Officer Education Requirements And Courses

Officer education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025

2 min read

Usually, officers don't need a college education. The most common degree for officers is bachelor's degree with 56% graduates, with only 14% officer graduates earning associate degree. Officers who decided to graduate from college often finish University of Phoenix or American University. Some good skills to have in this position include patrol, customer service and public safety.

Popular officer certifications include First Aid, CPR and AED Instructor, OSHA Safety Certificate , or Certified Professional - Human Resource (IPMA-CP). To improve officer qualification and skills, we prepared some online courses to help in officer education paths.

What education do you need to become an officer?

What degree do you need to be an officer?

The most common degree for officers is bachelor's degree, with 56% of officers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 14% and associate degree degree at 11%.

Bachelor's, 56%

Associate, 14%

Master's, 11%

High School Diploma, 10%

Other Degrees, 9%

What should I major in to become an officer?

You should major in business to become an officer. 20% of officers major in business. Other common majors for an officer include criminal justice and psychology.

Business, 20%

Criminal Justice, 20%

Psychology, 5%

Accounting, 5%

Other Majors, 50%

Best majors for officers

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Business	20.2%
2	Criminal Justice	19.5%
3	Psychology	5.5%
4	Accounting	5.1%
5	Political Science	4.8%

Show more common officer majors

20 best online courses for officers

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1. Financial Accounting-Adjusting Entries & Financial Statement

4.6

(930)

Master Adjusting Entries & Financial Statements: A Comprehensive Guide for Accurate Accounting and Reporting...

2. Audit - Financial Statement

4.4

(2,545)

Master the Art of Auditing Financial Statements: In-Depth Analysis, Techniques, and Real-World Case Studies...

3. Financial Statement Auditing Cycles

4.3

(251)

In this course, we learn how public accountants plan and execute an audit...

4. Accounting basics, create financial statements easily

4.5

(280)

Discover, develop, practice your financial information and explore the world of accounting...

5. Accounting & Financial Statement Analysis: Complete Training

4.6

(16,804)

Accounting & Financial Ratio Analysis made easy. Learn important accounting skills that will get your foot in the door!...

6. Financial Statement Analysis

4.7

(255)

Learn how to make understanding financial statements your superpower!...

7. Preventing and Surviving an Active Shooter Incident

4.5

(4,367)

Active Shooter/Violent Intruder Prevention and Response...

8. Financial Accounting: The Complete Introductory Crash Course

4.5

(1,604)

Learn the Basics of Financial Accounting: Financial Statements, Debits and Credits, The Accounting Cycle and More!...

9. Accounting-Statement of Cash Flows

4.4

(286)

Unlocking the Secrets of Cash Flow Statements: Mastering Construction, Analysis, and Interpretation...

10. Payroll Accounting: Laws, Calculations, and Journal Entries

4.4

(1,649)

Master the complex world of payroll with practical examples, legislation insights, and comprehensive problems...

11. How to Read Financial Statements: Build Financial Literacy.

4.5

(811)

Read financial statements and speak the language of business without the drudgery of a traditional accounting course...

12. Forensic accounting, fraud investigation and fraud analytics

4.3

(657)

The 14 hour course(50casestudies) helps to understand fraud examination, forensic audit,financial crime, data analytics...

13. Financial Accounting-Debits & Credits-Accounting Transaction

4.5

(781)

Masterclass: Learn Accounting Principles, Financial Statements, Transactions & More in this Comprehensive Course...

14. Effective Legal Office Administration

4.5

(1,067)

Effective Legal Office Administration...

15. AML Compliance in Practice: Suspicious Activity Reports

4.6

(525)

Learn the Fundamentals of SAR Filing in Anti-Money Laundering Compliance/KYC & How to write a stellar SAR Narrative!...

16. Financial Statements: Balance Sheet, Income Stmt, Cash Flow

4.5

(574)

How To Quickly Read & Understand The Big 3 Financial Statements: Balance Sheet, Income Statement, Cash Flow Statement...

17. Financial Statement Analysis - Ratio Analysis

4.3

(1,189)

Master the Art of Financial Statement Analysis: Unlocking Insights through Vertical, Horizontal, and Ratio Analysis...

18. Accounting & Bookkeeping Masterclass - Beginner to Advanced

4.5

(4,371)

Accounting, Bookkeeping Introduction, Accounting, Bookkeeping Entries, Accounting, Bookkeeping Adjustments & Reports...

19. Advanced Financial Accounting: Acquisitions & Consolidations

4.1

(703)

Acquisitions, Consolidations, and Reporting. Master complex concepts and applications...

20. Financial Accounting & Excel-Comprehensive Accounting Course

4.3

(736)

Comprehensive accounting course to learn the accounting cycle in a practical way and pick up critical Excel fundamentals...

Average officer salary by education level

According to our data, officers with a Master's degree earn the highest average salary, at $77,264 annually. Officers with a Bachelor's degree earn an average annual salary of $63,064.

Officer education level	Officer salary
Master's Degree	$77,264
High School Diploma or Less	$49,199
Bachelor's Degree	$63,064
Some College/ Associate Degree	$54,006