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo

San Luis Obispo, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$9,816

Enrollment

21,047

6. Pennsylvania State University

University Park, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$18,454

Enrollment

40,108

7. University of New Haven

West Haven, CT • Private

In-state tuition

$39,270

Enrollment

5,041

8. University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh

Oshkosh, WI • Private

In-state tuition

$7,621

Enrollment

10,749

9. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,354

Enrollment

7,083

10. SUNY at Binghamton

Vestal, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$9,808

Enrollment

13,990

20 best online courses for loss prevention specialists

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5. Hot Topics in Criminal Justice

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14. Build Powerful Compliance Programs & Prevent Corporate Fraud

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15. Weight-Loss Coaching - ACCREDITED CERTIFICATE

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16. Active Directory & Group Policy Administration for IT Techs

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17. Fire Safety and Prevention Planning

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Become an expert in understanding Fire Safety and Prevention Planning for your workplaces and organizations...

18. Fraud Prevention, Dispute Resolution and PCI-DSS Masterclass

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19. Preventing Workplace Harassment 101

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Avoid inappropriate or questionable conduct and respond properly to harassment situations...

20. OSHA Safety Pro: Deadly Concrete Dust. Crystalline Silica.

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Top 10 most affordable universities for loss prevention specialists

The most affordable schools for loss prevention specialists are California State University - Bakersfield, suny farmingdale, and california state university - los angeles.

If the best universities for loss prevention specialists 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 loss prevention specialists.

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 - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,749

Cost of attendance

14,823

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. California State University - Dominguez Hills

Carson, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,942

Cost of attendance

14,469

7. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

8. SUNY Polytechnic Institute

Utica, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,238

Cost of attendance

21,567

9. John Jay College of Criminal Justice of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,270

Cost of attendance

14,177

10. Minot State University

Minot, ND • Private

In-state tuition

$7,064

Cost of attendance

15,576

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for loss prevention specialists

The hardest universities for loss prevention specialists to get into are Boston University, Stanford University, and Northwestern University.

Some great schools for loss prevention specialists 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 loss prevention specialists 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. SUNY at Binghamton

Vestal, NY • Private

Admissions rate

40%

SAT average

1,376

5. California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo

San Luis Obispo, CA • Private

Admissions rate

30%

SAT average

1,339

6. George Washington University, The

Washington, DC • Private

Admissions rate

42%

SAT average

1,380

7. Syracuse University

Syracuse, NY • Private

Admissions rate

50%

SAT average

1,284

8. University of Denver

Denver, CO • Private

Admissions rate

56%

SAT average

1,300

9. University of Maryland - College Park

College Park, MD • Private

Admissions rate

47%

SAT average

1,390

10. SUNY Stony Brook

Stony Brook, NY • Private

Admissions rate

42%

SAT average

1,326

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for loss prevention specialists

The easiest schools for loss prevention specialists to get into are Notre Dame College, holy family university, and nyack college.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a loss prevention specialist 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 loss prevention specialists.

1. Notre Dame College

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

994

2. Holy Family University

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

72%

SAT average

1,017

3. Nyack College

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

98%

SAT average

999

4. Gwynedd Mercy University

Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private

Admissions rate

92%

SAT average

1,031

5. Wayland Baptist University

Plainview, TX • Private

Admissions rate

98%

SAT average

1,003

6. Curry College

Milton, MA • Private

Admissions rate

93%

SAT average

1,026

7. Presentation College

Aberdeen, SD • Private

Admissions rate

97%

SAT average

1,050

8. University of North Texas at Dallas

Dallas, TX • Private

Admissions rate

83%

SAT average

992

9. Felician University

Lodi, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

81%

SAT average

999

10. Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Bartlesville, OK • Private

Admissions rate

68%

SAT average

964

Average loss prevention specialist salary by education level

According to our data, loss prevention specialists with a Associate degree earn the highest average salary, at $50,882 annually. Loss prevention specialists with a Bachelor's degree earn an average annual salary of $49,933.

Loss prevention specialist education level	Loss prevention specialist salary
High School Diploma or Less	$45,272
Bachelor's Degree	$49,933
Some College/ Associate Degree	$50,882

Loss prevention specialist education FAQs

What is the best college for Loss Prevention Specialists?

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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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