The best degree programs for cops aren’t just the ones with a good criminal justice curriculum. They’re the ones that actually work with the money your department is already offering: tuition reimbursement, education incentive pay, and promotion credit. Choose the wrong school and you can forfeit thousands of dollars in benefits you were entitled to. Choose the right one and your employer covers most (sometimes all) of the cost while you earn a raise for finishing.
This guide breaks down five accredited schools that pair well with law enforcement education benefits, what each one is best for, and how to make sure your department’s reimbursement and incentive pay apply. Officer benefits vary by agency and union contract, so treat this as a starting point as to which are the best degree programs for cops and confirm the details with your own department.
Why your department’s benefits should drive the decision
Before comparing schools, understand what’s on the table, because it’s substantial:
- Tuition reimbursement. Many medium and large agencies reimburse tuition for accredited coursework. Over a full degree that can be worth $40,000 to $80,000, and some departments cover up to 100 percent.
- Education incentive pay. Many contracts add ongoing pay once you hold a degree, often in the range of $1,500 a year for an associate, $3,000 for a bachelor’s, and $4,500 for a master’s, added directly to your salary.
- Promotion eligibility. Sergeant, lieutenant, and command positions increasingly require or reward a degree, so finishing can be the difference between staying put and moving up.
Two strings are almost always attached. First, the school usually must be accredited (many departments require regional accreditation specifically), so verify a school’s status through the free CHEA accreditation database before enrolling. Second, reimbursement typically comes with a retention contract, meaning you agree to stay with the agency for one to three years after the department pays. Neither is a dealbreaker, but both should shape your choice.
With that framing, here are the best degree programs for cops.
Best degree programs for cops at a glance
| School | Accreditation | Best for | Standout benefit for officers |
|---|---|---|---|
| SmarterDegree | Credits transfer to accredited partners | Finishing fast and affordably | Turns academy/POST training into transferable credit |
| American Military University | Regional (HLC) | Criminal justice specialization | Transfers POST training + up to 30 portfolio credits |
| Purdue Global | Regional (HLC) | Brand-name + prior learning | PME2Degree military/training credit, accelerated track |
| Excelsior University | Regional (Middle States) | Transfer-heavy officers | Generous transfer-credit acceptance |
| Western Governors University | Regional (NWCCU) | Self-paced, low flat cost | Finish faster to pay less; flat-rate tuition |
1. SmarterDegree — Best for finishing fast and stretching your benefits furthest
SmarterDegree earns the top spot for the officer who wants to finish quickly and get the most out of department funding. Rather than paying full university tuition course by course, you earn accredited, transferable credit through SmarterDegree, apply the training you already completed at the academy and through POST toward it, and transfer everything into a degree-granting partner university such as Excelsior, SUNY Albany, or Dunlap-Stone.
Why this matters for benefits: the faster and cheaper you reach the finish line, the further your reimbursement stretches and the sooner you cross the degree threshold that unlocks incentive pay. For officers whose departments cap reimbursement per year, replacing expensive university credits with lower-cost transferable ones can mean the difference between the benefit covering your whole degree and running out halfway. It’s built around the exact math that governs an officer’s education budget. You can see how the pathway works at SmarterDegree.
Best for: Working officers who want the fastest, most affordable accredited path and maximum use of their benefits.
2. American Military University — Best for criminal justice specialization
American Military University (part of APUS) is one of the most established names in law enforcement education, and it’s regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. Officers consistently praise two things: the criminal justice and homeland security curriculum, taught largely by instructors with real field experience, and the transfer policy. AMU accepts POST academy training toward a degree and offers a free portfolio-assessment course that can convert documented work experience into up to 30 credits, roughly a quarter of a bachelor’s.
That combination of a respected regional credential and heavy credit-for-experience makes it a strong reimbursement fit, since most departments recognize the accreditation and the transfer credit shortens the paid portion of the degree.
Best for: Officers who want a criminal-justice-focused degree with strong POST and experience transfer.
3. Purdue University Global — Best brand-name option with prior-learning credit
Purdue Global brings the Purdue name (regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission) to an online, working-adult format, and it’s one of the largest providers of public safety programs in the country. Its criminal justice students average roughly $15,000 and about 2.3 years to a bachelor’s, and the accelerated ExcelTrack option plus its PME2Degree military and training-credit program can compress that further for officers who bring experience.
