Criminal Justice Schools in Kentucky

Updated September 17, 2026

Kentucky certifies officers through more than one pathway: city, county, and sheriff’s agencies use the Department of Criminal Justice Training’s Law Enforcement Basic Training, while Kentucky State Police troopers attend KSP’s own academy. Certification standards come from the Kentucky Law Enforcement Council. As of May 2025, Kentucky detectives earn a median $71,670 a year, and patrol officers earn $60,490.

State Agency: Department of Criminal Justice Training

Kentucky doesn’t run one police academy. It runs at least two: the Department of Criminal Justice Training (DOCJT) trains officers for city, county, and sheriff’s agencies, while Kentucky State Police runs its own separate academy for troopers. The Kentucky Law Enforcement Council (KLEC) sets the certification standards both pathways have to meet. Here’s how that hiring and training landscape actually works, what a degree does and doesn’t buy you, where to study in-state, and what the job pays right now.

Featured Programs:

Major Kentucky Cities

Louisville

Search Your State

How Kentucky Hires and Certifies Its Officers

Which academy you attend depends on who hires you. If you’re hired by a city police department, a county or sheriff’s office, or another local agency, you’ll go through DOCJT’s Law Enforcement Basic Training in Richmond, which DOCJT lists at more than 800 hours and covers patrol procedures, firearms, defensive tactics, and criminal investigations, among other areas. If you’re hired as a Kentucky State Trooper, you instead attend the Kentucky State Police Academy in Frankfort, a separate 24-week program of more than 1,000 hours built specifically for that agency.

For both pathways, you generally need to be hired by the agency before you attend its academy, and KLEC sets the certification standards behind each. KRS 15.382 lays out the statutory floor for certification: U.S. citizenship, at least 21 years old, a high school diploma or GED, a valid driver’s license, fingerprinting and a background investigation, no disqualifying felony or certain misdemeanor convictions, plus a physical agility test, psychological screening, and a polygraph. Individual agencies can require more than this floor.

Certified peace officers in Kentucky are generally required to complete 40 hours of KLEC-approved continuing education a year to keep their certification current, though the specific hours and format can vary by officer category and agency. On top of DOCJT and KSP, Kentucky’s 120 counties each maintain their own sheriff’s office, alongside city police departments statewide.

Choosing a Criminal Justice Degree in Kentucky

A degree isn’t part of Kentucky’s certification requirements — but many agencies still value one enough to tie pay incentives or promotion opportunities to it. Policies vary widely by department, so check directly with any agency you’re targeting rather than assuming a blanket rule.

Programs vary, but common bachelor’s coursework can include:

Serial Killers and Mass Murderers
Race, Class and Gender
Police Ethics
Crime and Punishment
Criminal Law
An Introduction to Courts and Corrections
Criminal Procedures

Some Kentucky schools let you specialize instead of taking the generalist track. Eastern Kentucky University, for example, offers coursework in security science and homeland security alongside its core criminal justice programs. Many bachelor’s programs also include an internship component, though specifics vary by school.

Worried about the cost before you commit to a program? The criminal justice scholarships guide lists awards built specifically for criminal justice majors, with eligibility and deadlines, and it’s worth checking before you look at loans.

Where to Study Criminal Justice in Kentucky

Per U.S. Department of Education data, 36 institutions in Kentucky offer a program in the criminal-justice family, from single certificates up through University of Louisville’s doctoral track. Confirm current enrollment, format, and admission requirements directly with any school before you apply; federal reporting can lag a school’s current catalog.

