Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
Police investigator education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a police investigator. Police investigators usually study criminal justice, business, or law enforcement. 62% of police investigators hold a bachelor's degree, and 20% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 225 real police investigator resumes to see exactly what police investigator education sections show.
The most common colleges for police investigators are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.
There are also many online police investigator courses to help get the education required to be a police investigator.
What education do you need to become a police investigator?
What degree do you need to be a police investigator?
- Bachelor's, 62%
- Associate, 20%
- Master's, 11%
- Diploma, 3%
- Other Degrees, 4%
What should I major in to become a police investigator?
- Criminal Justice, 45%
- Business, 10%
- Law Enforcement, 7%
- Other Majors, 32%
Most common colleges for police investigators
| Police investigator common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of Phoenix | 11.76% |
| East Tennessee State University | 8.82% |
| Florida State University | 5.88% |
| American University | 5.88% |
| Colorado Technical University | 5.88% |
Best majors for police investigators
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Criminal Justice | 44.9% |
| 2 | Business | 10.1% |
| 3 | Law Enforcement | 6.5% |
| 4 | Political Science | 5.8% |
| 5 | Public Administration | 3.6% |
Best colleges for police investigators
The best colleges for police investigators are Boston University, Stanford University, and Northwestern University.
A police investigator with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for police investigators. 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 police investigators.
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 police investigators
Advertising disclosure
1. International Law In Action: Investigating and Prosecuting International Crimes
‘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...
2. Introduction to International Criminal Law
-- 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. Criminal Law in 120 Minutes: A Fast Track Course
A 2 hour fast track summary of Criminal Law, targeting all common law LL.B examinations!...
4. Criminology and Criminal Psychology Certified CSI+ Course
Learn Criminal Law and Start your career with certification of Criminal Law and Criminal Psychology, Learn Criminology...
5. Hot Topics in Criminal Justice
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...
6. International Law in Action: A Guide to the International Courts and Tribunals in The Hague
International Law in Action explains the functions of each international court and tribunal present in The Hague, and it looks at how these institutions address contemporary problems. On the basis of selected cases, and through interviews with judges and lawyers, you will explore the role of these courts and tribunals and their potential to contribute to global justice. The first module of the course will investigate how judicial settlement is different from other more political forms of...
7. Introduction to Criminal Psychology
Understand the Forensic Psychology of the Criminal Mind...
8. Psychology of Criminal Behaviour & Criminology - ACCREDITED
Personality Disorders, Violence, Sex Offence, Murder, and other types of crime...
9. An Introduction to American Law
This course will give you a glimpse into six different areas of American law: Tort Law, Contract Law, Property, Constitutional Law, Criminal Law, and Civil Procedure. You will gain insight into the complexities and dilemmas that arise from the application of law in different settings, and what is distinctive about American approaches...
10. Privacy Law and HIPAA
What does it take to comply with privacy laws? In this course, we’ll look at the practical aspects of navigating the complex landscape of privacy requirements. Better understanding privacy laws and data protection will enable you to protect your organization and the constituents that depend on your organization to safeguard their personal information. First, we will examine the historical context that drove the creation of laws, best practices, and other standards for protecting personal...
11. IFCI Expert Cybercrime Investigator's Course
Protect your network - Put cybercriminals in jail. Learn computer forensics, malware analysis and hacker investigations...
12. Digital Forensics Masterclass: Forensic Science 2023 DFMC+
Learn digital forensics and be computer forensics investigator / Certificate after completing course / DFMC+ / DFIR 2023...
13. AML Case Investigation Skills
A guide to conducting AML case investigations, writing quality case narratives and the submission of STRs (STR filing)...
14. Forensic Psychology - ACCREDITED CERTIFICATE
Become a specialist in criminal investigations and forensic profiling, start your career and add certificate to resume!...
15. Forensic Psychology: Criminal Profiling Certificate
Criminology Crash Course...
16. Effective Legal Office Administration
Effective Legal Office Administration...
17. CYBER CRIME & CYBER LAW - DR. PAVAN DUGGAL - CYBERLAW UNIV.
The most crucial paradigms in our digital lives today...
18. Investigative Journalism
How to find hidden sources. How to look for documents and people...
19. Forensic accounting, fraud investigation and fraud analytics
The 14 hour course(50casestudies) helps to understand fraud examination, forensic audit,financial crime, data analytics...
20. Employment Law Compliance Made Easy
A comprehensive course for management to understand key employment law issues in the workplace...
Top 10 most affordable universities for police investigators
The most affordable schools for police investigators are SUNY Farmingdale, california state university - bakersfield, and usf sarasota-manatee.
If the best universities for police investigators 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 police investigators.
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 police investigators
The hardest universities for police investigators to get into are Boston University, Stanford University, and Northwestern University.
Some great schools for police investigators 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 police investigators 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
4%
SAT average
1,497
3. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
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 police investigators
The easiest schools for police investigators 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 police investigator 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 police investigators.
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 police investigator salary by education level
| Police investigator education level | Police investigator salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $51,957 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $43,780 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $50,695 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $45,864 |
Police investigator education FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common protective service questions.
Search for police investigator jobs
Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025