Protective Officer Education Requirements And Courses

Protective officer education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025

2 min read

Usually, protective officers don't need a college education. The most common degree for protective officers is bachelor's degree with 38% graduates, with only 25% protective officer graduates earning associate degree. Protective officers who decided to graduate from college often finish University of Phoenix or American University. Some good skills to have in this position include customer service, emergency situations and patrol.

Popular protective officer certifications include First Aid, CPR and AED Instructor, Security 5 Certification, or OSHA Safety Certificate . To improve protective officer qualification and skills, we prepared some online courses to help in protective officer education paths.

What education do you need to become a protective officer?

What degree do you need to be a protective officer?

The most common degree for protective officers is bachelor's degree, with 38% of protective officers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 25% and associate degree degree at 19%.

Bachelor's, 38%

Associate, 25%

High School Diploma, 19%

Diploma, 7%

Other Degrees, 11%

What should I major in to become a protective officer?

You should major in criminal justice to become a protective officer. 47% of protective officers major in criminal justice. Other common majors for a protective officer include business and general studies.

Criminal Justice, 47%

Business, 11%

General Studies, 5%

Psychology, 4%

Other Majors, 33%

Best majors for protective officers

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Criminal Justice	46.8%
2	Business	11.1%
3	General Studies	4.9%
4	Psychology	4.2%
5	Law Enforcement	4.2%

Show more common protective officer majors

20 best online courses for protective officers

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Become an expert in Fire Safety, Fire Hazards Control, Fire Evacuation Plans, and Fire Risk Assessment...

4. Certified Information Systems Security Officer (CISSO)

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Certified Information Systems Security Officer (CISSO) Certification Exam Prep Course...

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Managing Fire Safety in Workplace...

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8. Basic Fire Safety Awareness

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Basic Fire Safety Awareness - Your Gateway towards Career in Fire Safety...

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CIPT, CIPM FREE GDPR and Incident Response Templates & Documentation - Practical GDPR and Incident Response Blueprint...

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Master Customer Service using this practical customer care course...

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How to Approach New Customers and Maintain Existing Ones...

Average protective officer salary by education level

According to our data, protective officers with a Master's degree earn the highest average salary, at $49,997 annually. Protective officers with a Bachelor's degree earn an average annual salary of $44,772.

Protective officer education level	Protective officer salary
Master's Degree	$49,997
High School Diploma or Less	$39,121
Bachelor's Degree	$44,772
Some College/ Associate Degree	$41,154