Institution	City	Type	Credential Levels Offered
ATA College	Louisville	Private for-profit	Associate
Asbury University	Wilmore	Private nonprofit	Bachelor’s
Ashland Community and Technical College	Ashland	Public	Certificate, Associate
Beckfield College-Florence	Florence	Private for-profit	Certificate, Associate, Bachelor’s, Post-bacc. Certificate
Bellarmine University	Louisville	Private nonprofit	Bachelor’s
Big Sandy Community and Technical College	Prestonsburg	Public	Certificate, Associate
Bluegrass Community and Technical College	Lexington	Public	Certificate, Associate
Campbellsville University	Campbellsville	Private nonprofit	Associate, Bachelor’s, Master’s
Eastern Kentucky University	Richmond	Public	Certificate, Associate, Bachelor’s, Post-bacc. Certificate, Grad. Certificate, Master’s
Elizabethtown Community and Technical College	Elizabethtown	Public	Certificate, Associate
Gateway Community and Technical College	Florence	Public	Certificate, Associate
Hazard Community and Technical College	Hazard	Public	Certificate, Associate
Hopkinsville Community College	Hopkinsville	Public	Certificate, Associate
Jefferson Community and Technical College	Louisville	Public	Certificate, Associate
Kentucky State University	Frankfort	Public	Bachelor’s
Kentucky Wesleyan College	Owensboro	Private nonprofit	Bachelor’s
Lindsey Wilson College	Columbia	Private nonprofit	Associate, Bachelor’s
Madisonville Community College	Madisonville	Public	Certificate, Associate
Maysville Community and Technical College	Maysville	Public	Certificate, Associate
Midway University	Midway	Private nonprofit	Bachelor’s
Morehead State University	Morehead	Public	Bachelor’s
Murray State University	Murray	Public	Bachelor’s
Northern Kentucky University	Highland Heights	Public	Associate, Bachelor’s, Grad. Certificate
Owensboro Community and Technical College	Owensboro	Public	Certificate, Associate
Somerset Community College	Somerset	Public	Certificate, Associate
Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College	Bowling Green	Public	Certificate, Associate
Southeast Kentucky Community & Technical College	Cumberland	Public	Certificate, Associate
Sullivan University	Louisville	Private for-profit	Certificate, Associate, Bachelor’s, Post-bacc. Certificate, Grad. Certificate
Thomas More University	Crestview Hills	Private nonprofit	Associate, Bachelor’s
Union College	Barbourville	Private nonprofit	Bachelor’s
University of Kentucky	Lexington	Public	Grad. Certificate
University of Louisville	Louisville	Public	Certificate, Associate, Bachelor’s, Post-bacc. Certificate, Grad. Certificate, Master’s, Doctoral
University of Pikeville	Pikeville	Private nonprofit	Associate, Bachelor’s
University of the Cumberlands	Williamsburg	Private nonprofit	Associate, Bachelor’s, Master’s
West Kentucky Community and Technical College	Paducah	Public	Certificate, Associate
Western Kentucky University	Bowling Green	Public	Certificate, Associate, Bachelor’s, Grad. Certificate

School and program data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, institution file May 2025 and field-of-study file April 2025. Data accessed September 2026.

Salaries and Job Outlook for Kentucky Criminal Justice Careers

As of May 2025 BLS wage data, Kentucky’s protective service occupations overall employ about 44,000 people. The dollar figures below come from BLS’s May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey for Kentucky specifically, not a national average:

Occupation	Median Annual Wage (May 2025)	Projected Growth (2024–34)
Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officers	$60,490	+1.7% (+120 jobs)
Detectives and Criminal Investigators	$71,670	-0.1% (essentially flat)
Correctional Officers and Jailers	$42,310	+0.6% (+40 jobs)
Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists	$59,610	+0.3% (essentially flat)

Detective work pays the most on this list, but it’s also the most static of the four in projected headcount. Corrections pays the least of the four and carries the largest workforce among them.

May 2025 US Bureau of Labor Statistics salary figures for Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officers and Detectives and Criminal Investigators, Correctional Officers and Jailers, and Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists. Long-term (2024-34) job growth projections from the US Department of Labor-sponsored resource, ProjectionsCentral. Figures reflect state-level data, not school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary. Data accessed September 2026.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do Kentucky police departments require a college degree?

No. Kentucky’s statutory minimum for peace officer certification (KRS 15.382) requires U.S. citizenship, a minimum age of 21, a high school diploma or GED, and passing a background investigation, physical agility test, and other screenings. It doesn’t require a college degree, though individual agencies can add requirements or offer pay incentives for one.

How long is police academy training in Kentucky?

It depends on who hires you. Officers headed to a city, county, or sheriff’s department attend DOCJT’s Law Enforcement Basic Training, which DOCJT lists at more than 800 hours. Kentucky State Troopers instead attend the separate Kentucky State Police Academy, a 24-week program of more than 1,000 hours. Both require the agency to hire you first.

How much do criminal justice professionals earn in Kentucky?

As of May 2025 BLS OEWS data for Kentucky, detectives earn a median $71,670 a year, patrol officers earn $60,490, probation officers earn $59,610, and correctional officers earn $42,310. Corrections pays the least of the four but also employs the most people.

Where can I earn a criminal justice degree in Kentucky?

Per federal education data, 36 Kentucky institutions offer a program in the criminal-justice family, from community-college certificates through University of Louisville’s doctoral track. See the Where to Study table above, and confirm current enrollment and admission details directly with any school you’re considering.

Key Takeaways

Which academy you attend depends on your agency. City, county, and sheriff’s agencies certify officers through DOCJT’s Law Enforcement Basic Training; Kentucky State Troopers attend a separate KSP academy.
Both pathways generally require the agency to hire you first. KLEC sets the certification standards behind each, including the statutory minimums in KRS 15.382.
A degree isn’t required for certification, but some agencies value one. Pay incentives and promotion policies vary by department, so check with agencies directly.
Corrections pays the least of the four careers here. At a median $42,310, correctional officer roles also represent the largest workforce among the four occupations covered, per May 2025 BLS data.

Still weighing how to pay for a degree? The scholarships guide covers awards built specifically for criminal justice majors, with eligibility, amounts, and deadlines.

Read: Scholarships for Criminal Justice Majors and Grad Students