Personal security specialist education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a personal security specialist. Personal security specialists usually study business, criminal justice, or psychology. 46% of personal security specialists hold a bachelor's degree, and 24% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 1,487 real personal security specialist resumes to see exactly what personal security specialist education sections show.

The most common colleges for personal security specialists are the American University and the American University.

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

What education do you need to become a personal security specialist?

What degree do you need to be a personal security specialist?

The most common degree for personal security specialists is bachelor's degree, with 46% of personal security specialists earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 24% and associate degree degree at 15%.

Bachelor's, 46%

Associate, 24%

High School Diploma, 15%

Master's, 5%

Other Degrees, 10%

What should I major in to become a personal security specialist?

You should major in business to become a personal security specialist. 19% of personal security specialists major in business. Other common majors for a personal security specialist include criminal justice and psychology.

Business, 19%

Criminal Justice, 15%

Psychology, 7%

General Studies, 6%

Other Majors, 53%

Most common colleges for personal security specialists

Personal security specialists often get their degrees at American University, University of Phoenix, and Ashford University. Here are the most common colleges for personal security specialists in the US based on their resumes.

Personal security specialist common college	Percentages
American University	15.38%
University of Phoenix	13.19%
Ashford University	5.49%
Kennesaw State University	5.49%
University of New Mexico	5.49%

Show more common personal security specialist colleges

Best majors for personal security specialists

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Business	19.4%
2	Criminal Justice	15.4%
3	Psychology	6.8%
4	General Studies	6.2%
5	Management	5.9%

Show more common personal security specialist majors

Best colleges for personal security specialists

The best colleges for personal security specialists are Boston University, Stanford University, and Northwestern University.

A personal security 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 personal security 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 personal security specialists.

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 personal security specialists

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Cyber Security First Steps: Privacy, Phishing, Social Engineering, Malware, Email Security, and Hackers...

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Mastering Certified Kubernetes Security: Comprehensive Guide to CKS and Beyond...

15. Security Awareness Training, Internet Security for Employees

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Basic security awareness guide on Internet security and privacy to help keep you, your home, and your employer safe...

16. Personal Finance: Financial Security Thinking & Principles

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How to secure your financial future the fun & easy way! Personal Finance: Financial Security Thinking & Principles...

17. Information Security Awareness: An Introduction for UK SMEs

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Combating Security Threats and Cultivating Information Security Awareness...

18. SC-200 Microsoft Security Operations Analyst

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19. Introduction to Cyber Security

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20. AWS Certified Security Specialist

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Top 10 most affordable universities for personal security specialists

The most affordable schools for personal security specialists are SUNY Farmingdale, california state university - bakersfield, and usf sarasota-manatee.

If the best universities for personal security 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 personal security specialists.

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 personal security specialists

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

Some great schools for personal security 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 personal security 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. 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 personal security specialists

The easiest schools for personal security specialists 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 personal security 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 personal security specialists.

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 personal security specialist salary by education level

Personal security specialists with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $58,341 annually. With a Master's degree, personal security specialists earn a median annual income of $56,474 compared to $47,706 for personal security specialists with an Bachelor's degree.

Personal security specialist education level	Personal security specialist salary
Master's Degree	$56,474
Bachelor's Degree	$47,706
Doctorate Degree	$58,341
Some College/ Associate Degree	$37,301

Personal security specialist education FAQs

What is the best college for Personal Security Specialists?

Have more questions? See all answers to common business and financial questions.

Search for personal security specialist jobs

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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