Police academy in Seattle, Washington

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

3 schools offer these law enforcement programs with classes in the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue area, and every one is approved 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 Seattle, 1 of the 4 programs takes students without a high school diploma and 3 ask for earlier courses first.

By kind, the 4 programs here are law enforcement certificate (2 programs) and corrections certificate (2 programs).

See the 4 programs

All 7 police and corrections programs in Washington, including online programs

How much does police academy cost in Seattle?

$753 to $3,600

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

In the typical program

Finished the program: Not enough data; 1 program reports 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; 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 Seattle may also offer police academy training. How these figures are made

Is there free police academy training in Seattle?

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.²³⁴
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 $753 to $3,600.

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

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

4 programs

Law enforcement certificateHybridPrerequisite courses
Law Enforcement
Green River College
Auburn
Accredited school
Prerequisite courses
Green River College, AuburnLaw enforcement certificate · Accredited schoolHybrid · Prerequisite courses
Earned a year, estimated$34,900
Price if you pay yourself$3,451
Program website, Law Enforcement at Green River College
More details about Law Enforcement at Green River College
Finished
50%
Working at 6 months
90%
Earned in a quarter
$8,732
Length
30 weeks, 15 hours a week
Cost of supplies
None listed
Students counted
39
Earned a year, estimated
$34,900
Price if you pay yourself
$3,451
Program website, Law Enforcement at Green River College
Corrections certificateIn personNo diploma needed
Community Corrections Program Monitor
South Seattle College
Seattle
Accredited school
No diploma needed
South Seattle College, SeattleCorrections certificate · Accredited schoolIn person · No diploma needed
Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
Price if you pay yourself$753
Program website, Community Corrections Program Monitor at South Seattle College
More details about Community Corrections Program Monitor at South Seattle College
Finished
Not reported
Working at 6 months
Not reported
Earned in a quarter
Not reported
Length
8 weeks, 39 hours a week
Cost of supplies
None listed
Students counted
Not reported
Earned a year, estimated
Not reported
Price if you pay yourself
$753
Program website, Community Corrections Program Monitor at South Seattle College
Corrections certificateHybridPrerequisite courses
Corrections
Green River College
Auburn
Accredited school
Prerequisite courses
Green River College, AuburnCorrections certificate · Accredited schoolHybrid · Prerequisite courses
Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
Price if you pay yourself$2,531
Program website, Corrections at Green River College
More details about Corrections at Green River College
Finished
Not reported
Working at 6 months
Not reported
Earned in a quarter
Not reported
Length
22 weeks, 18 hours a week
Cost of supplies
None listed
Students counted
Not reported
Earned a year, estimated
Not reported
Price if you pay yourself
$2,531
Program website, Corrections at Green River College
Law enforcement certificateIn personPrerequisite courses
Explorer/Cadet Pre-Law Enforcement
Pierce College
Lakewood
Accredited school
Prerequisite courses
Pierce College, LakewoodLaw enforcement certificate · Accredited schoolIn person · Prerequisite courses
Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
Price if you pay yourself$3,600
Program website, Explorer/Cadet Pre-Law Enforcement at Pierce College
More details about Explorer/Cadet Pre-Law Enforcement at Pierce College
Finished
Not reported
Working at 6 months
Not reported
Earned in a quarter
Not reported
Length
22 weeks, 19 hours a week
Cost of supplies
None listed
Students counted
Not reported
Earned a year, estimated
Not reported
Price if you pay yourself
$3,600
Program website, Explorer/Cadet Pre-Law Enforcement at Pierce College

How to pay for police academy training in Seattle

WIOA funding can pay for police academy training in Seattle

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 Seattle

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

Where the Seattle law enforcement program numbers come from

Which Seattle law enforcement programs are on this list?

These are the law enforcement programs with classes in the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue area that are 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. Online programs are left out here; they are on the Washington page. Schools that never applied for approval are missing, so this is a part of what the area offers.

How the prices and results of Seattle 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 Seattle

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