SWAT Team Careers: Salary Info & Job Description

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What are the pros and cons of a SWAT team career? Get real job descriptions, career prospects and salary information to see if becoming a SWAT team member is right for you.
  • Pros & Cons
  • SWAT Officer

Pros and Cons of a SWAT Team Career

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A Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team is elite squad of law enforcement officers of a local, state or federal police force or agency. Check out some of the details of a career as a SWAT team member at a glance:

SWAT Team Member
Career Overview SWAT team members deal tactically with emergency and life-threatening situations that call for extraordinary measures.
Education Requirements High school diploma and graduation from police academy
Program Length Duration varies for police training academy programs and SWAT training
Experience Required Experience as a conventional officer; duration determined by the individual department
Job Outlook for 2012-2022 Slower than average (5%) compared to all occupations*
Median Annual Salary (2014) $56,810*

Source: *U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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  • Pros & Cons
  • SWAT Officer

Popular Schools

  • Online Programs Available
    1. Colorado Christian University

    Program Options

    Master's
      • Criminal Justice, M.S.
      • Criminal Justice, M.S. - Campus, Event, and Organizational Safety
    Bachelor's
      • Criminal Justice, B.S.
  • Online Programs Available
    2. UMass Global

    Program Options

    Bachelor's
      • BA in Criminal Justice
  • Online Programs Available
    3. Grand Canyon University

    Program Options

    Master's
      • M.S in Forensic Science
    Bachelor's
      • B.S. in Homeland Security and Emergency Management
  • Online Programs Available
    4. National University

    Program Options

    Doctorate
      • DCJ - Policing
      • Doctor of Criminal Justice
      • DBA - Homeland Security - Leadership & Policy
      • EdD - School Safety, Security, Emergency Management
      • PhD - School Safety, Security, Emergency Management
      • PhD - Homeland Security - Leadership & Policy
    Master's
      • MSOL - Criminal Justice
      • MEd - School Safety, Security and Emergency Management
  • University of Maryland Global Campus

  • Online Programs Available
    6. Liberty University

    Program Options

    Master's
      • MS: Criminal Justice
      • MS: Criminal Justice: Law Enforcement Leadership
      • MS: Criminal Justice: Public Administration
      • MS: National Security
      • MS: National Security: Homeland Security
      • MS: Criminal Justice: Corrections Management

Featured Schools

Colorado Christian University

  • Criminal Justice, M.S.
  • Criminal Justice, M.S. - Campus, Event, and Organizational Safety
  • Criminal Justice, B.S.

What is your highest level of education completed?

UMass Global

  • BA in Criminal Justice

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Grand Canyon University

  • M.S in Forensic Science
  • B.S. in Homeland Security and Emergency Management

What is your highest level of education?

National University

  • DCJ - Policing
  • Doctor of Criminal Justice
  • MSOL - Criminal Justice
  • MEd - School Safety, Security and Emergency Management

What is your highest level of education?

University of Maryland Global Campus

Liberty University

  • MS: Criminal Justice
  • MS: Criminal Justice: Law Enforcement Leadership
  • MS: Criminal Justice: Public Administration

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