Prison Guard Education Requirements And Courses

Prison guard education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025

2 min read

Usually, prison guards don't need a college education. The most common degree for prison guards is high school diploma with 47% graduates, with only 23% prison guard graduates earning bachelor's degree. Prison guards who decided to graduate from college often finish University of Nevada - Reno or Ashford University. Some good skills to have in this position include security procedures, emergency situations and incident reports.

What education do you need to become a prison guard?

What degree do you need to be a prison guard?

The most common degree for prison guards is high school diploma, with 47% of prison guards earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are bachelor's degree degree at 23% and bachelor's degree degree at 13%.

High School Diploma, 47%

Bachelor's, 23%

Associate, 13%

Diploma, 13%

Other Degrees, 4%

What should I major in to become a prison guard?

You should major in criminal justice to become a prison guard. 23% of prison guards major in criminal justice. Other common majors for a prison guard include psychology and education.

Criminal Justice, 23%

Psychology, 8%

Education, 8%

Management, 6%

Other Majors, 55%

Best majors for prison guards

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Criminal Justice	22.8%
2	Psychology	7.6%
3	Education	7.6%
4	Management	6.3%
5	Liberal Arts	6.3%

Show more common prison guard majors

20 best online courses for prison guards

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Average prison guard salary by education level

According to our data, prison guards with a Bachelor's degree earn the highest average salary, at $44,786 annually. Prison guards with a Associate degree earn an average annual salary of $43,612.

Prison guard education level	Prison guard salary
High School Diploma or Less	$41,618
Bachelor's Degree	$44,786
Some College/ Associate Degree	$43,612