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Warden education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a warden. Wardens usually study criminal justice, business, or psychology. 59% of wardens hold a bachelor's degree, and 16% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 969 real warden resumes to see exactly what warden education sections show.
The most common colleges for wardens are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.
There are also many online warden courses to help get the education required to be a warden.
What education do you need to become a warden?
What degree do you need to be a warden?
- Bachelor's, 59%
- Associate, 16%
- Master's, 11%
- High School Diploma, 7%
- Other Degrees, 7%
What should I major in to become a warden?
- Criminal Justice, 26%
- Business, 16%
- Psychology, 7%
- Other Majors, 47%
Most common colleges for wardens
| Warden common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of Phoenix | 8.97% |
| Sam Houston State University | 7.69% |
| West Virginia University | 6.41% |
| University of Maryland - College Park | 6.41% |
| Florida State University | 6.41% |
Best majors for wardens
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Criminal Justice | 26.0% |
| 2 | Business | 16.1% |
| 3 | Psychology | 6.6% |
| 4 | Public Administration | 4.2% |
| 5 | Political Science | 4.2% |
Best colleges for wardens
The best colleges for wardens are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and Northeastern University.
A warden with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for wardens. 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 wardens.
1. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
2. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
3. University of Texas at Austin
Austin, TX • Private
In-state tuition
$10,610
Enrollment
40,329
4. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
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. George Washington University, The
Washington, DC • Private
In-state tuition
$55,230
Enrollment
12,161
8. Pennsylvania State University
University Park, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$18,454
Enrollment
40,108
9. University of Georgia
Athens, GA • Private
In-state tuition
$11,830
Enrollment
29,474
10. Ball State University
Muncie, IN • Private
In-state tuition
$9,896
Enrollment
15,529
20 best online courses for wardens
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Top 10 most affordable universities for wardens
The most affordable schools for wardens are Baruch College of the City University of New York, usf sarasota-manatee, and brigham young university.
If the best universities for wardens 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 wardens.
1. Baruch College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,262
Cost of attendance
14,046
2. USF Sarasota-Manatee
Sarasota, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,587
Cost of attendance
13,043
3. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
4. California State University - Fullerton
Fullerton, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,886
Cost of attendance
17,645
5. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Cost of attendance
20,456
6. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
7. SUNY Farmingdale
Farmingdale, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,306
Cost of attendance
16,091
8. University of Houston - Victoria
Victoria, TX • Private
In-state tuition
$6,491
Cost of attendance
19,075
9. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
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 wardens
The hardest universities for wardens to get into are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and Northeastern University.
Some great schools for wardens 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 wardens 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. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
2. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
3. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
19%
SAT average
1,466
4. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
5. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
17%
SAT average
1,507
6. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
7. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
8. George Washington University, The
Washington, DC • Private
Admissions rate
42%
SAT average
1,380
9. University of Texas at Austin
Austin, TX • Private
Admissions rate
39%
SAT average
1,367
10. University of Miami
Coral Gables, FL • Private
Admissions rate
32%
SAT average
1,365
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for wardens
The easiest schools for wardens to get into are University of North Texas at Dallas, oklahoma wesleyan university, and notre dame college.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a warden 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 wardens.
1. University of North Texas at Dallas
Dallas, TX • Private
Admissions rate
83%
SAT average
992
2. Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Bartlesville, OK • Private
Admissions rate
68%
SAT average
964
3. Notre Dame College
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
994
4. Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,031
5. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
6. Felician University
Lodi, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
81%
SAT average
999
7. University of the Incarnate Word
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,044
8. La Roche College
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
99%
SAT average
1,008
9. Waynesburg University
Waynesburg, PA • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,080
10. Holy Names University
Oakland, CA • Private
Admissions rate
70%
SAT average
849
Average warden salary by education level
| Warden education level | Warden salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $87,214 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $79,605 |
| Doctorate Degree | $87,200 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $60,759 |
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025