Police academy in Pennsylvania

4 police and corrections programs with costs, results and funding that can make them free

3 schools offer these law enforcement programs, and Pennsylvania has approved every one for workforce funding. Each shows its price if you pay yourself and how past students did.

Police officers protect lives and property. Applicants need at least a high school diploma, though some departments and federal agencies ask for college classes or a degree, and they usually must be 21 and meet strict physical and personal standards; most then graduate from their agency's training academy and train on the job.¹

In Pennsylvania, all 4 programs ask for a high school diploma or equivalent.

By kind, the 4 programs here are police academy (basic law enforcement, 2 programs), law enforcement certificate (1 program) and corrections officer academy (1 program).

See the 4 programs

How much does police academy cost in Pennsylvania?

$3,990 to $8,200

is what the 4 programs with a price cost if you pay yourself

In the typical program

Finished the program: Not enough data; 3 programs report it; a typical figure needs 5
Working 6 months later: Not reported; None of the 4 programs report it
Earned a year, estimated: Not reported; None of the 4 programs report it
Length: Not enough data; 4 programs report it; a typical figure needs 5

Source: US Department of Labor, program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025). Only programs approved for workforce funding are listed; other schools in Pennsylvania may also offer police academy training. How these figures are made

Is there free police academy training in Pennsylvania?

Yes, if you qualify. WIOA (public workforce funding) can pay for any program on this page, in full or in part, depending on local limits.²³⁴In program year 2024 it paid toward the training of at least 3 people at 1 of the 4 programs here.
Ask an American Job Center whether you qualify, or call 1-877-872-5627.⁵ Before funding training, the center goes through an assessment and a career plan with you.⁴
Or pay yourself. These programs cost $3,990 to $8,200.

Who qualifies, and other ways to pay: financial aid, grants and the GI Bill

All 4 police and corrections programs in Pennsylvania approved for WIOA funding

4 programs

Law enforcement certificateOnlineHigh school diploma or equivalent
Police Technology Certificate
Community College Of Beaver County
Based in Monaca, PA
Accredited school
High school diploma or equivalent
Community College Of Beaver County, based in Monaca, PALaw enforcement certificate · Accredited schoolOnline · High school diploma or equivalent
Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
Price if you pay yourself$8,200
Program website, Police Technology Certificate at Community College Of Beaver County
More details about Police Technology Certificate at Community College Of Beaver County
Finished
20%
Working at 6 months
Not reported
Earned in a quarter
Not reported
Length
52 weeks, 18 hours a week
Cost of supplies
$1,350
Students counted
32
Earned a year, estimated
Not reported
Price if you pay yourself
$8,200
Program website, Police Technology Certificate at Community College Of Beaver County
Police academy (basic law enforcement)OnlineHigh school diploma or equivalent
Municipal Police Officer's Training Academy
Westmoreland County
Based in Youngwood, PA
Accredited school
High school diploma or equivalent
Westmoreland County, based in Youngwood, PAPolice academy (basic law enforcement) · Accredited schoolOnline · High school diploma or equivalent
Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
Price if you pay yourself$4,950
3 students trained with WIOA funding
Program website, Municipal Police Officer's Training Academy at Westmoreland County
More details about Municipal Police Officer's Training Academy at Westmoreland County
Finished
91%
Working at 6 months
Not reported
Earned in a quarter
Not reported
Length
24 weeks, 40 hours a week
Cost of supplies
$505
Students counted
23
Earned a year, estimated
Not reported
Price if you pay yourself
$4,950
students trained with WIOA funding
3
Program website, Municipal Police Officer's Training Academy at Westmoreland County
Corrections officer academyOnlineHigh school diploma or equivalent
Criminal Justice/Corrections Officer Certificate
Westmoreland County
Based in Youngwood, PA
Accredited school
High school diploma or equivalent
Westmoreland County, based in Youngwood, PACorrections officer academy · Accredited schoolOnline · High school diploma or equivalent
Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
Price if you pay yourself$3,990
Program website, Criminal Justice/Corrections Officer Certificate at Westmoreland County
More details about Criminal Justice/Corrections Officer Certificate at Westmoreland County
Finished
27%
Working at 6 months
Not reported
Earned in a quarter
Not reported
Length
24 weeks, 10 hours a week
Cost of supplies
$3,275
Students counted
18
Earned a year, estimated
Not reported
Price if you pay yourself
$3,990
Program website, Criminal Justice/Corrections Officer Certificate at Westmoreland County
Police academy (basic law enforcement)OnlineHigh school diploma or equivalent
Municipal Police Academy- ACT 120
Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP)
Based in Indiana, PA
Accredited school
High school diploma or equivalent
Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP), based in Indiana, PAPolice academy (basic law enforcement) · Accredited schoolOnline · High school diploma or equivalent
Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
Price if you pay yourself$6,300
Program website, Municipal Police Academy- ACT 120 at Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP)
More details about Municipal Police Academy- ACT 120 at Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP)
Finished
Not reported
Working at 6 months
Not reported
Earned in a quarter
Not reported
Length
22 weeks, 42 hours a week
Cost of supplies
$890
Students counted
Not reported
Earned a year, estimated
Not reported
Price if you pay yourself
$6,300
Program website, Municipal Police Academy- ACT 120 at Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP)

How to pay for police academy training in Pennsylvania

WIOA funding can pay for police academy training in Pennsylvania

Every program on this page is approved for it. Whether you qualify, how much your local area pays and how to apply are on our page Does WIOA pay for job training?

Financial aid and grants for police academy training

Most students can get federal student aid for college, career school or trade school. A Federal Pell Grant, unlike a loan, usually doesn't have to be repaid. Ask the school whether its program qualifies.⁶⁷

GI Bill for police academy training

Veterans, service members and qualified dependents can use GI Bill benefits for non-college training programs.⁸

The program list does not show which programs accept these. Ask the school.

Other training in Pennsylvania

How police academy training compares with the rest of public safety: First responder training in Pennsylvania

Where the Pennsylvania law enforcement program numbers come from

Which Pennsylvania law enforcement programs are on this list?

These are the law enforcement programs Pennsylvania approved for WIOA funding (public workforce funding under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act), as reported to the US Department of Labor for program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025). Each state keeps its approved programs on an eligible training provider list (ETPL).⁹ The list here covers programs approved as of June 30, 2025. Schools that never applied for approval are missing, so this is a part of what Pennsylvania offers.

How the prices and results of Pennsylvania law enforcement programs are measured

Prices are tuition and required fees for someone paying without workforce funding, as the school reported them; check the current price with the school. Results describe students who left each program in recent years, so they are no guarantee, and the yearly earnings are the reported quarter times four, an estimate. A program without a "Trained with WIOA funding" line may still take WIOA students. Where a field was left empty or withheld, the page says "Not reported", and "Left out" where a figure was filed but failed one of our checks; nothing is estimated to fill a gap. Where the numbers come from explains each figure in full.

How reliable are the Pennsylvania figures?

We leave out the share working 6 months later for Pennsylvania: its rates sit far below every other state's, and the counts suggest jobs were traced only for students whose training was publicly paid.

Sources for the facts about police academy training in Pennsylvania

Show the 9 sourcesHide the sources

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