Sheriff education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a sheriff. Sheriffs usually study criminal justice, business, or law enforcement. 36% of sheriffs hold a bachelor's degree, and 27% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 618 real sheriff resumes to see exactly what sheriff education sections show.

The most common colleges for sheriffs are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.

There are also many online sheriff courses to help get the education required to be a sheriff.

What education do you need to become a sheriff?

What degree do you need to be a sheriff?

The most common degree for sheriffs is bachelor's degree, with 36% of sheriffs earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 27% and associate degree degree at 19%.

Bachelor's, 36%

Associate, 27%

High School Diploma, 19%

Master's, 6%

Other Degrees, 12%

What should I major in to become a sheriff?

You should major in criminal justice to become a sheriff. 45% of sheriffs major in criminal justice. Other common majors for a sheriff include business and law enforcement.

Criminal Justice, 45%

Business, 10%

Law Enforcement, 6%

Psychology, 5%

Other Majors, 34%

Most common colleges for sheriffs

Sheriffs often get their degrees at University of Phoenix, California State University - San Bernardino, and Marshall University. Here are the most common colleges for sheriffs in the US based on their resumes.

Sheriff common college	Percentages
University of Phoenix	9.62%
California State University - San Bernardino	9.62%
Marshall University	5.77%
Madison Area Technical College	5.77%
American University	5.77%

Show more common sheriff colleges

Best majors for sheriffs

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Criminal Justice	44.7%
2	Business	9.8%
3	Law Enforcement	5.7%
4	Psychology	4.5%
5	Law	4.5%

Show more common sheriff majors

Best colleges for sheriffs

The best colleges for sheriffs are Northeastern University, Boston University, and Stanford University.

A sheriff with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for sheriffs. 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 sheriffs.

1. Pennsylvania State University

University Park, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$18,454

Enrollment

40,108

2. Syracuse University

Syracuse, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$51,853

Enrollment

14,759

3. California State University - Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,309

Enrollment

9,142

4. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Enrollment

31,503

5. SUNY at Binghamton

Vestal, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$9,808

Enrollment

13,990

6. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,522

Enrollment

13,760

7. San Diego State University

San Diego, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,488

Enrollment

30,018

8. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,306

Enrollment

9,394

9. Siena Heights University

Adrian, MI • Private

In-state tuition

$27,124

Enrollment

2,035

10. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,354

Enrollment

7,083

20 best online courses for sheriffs

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Top 10 most affordable universities for sheriffs

The most affordable schools for sheriffs are SUNY Farmingdale, california state university - bakersfield, and california state university - long beach.

If the best universities for sheriffs 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 sheriffs.

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. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

4. USF Sarasota-Manatee

Sarasota, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,587

Cost of attendance

13,043

5. California State University - Dominguez Hills

Carson, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,942

Cost of attendance

14,469

6. Florida Atlantic University

Boca Raton, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$4,831

Cost of attendance

19,559

7. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

8. SUNY Polytechnic Institute

Utica, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,238

Cost of attendance

21,567

9. Minot State University

Minot, ND • Private

In-state tuition

$7,064

Cost of attendance

15,576

10. Florida International University

Miami, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,556

Cost of attendance

19,434

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for sheriffs

The hardest universities for sheriffs to get into are Northeastern University, Boston University, and Stanford University.

Some great schools for sheriffs 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 sheriffs 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

SAT average

1,497

4. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

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 Tulsa

Tulsa, OK • Private

Admissions rate

41%

SAT average

1,321

9. Boston College

Chestnut Hill, MA • Private

Admissions rate

28%

SAT average

1,429

10. University of Denver

Denver, CO • Private

Admissions rate

56%

SAT average

1,300

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for sheriffs

The easiest schools for sheriffs 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 sheriff 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 sheriffs.

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. 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 sheriff salary by education level

Sheriffs with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $56,056 annually. With a Doctorate degree, sheriffs earn a median annual income of $54,625 compared to $51,714 for sheriffs with an Bachelor's degree.

Sheriff education level	Sheriff salary
Master's Degree	$56,056
High School Diploma or Less	$42,391
Bachelor's Degree	$51,714
Doctorate Degree	$54,625
Some College/ Associate Degree	$47,975

Sheriff education FAQs

What is the best college for Sheriffs?

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Search for sheriff 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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