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Police academy in Virginia

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

2 schools offer these law enforcement programs, and Virginia 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 Virginia, all 3 programs ask for a high school diploma or equivalent.

By kind, the 3 programs here are jail or detention officer course (1 program), police academy (basic law enforcement, 1 program) and law enforcement certificate (1 program).

See the 3 programs

How much does police academy cost in Virginia?

$2,585 to $5,003

from the lowest-priced program to the highest, if you pay yourself

In the typical program

Finished the program
Not enough data
2 programs report it; a typical figure needs 5
Working 6 months later
Not enough data
1 program reports it; a typical figure needs 5
Earned a year, estimated
Not enough data
1 program reports it; a typical figure needs 5
Length
Not enough data
3 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 Virginia may also offer police academy training. How these figures are made

Is there free police academy training in Virginia?

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

All 3 police and corrections programs in Virginia approved for WIOA funding

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Kind of program
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3 programs

  • Jail or detention officer courseIn personHigh school diploma or equivalent

    Entry Level Jail Officer

    New River Criminal Justice Training Academy

    Dublin

    High school diploma or equivalent

    New River Criminal Justice Training Academy, DublinJail or detention officer courseIn person · High school diploma or equivalent

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourself$2,585
    More details about Entry Level Jail Officer at New River Criminal Justice Training Academy
    Finished
    96%
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    12 weeks, 40 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    $1,900
    Students counted
    23
    Earned a year, estimated
    Not reported
    Price if you pay yourself
    $2,585

  • Police academy (basic law enforcement)In personHigh school diploma or equivalent

    Basic Entry Level Law Enforcement/Court/Civil Officer

    New River Criminal Justice Training Academy

    Dublin

    High school diploma or equivalent

    New River Criminal Justice Training Academy, DublinPolice academy (basic law enforcement)In person · High school diploma or equivalent

    Earned a year, estimated$38,000
    Price if you pay yourself$4,585
    More details about Basic Entry Level Law Enforcement/Court/Civil Officer at New River Criminal Justice Training Academy
    Finished
    91%
    Working at 6 months
    100%
    Earned in a quarter
    $9,488
    Length
    24 weeks, 40 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    $1,900
    Students counted
    22
    Earned a year, estimated
    $38,000
    Price if you pay yourself
    $4,585

  • Law enforcement certificateHybridHigh school diploma or equivalent

    Foundations of Law Enforcement

    ECPI University (LWDB-Hampton Roads)

    Virginia Beach

    Accredited school

    High school diploma or equivalent

    ECPI University (LWDB-Hampton Roads), Virginia BeachLaw enforcement certificate · Accredited schoolHybrid · High school diploma or equivalent

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourself$5,003
    More details about Foundations of Law Enforcement at ECPI University (LWDB-Hampton Roads)
    Finished
    Not reported
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    10 weeks, 1 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    None listed
    Students counted
    Not reported
    Earned a year, estimated
    Not reported
    Price if you pay yourself
    $5,003

How to pay for police academy training in Virginia

WIOA funding can pay for police academy training in Virginia

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.

Police academy in Blacksburg, Virginia Beach and other Virginia cities

Choosing an area filters the program list above.

Other training in Virginia

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

Where the Virginia law enforcement program numbers come from

Which Virginia law enforcement programs are on this list?

These are the law enforcement programs Virginia 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 Virginia offers.

How the prices and results of Virginia 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.

Sources for the facts about police academy training in Virginia

Show the 9 sourcesHide the sources
  1. US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook: Police and Detectives
  2. US Department of Labor, TrainingProviderResults.gov: About This Site
  3. US Department of Labor: WIOA Adult Program
  4. Code of Federal Regulations, title 20, part 680, sections 680.220, 680.230 and 680.310: career services before training, other grants such as Pell Grants first, and limits on Individual Training Accounts (GovInfo, 2024 edition)
  5. US Department of Labor: American Job Centers
  6. US Department of Education, Federal Student Aid: Eligibility for Federal Student Aid
  7. US Department of Education, Federal Student Aid: Don't Miss Out on Federal Pell Grants
  8. US Department of Veterans Affairs: GI Bill benefits for non-college degree programs
  9. US Department of Labor, Training and Employment Guidance Letter 8-19, Attachment I: Requirements for Training Providers, Program Eligibility, and the State Eligible Training Provider (ETP) List