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Narcotics detective education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
2 min read
Usually, narcotics detectives don't need a college education. The most common degree for narcotics detectives is bachelor's degree with 53% graduates, with only 23% narcotics detective graduates earning associate degree. Narcotics detectives who decided to graduate from college often finish University of Phoenix or University of South Carolina - Columbia. Some good skills to have in this position include surveillance operations, patrol and crime scenes.

What education do you need to become a narcotics detective?

What degree do you need to be a narcotics detective?

The most common degree for narcotics detectives is bachelor's degree, with 53% of narcotics detectives earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 23% and associate degree degree at 10%.
  • Bachelor's, 53%
  • Associate, 23%
  • High School Diploma, 10%
  • Master's, 8%
  • Other Degrees, 6%

What should I major in to become a narcotics detective?

You should major in criminal justice to become a narcotics detective. 49% of narcotics detectives major in criminal justice. Other common majors for a narcotics detective include business and law enforcement.

Best majors for narcotics detectives

RankMajorPercentages
1Criminal Justice49.1%
2Business8.4%
3Law Enforcement7.9%
4Law7.0%
5Sociology3.7%

20 best online courses for narcotics detectives

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1. Hot Topics in Criminal Justice

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The American criminal justice system is in need of reform. We incarcerate too many people. We pay insufficient attention to scientific advances that can help separate out the most and least culpable and dangerous. We grant the police far too much power to use force and technological surveillance. As a way of thinking about dealing with these problems, this course examines two over-arching issues: What should we do with people who have committed crime, and how should we identify who they are? On...

2. Introduction to International Criminal Law

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-- 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,...

3. Criminology and Criminal Psychology Certified CSI+ Course

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

4. Criminal Law in 120 Minutes: A Fast Track Course

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A 2 hour fast track summary of Criminal Law, targeting all common law LL.B examinations!...

5. International Law In Action: Investigating and Prosecuting International Crimes

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‘Investigating and Prosecuting International Crimes’ is the second course in Leiden University’s new series on International Law in Action. The first course covered international courts and tribunals in The Hague in general. This second course provides an insider perspective into the work of international criminal courts and tribunals. You will learn about the investigation and prosecution of international crimes in The Hague. Atrocities produce unspeakable forms of violence. We will explore...

6. Drug Development

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The University of California San Diego, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences Drug Development course brings you lectures from both faculty and industry experts. With this course, recorded on campus at UCSD, we seek to share our access to top people in the field who bring an unprecedented range of expertise on drug development. In this course you will learn the different stages of clinical development as well as the regulatory including but not limited to, an Investigational New...

7. Introduction to Criminal Psychology

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Understand the Forensic Psychology of the Criminal Mind...

8. Certificate Course in Drug Regulatory Affairs (DRA)

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Pharma course (NDA, ANDA, CTD, DMF, USFDA, Regulatory strategy, GMP, Clinical Research, Orange Book, Pharmaceuticals)...

9. Drug Commercialization

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The University of California San Diego, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences Drug Commercialization course brings you lectures from both faculty and industry experts. With this course, recorded on campus at UCSD, we seek to share our access to top people in the field who bring an unprecedented range of expertise on drug commercialization. This course will cover pharmacoeconomic, marketing strategy, intellectual property strategy, portfolio management, managed markets and...

10. Drug Discovery

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The University of California San Diego, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences Drug Discovery course brings you lectures from both faculty and industry experts. With this course, recorded on campus at UCSD, we seek to share our access to top people in the field who bring an unprecedented range of expertise on drug discovery. In this course you will learn the drug discovery process up to the filing of an Initial New Drug Application or IND. Each week you will learn the steps that...

11. Forensic Psychology: Criminal Profiling Certificate

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Criminology Crash Course...

12. Psychology of Criminal Behaviour & Criminology - ACCREDITED

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Personality Disorders, Violence, Sex Offence, Murder, and other types of crime...

13. Investigating Epidemics like COVID-19: An Analyst's Guide

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Do you want to learn how to detect, identify the cause, and decrease the morbidity and mortality from outbreaks or pandemics like COVID-19? Are you considering a career in public health practice, but aren’t sure how health departments collect and use outbreak data? Are you working in public health, but interested in moving into analytical and/or technical roles or curious how health departments investigate outbreaks? If so, this course is for you. After taking this course you be able to define...

14. Pharmaceutical Industry Drug Regulatory Affairs (DRA)

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Empowering Professionals in the Pharmaceutical Industry: A Comprehensive Online Course in Drug Regulatory Affairs...

15. Certificate Course in Pharmacovigilance

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Drug safety, Drug development and discovery, ICSR , Adverse events, Global guidelines, Med DRA, PV Audits...

16. Cyber Crime Analyst Part 1

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Types of Cyber Crime...

17. CYBER CRIME & CYBER LAW - DR. PAVAN DUGGAL - CYBERLAW UNIV.

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The most crucial paradigms in our digital lives today...

18. Never be Lied to Again: Advanced Lie Detection Course

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How to Get the Truth in 5 Minutes or Less in Any Conversation or Situation...

19. Forensic Psychology - ACCREDITED CERTIFICATE

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Become a specialist in criminal investigations and forensic profiling, start your career and add certificate to resume!...

20. Introduction to Criminology: Explaining Crime

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Learn to Speak About Criminal Psychology and the Sociology of Crime Like an Expert...

Average narcotics detective salary by education level

Narcotics detectives with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $57,737 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, narcotics detectives earn a median annual income of $55,668 compared to $47,977 for narcotics detectives with an Associate degree.
Narcotics detective education levelNarcotics detective salary
Master's Degree$57,737
High School Diploma or Less$44,775
Bachelor's Degree$55,668
Some College/ Associate Degree$47,977

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.

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