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Senior police officer education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a senior police officer. Senior police officers usually study criminal justice, law enforcement, or business. 53% of senior police officers hold a bachelor's degree, and 29% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 568 real senior police officer resumes to see exactly what senior police officer education sections show.
The most common colleges for senior police officers are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.
There are also many online senior police officer courses to help get the education required to be a senior police officer.
What education do you need to become a senior police officer?
What degree do you need to be a senior police officer?
- Bachelor's, 53%
- Associate, 29%
- Master's, 7%
- High School Diploma, 4%
- Other Degrees, 7%
What should I major in to become a senior police officer?
- Criminal Justice, 46%
- Law Enforcement, 10%
- Business, 7%
- Law, 6%
- Other Majors, 31%
Most common colleges for senior police officers
| Senior police officer common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of Phoenix | 10.00% |
| Saint Leo University | 8.57% |
| American InterContinental University | 7.14% |
| University of Georgia | 7.14% |
| Georgia Southern University | 5.71% |
Best majors for senior police officers
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Criminal Justice | 46.1% |
| 2 | Law Enforcement | 10.4% |
| 3 | Business | 7.4% |
| 4 | Law | 6.3% |
| 5 | Management | 4.2% |
Best colleges for senior police officers
The best colleges for senior police officers are Northeastern University, Boston University, and Stanford University.
A senior police officer with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for senior police officers. 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 senior police officers.
1. Pennsylvania State University
University Park, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$18,454
Enrollment
40,108
2. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Enrollment
9,142
3. Western Carolina University
Cullowhee, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$3,926
Enrollment
9,835
4. University of New Haven
West Haven, CT • Private
In-state tuition
$39,270
Enrollment
5,041
5. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
6. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Enrollment
31,503
7. Syracuse University
Syracuse, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$51,853
Enrollment
14,759
8. SUNY at Binghamton
Vestal, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$9,808
Enrollment
13,990
9. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,522
Enrollment
13,760
10. San Diego State University
San Diego, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,488
Enrollment
30,018
20 best online courses for senior police officers
Advertising disclosure
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6. 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...
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10. 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...
11. Employment Law Compliance Made Easy
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12. Introduction to Criminal Psychology
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13. 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...
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17. American Contract Law II
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20. English for Business and Law - Contract Law
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Top 10 most affordable universities for senior police officers
The most affordable schools for senior police officers are California State University - Bakersfield, suny farmingdale, and california state university - long beach.
If the best universities for senior police officers 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 senior police officers.
1. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
2. SUNY Farmingdale
Farmingdale, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,306
Cost of attendance
16,091
3. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
4. Florida International University
Miami, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,556
Cost of attendance
19,434
5. USF Sarasota-Manatee
Sarasota, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,587
Cost of attendance
13,043
6. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Cost of attendance
14,469
7. Florida Atlantic University
Boca Raton, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$4,831
Cost of attendance
19,559
8. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
9. SUNY Polytechnic Institute
Utica, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,238
Cost of attendance
21,567
10. Minot State University
Minot, ND • Private
In-state tuition
$7,064
Cost of attendance
15,576
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for senior police officers
The hardest universities for senior police officers to get into are Northeastern University, Boston University, and Stanford University.
Some great schools for senior police officers 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 senior police officers 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. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
19%
SAT average
1,466
2. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
3. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
4. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
5. SUNY at Binghamton
Vestal, NY • Private
Admissions rate
40%
SAT average
1,376
6. George Washington University, The
Washington, DC • Private
Admissions rate
42%
SAT average
1,380
7. Syracuse University
Syracuse, NY • Private
Admissions rate
50%
SAT average
1,284
8. University of Maryland - College Park
College Park, MD • Private
Admissions rate
47%
SAT average
1,390
9. University of Denver
Denver, CO • Private
Admissions rate
56%
SAT average
1,300
10. SUNY Stony Brook
Stony Brook, NY • Private
Admissions rate
42%
SAT average
1,326
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for senior police officers
The easiest schools for senior police officers to get into are Notre Dame College, nyack college, and gwynedd mercy university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a senior police officer 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 senior police officers.
1. Notre Dame College
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
994
2. Nyack College
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
999
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. Curry College
Milton, MA • Private
Admissions rate
93%
SAT average
1,026
6. University of North Texas at Dallas
Dallas, TX • Private
Admissions rate
83%
SAT average
992
7. Presentation College
Aberdeen, SD • Private
Admissions rate
97%
SAT average
1,050
8. Felician University
Lodi, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
81%
SAT average
999
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 senior police officer salary by education level
| Senior police officer education level | Senior police officer salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $61,462 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $50,825 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $58,182 |
| Doctorate Degree | $60,391 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $55,288 |
Senior police officer education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025