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November 14, 2026 Should a college degree still be the price of admission? What do you think?
PERF members, Fifty years ago, when the Police Executive Research Forum was established, its founders believed that higher education was central to the professionalization of policing. They wrote into PERF's bylaws that membership would be limited to individuals who hold at least a bachelor's degree.
The initial press release announcing the founding of PERF. Since that time, much has changed, both in higher education and in policing. After college enrollment peaked in 2010, the trend of attending college began to shift. Today, fewer Americans view college as essential; fewer young people are pursuing degrees; and in response to recruiting challenges, many law enforcement agencies have reduced or eliminated educational requirements. Against that backdrop, I have increasingly found myself wrestling with a difficult question: Should a college degree continue to serve as a barrier to entry into PERF? According to the press release announcing PERF’s creation, its 10 founding police chiefs envisioned the organization setting the standard for the policing profession through the “promotion of demanding standards of education and integrity which will serve as guideposts on the road to professionalization of police administration and the police.” They clearly believed that managing a complex organization required the knowledge, critical thinking skills, and intellectual discipline associated with a liberal arts education. For many members, the degree requirement has long reinforced PERF’s identity as a forum for police leaders committed to lifelong learning. And much of this sentiment remains true today—higher education does have tremendous value, and you’d be hard-pressed to find a police chief position posting that does not require, or at least strongly prefer, a college degree. But that is not the question. The question is whether a college degree should remain a prerequisite to join an organization dedicated to improving policing. Time and again, police leaders emerge whose paths to distinction look very different from the traditional college-to-career trajectory. Some served in the military, some raised families while working full time, and others left college to pursue different opportunities, yet all achieved distinction through years of exceptional service and leadership. Over the years, I’ve encountered innovators, exceptional investigators, and proven leaders whose lack of a college degree prevented them from becoming PERF members. But it's made me wonder: Does this still make sense? Fewer Americans view a college degree as essential, and fewer young people—particularly young men—are pursuing one. According to Gallup, the share of Americans who said a college education is "very important" fell from 70 percent in 2013 to just 31 percent in 2025. Meanwhile, undergraduate enrollment, which peaked in the United States around 2010, declined roughly 15 percent by 2022, out of proportion with the share of the overall population ages 18–24, which fell by about one-half of one percent. (What’s interesting, though, is that the percentage of young people who have a bachelor’s degree has risen in the same time—so the drop in enrollment represents people who began college but didn’t finish). And so, the question of a college degree’s significance is really part of a much larger national debate. As agencies struggle to recruit qualified applicants, what role should higher education play in determining who becomes a police officer—and who eventually rises to lead a department? Advocates of higher education at all levels of policing can make a persuasive case. Ideally, college exposes people to different ideas and perspectives, strengthens communication skills, and develops critical-thinking skills. Police officers routinely make complex decisions under stressful, rapidly evolving conditions. It is reasonable to believe that higher education can help prepare officers to navigate those challenges. But the research on whether a college degree makes someone a better officer isn't as clear as one might think. Studies tend to find that officers with degrees are more open-minded and flexible in their attitudes than their peers, but when it comes to how officers actually do the job—such as using force, making arrests, or following department rules—the results are much less consistent. And much of that research is decades old or based on small numbers of officers, so it's hard to say whether the degree itself is what makes the difference. In other words, while education may matter, it is far from the only factor that shapes officer performance. Perhaps that is why many police chiefs have responded to staffing shortages not by abandoning standards but by reconsidering which qualifications matter most. PERF is a management organization, created to serve police executives and committed to progress in policing. But 50 years ago, PERF’s founders determined that the focus on police executives would come with a cost—a bachelor’s degree. Yet police agencies are full of dedicated people who have distinguished themselves and excelled in demanding positions without that degree; when they ask to join PERF, I am constrained to tell them no.
Attendees commemorate PERF’s 50th anniversary at our 2026 Town Hall meeting. I am conflicted about this issue, to be sure. While I value education, I also realize there's much more to what makes a person successful—including hard work, determination, character, and creativity. I also realize that not all exceptionally intelligent people have gone to college. Many people choose not to attend college for a variety of reasons, while others face financial barriers to enrollment or completing a degree. Those challenges have become more pronounced as the cost of higher education has risen dramatically over the past several decades, far outpacing inflation. This issue brings to mind someone I worked with years ago at the Boston Police Department. I observed many officers during my time there, some with college experience and others who began their careers at BPD straight out of high school. All things considered, those who grew up in the neighborhoods and then went to college had the best of both worlds. Education alone didn’t make for a good cop; in fact, those who never had the life experience of growing up in a troubled neighborhood were, I believe, at a distinct disadvantage. I met high school graduates whose street savvy, life experience, and character made them outstanding cops. One of my best friends in the BPD was Paul Carr, whom I’ve written about before. Paul worked in the Community Disorders Unit and possessed what I often describe as a PhD in common sense. He never attended college, but he had extraordinary judgment, empathy, and instincts. He understood people, communities, and human nature in a way many highly classroom-educated people never do—and he would have been a tremendous asset to PERF. Which brings me back to the membership question. PERF now has more than 3,000 members. We celebrated our 50th anniversary this year. We have established ourselves in many ways, yet we remain the same organization that was created to challenge conventional thinking and take on the most difficult issues in policing. Across the profession, accomplished and hard-working future police leaders want to contribute to PERF and learn from their peers. Should lack of a college degree alone prevent them from joining our organization? I don't presume to know the answer. And even if I did, PERF is a membership organization governed by its Board of Directors, its members, and its bylaws. Nonetheless, this question deserves thoughtful consideration. This is an issue where reasonable people can disagree. I'd appreciate hearing your perspective. If you have an opinion on this, please write me and let me know what you think. PERF is ultimately an organization of both people and ideas, and I value both! Best, Chuck |
