Officer career can be a dream job for many people, but they face some difficulties because of the financial crisis or online competition. With police officer degree, you can get good jobs in the place that you want to.

INTRODUCTION

A police officer salary with a degree is not a myth. Today, many law enforcement agencies give preferential treatment to job candidates who have a college degree. Your decision to earn a college degree and pursue your career as a police officer has more benefits than you can imagine. As you weigh all the pros and cons of becoming a police officer, the education benefits provided by some agencies may be the final tipping point in favor of pursuing this wonderful career.

A Police Officer’s Starting Salary

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Police officers are responsible for maintaining law and order and public safety. Educational requirements vary by jurisdiction, but most officers are required to complete an academy program before receiving a badge. Annual salaries for police officers also vary significantly between jurisdictions, and officers working in different regions can sometimes earn far more, or less, than their counterparts within the state.

Job Description

Police officers typically begin their careers as uniformed patrol officers. Typical job duties include:

• Responding to calls for assistance from members of the public
• Stopping crimes in progress
• Securing crime and accident scenes
• Performing initial investigations
• Collecting evidence
• Writing reports
• Making arrests, when necessary

Education Requirements

Each police department or agency sets its own educational requirements for recruits. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, police officers are expected to hold a high school diploma or its equivalent. Federal law enforcement agencies, and even some local departments, require officers to hold a bachelor’s degree. New recruits are usually required to complete intensive training at a police academy. The BLS also notes that foreign language skills are often in demand by federal agencies.

In some cases, holding a two or four-year degree can increase your chances of getting hired, and may be a necessity for earning a promotion to higher ranks in the department. If you don’t have a degree, find out whether the department you applied to offers tuition reimbursement. In some cases, you may be able to complete a degree part time, at minimal expense, while working as a police officer.

BLS records show that the median annual wage for police and sheriff’s patrol officers was $61,050 in May of 2017. This means that 50 percent of all officers made more than this amount and the other half made less. The top 10 percent of earners made more than $105,230 and the bottom 10 percent earned less than $35,780.

Salaries also differ significantly by state and municipality. For example, California patrol officers in 2017 earned an annual mean (average) wage of $100,090, the highest in the nation. Yet compensation at different departments within the state vary widely: Officers working for the San Jose Police Department earned an annual mean salary of $123,810, while those working in the Northern Mountains Region of California nonmetropolitan area took home only $85,420.

Industry

According to the BLS, police officers usually work full time and can expect to be required to work weekends, holidays and overnight. Police work can be dangerous, and officers have a higher-than-average risk of sustaining on-the-job injuries. Many officers, particularly at the beginning of their careers, spend their days on the streets patrolling neighborhoods and responding to calls.

Years of Experience

A survey by PayScale.com showed that police officers can expect to earn more as they gain job experience. The survey results show the following correlation between earnings and years on the job:

• 0-5 years: $44,000 
• 5-10 years: $50,000 
• 10-20 years: $55,000 
• 20+ years: $64,000 

Job Growth Trend

The BLS anticipates a 7 percent increase in employment for police officers between 2016 and 2026. The best opportunities for finding a good police job will be for those who hold a four-year college degree, know more than one language or are military veterans.

CONCLUSION

The fact is, it is hard to get a job without that college degree and certificates. But what if you want to be a police officer? It might seem like your only options are to go back to school or be discouraged from the outset. Well, there is a third option: consider law enforcement work as an option. You’ll have to have all the right requirements, of course, but the pay is good. So, find all the information you need in this article and start your career working for the police right away.