Guide
Police College Degree Incentive Pay by Department
Published
Of the 97 police agencies in this guide, 25 publish extra pay for college credit or a degree. The largest annual amount found is $7,862 at Long Beach Police Department in California (Master's degree).
Degree pay usually comes as a flat yearly amount or a percentage on top of base pay. Among the incentives with a dollar figure, the median is $2,500 a year.
Education incentive pay by department
| Department | State | Incentive | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mesa Police Department | Arizona | Bachelor's / Master's degree (completed before hire) | $500 / $1000 |
| Irvine Police Department | California | Intermediate POST | 5% |
| Irvine Police Department | California | Advanced POST (combined with Intermediate) | 15.5% |
| Santa Ana Police Department | California | Career Development Pay levels 1/2/3 | 5% / 10% / 15% |
| Santa Ana Police Department | California | Advanced POST | 2% |
| Los Angeles Police Department | California | Associate's degree (after advancing to PO II) | $190.00 biweekly |
| Los Angeles Police Department | California | Bachelor's degree (after advancing to PO II) | $290.00 biweekly |
| Long Beach Police Department | California | Associate degree | $1.60/hr |
| Long Beach Police Department | California | Bachelor's degree | $2.91/hr |
| Long Beach Police Department | California | Master's degree | $3.78/hr |
| Sacramento Police Department | California | Bachelor's degree | 5% |
| Riverside Police Department | California | Intermediate POST certificate | 10% |
| Riverside Police Department | California | Advanced POST certificate | 15% |
| Denver Police Department | Colorado | Education incentive (depends on degree) | up to $150/month |
| Tampa Police Department | Florida | Tuition reimbursement (undergrad) | $3,500/semester |
| Jacksonville Sheriff's Office | Florida | Master's degree (hired after Oct 1, 2006) | $200.00 monthly |
| Florida Highway Patrol | Florida | Education pay (Associate's $30/month, Bachelor's $80/month) | Up to $1,560 annually |
| Honolulu Police Department | Hawaii | Higher education reimbursement | up to $600 per session/$9,600 per fiscal year |
| New Orleans Police Department | Louisiana | Associate's degree | $1,000 per year |
| New Orleans Police Department | Louisiana | Bachelor's degree | $2,000 per year |
| New Orleans Police Department | Louisiana | Graduate degree | $3,000 per year |
| Detroit Police Department | Michigan | 60 credit hours or more | 2% additional pay |
| Albuquerque Police Department | New Mexico | Bachelor's degree | $100.00 biweekly |
| Albuquerque Police Department | New Mexico | Master's degree | $150 bi-weekly |
| Albuquerque Police Department | New Mexico | Ph.D. | $200.00 bi-weekly |
| Raleigh Police Department | North Carolina | Associate's degree | $660.00 annually |
| Raleigh Police Department | North Carolina | Bachelor's degree | $1,320.00 annually |
| Portland Police Bureau | Oregon | Bachelor's / Master's-JD-PhD | 3% or 5% |
| Oregon State Police | Oregon | Associate degree or Intermediate DPSST certification | 3% |
| Oregon State Police | Oregon | Bachelor's degree or Advanced DPSST certification | 6% |
| Austin Police Department | Texas | Associate's degree or 60 college hours | $1,200/year |
| Austin Police Department | Texas | Bachelor's degree | $2,640/year |
| Austin Police Department | Texas | Master's degree | $3,600/year |
| Arlington Police Department | Texas | Education pay | $110/month |
| San Antonio Police Department | Texas | College hours incentive (65 to 94 hours) | $60.00 per month |
| Corpus Christi Police Department | Texas | Bachelor's degree | $125/month |
| Corpus Christi Police Department | Texas | Master's degree | $155/month |
| Utah Highway Patrol | Utah | Tuition reimbursement | up to $5,250 annually |
| Vermont State Police | Vermont | Tuition reimbursement | Up to $10,000, payable over five years |
| Washington State Patrol | Washington | Associate's degree | 2% |
| Washington State Patrol | Washington | Bachelor's degree | 4% |
Largest annual college-degree incentives
View chart data
| Name | Amount |
|---|---|
| Long Beach Police Department: Master's degree | $7,862 |
| Los Angeles Police Department: Bachelor's degree (after advancing to PO II) | $7,540 |
| Long Beach Police Department: Bachelor's degree | $6,053 |
| Albuquerque Police Department: Ph.D. | $5,200 |
| Los Angeles Police Department: Associate's degree (after advancing to PO II) | $4,940 |
| Albuquerque Police Department: Master's degree | $3,900 |
| Austin Police Department: Master's degree | $3,600 |
| Long Beach Police Department: Associate degree | $3,328 |
| New Orleans Police Department: Graduate degree | $3,000 |
| Austin Police Department: Bachelor's degree | $2,640 |
| Albuquerque Police Department: Bachelor's degree | $2,600 |
| Jacksonville Sheriff's Office: Master's degree (hired after Oct 1, 2006) | $2,400 |
Is a degree worth it for police pay?
A bachelor’s degree adds the most where the incentive is a percentage of base pay, because it grows with every step. Some agencies also count a degree toward promotion eligibility, which matters more over a career than the incentive itself.
Check each department page for the exact rules, such as whether the degree must be in criminal justice or a related field.
Figures come from the official pay schedules linked on each state and department page. Agencies revise pay plans, so confirm the fiscal year and step rules with the official source before you rely on a number.