For departments that want to see a recognizable, unquestionably accredited institution on the reimbursement paperwork, the Purdue name carries weight, and the prior-learning credit keeps the cost your benefits have to cover as low as possible.
Best for: Officers who want a well-known public university brand with generous prior-learning credit.
4. Excelsior University — Best for officers with lots of prior credit
Excelsior (regionally accredited by the Middle States Commission) was essentially designed for adult learners transferring credit in, which is exactly the situation many mid-career officers are in. It’s known for accepting generous amounts of transfer credit and supporting GI Bill and tuition-assistance use. Although its per-credit rate is higher than some competitors at around $510, the total cost often drops sharply for officers who transfer in substantial credit, because you pay for fewer remaining courses.
That transfer-friendliness is also why Excelsior shows up as a SmarterDegree destination: officers can earn credit affordably elsewhere and land it at Excelsior to finish.
Best for: Officers who already have significant college credit or academy/military credit to transfer.
5. Western Governors University — Best for self-paced, low-cost completion
WGU (regionally accredited by NWCCU) uses a competency-based model with flat-rate tuition, currently around $8,300 per year charged per six-month term. You complete as many courses as you can master in each term at no extra cost, so disciplined officers who study on their own schedule can finish faster and pay less. For a shift worker juggling irregular hours, the self-paced structure is a genuine advantage.
Because tuition is billed per term rather than per credit, WGU pairs especially well with departments that reimburse a fixed dollar amount, since finishing quickly maximizes how much degree you get per reimbursement dollar.
Best for: Self-motivated officers who want the lowest-cost, most flexible accredited path.
An honorable mention (and an accreditation caution)
Columbia Southern University is popular with police and fire professionals for its affordable, public-safety-focused programs. Include it on your shortlist, but confirm its accreditation is accepted by your department before enrolling, because some agencies reimburse only regionally accredited schools. This is the single most important check for any program: the best degree programs for cops are only “best” if your department’s benefits recognize them.
How to choose the right program for your situation
As you research the best degree programs for cops, work through these questions before you enroll:
- Does my department require regional accreditation? If so, confirm the school qualifies through an official database.
- How much credit can I transfer? More transfer and prior-learning credit means fewer courses your benefits have to cover.
- Does the total cost fit my reimbursement cap? Match the program’s real cost to what your agency will actually pay per year.
- Will this degree trigger incentive pay or a promotion? Confirm the level and field your contract rewards.
- What retention commitment am I accepting? Know the years you’ll owe before you sign.
Answer those honestly and the right school usually becomes obvious.
Best degree programs for cops: Frequently asked questions
What are the best degree programs for cops?
Five strong, accredited options are SmarterDegree (best for finishing fast and affordably), American Military University (criminal justice focus), Purdue Global (brand-name with prior-learning credit), Excelsior University (transfer-heavy officers), and Western Governors University (self-paced, low cost). The best choice depends on your prior credit, your department’s benefits, and how fast you want to finish.
Do police departments pay for college?
Most medium and large departments offer tuition reimbursement, often worth tens of thousands of dollars over a degree, and many add education incentive pay once you graduate. Benefits vary by agency and union contract, so check your own policy.
What degree is best for a police promotion?
Criminal justice, criminal justice administration, public administration, and homeland security are common choices that align with promotion and command-track requirements. Confirm which degrees and levels your department rewards.
Will my academy or POST training count as college credit?
Often, yes. Schools like American Military University and pathways like SmarterDegree convert POST academy training and documented experience into transferable college credit, which shortens the paid portion of your degree.
How much is police education incentive pay?
It varies by contract, but common figures are roughly $1,500 a year for an associate, $3,000 for a bachelor’s, and $4,500 for a master’s, added to your base salary on top of any tuition reimbursement.
Do online degrees qualify for department tuition reimbursement?
Usually, as long as the school is accredited to your department’s standard (often regional accreditation). An accredited online degree is treated the same as an on-campus one for reimbursement and incentive pay.
Ready to finish faster and make your benefits go further?
SmarterDegree helps officers turn academy and POST training into transferable credit and finish an accredited degree faster, so your department’s reimbursement covers more and you reach incentive pay sooner. See how it works ›