Date

12-4-2025

Department

School of Education

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy in Higher Education Administration (PhD)

Chair

Treg Hopkins

Keywords

job satisfaction survey, law enforcement, educational attainment, education, use of force, college, police, police officer

Disciplines

Higher Education

Abstract

The purpose of this quantitative causal-comparative study was to determine if a significant difference exists between job satisfaction scores among police officers with varying levels of education. This study is important because it addresses contemporary challenges in law enforcement, will provide valuable insight into informed decision making, has broad implications and applicability, and will contribute to scant policing knowledge that informs the understanding of education level on police actions. More specifically, how higher education or the absence thereof impacts job satisfaction. The sample was composed of 180 sworn Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) certified, police officers in the state of Georgia. Data were collected using the Job Satisfaction Survey by surveys administered during the roll call portion of a police officer’s patrol shift. The results of the one-way analysis of variance indicate that there is no significant difference in overall job satisfaction between officers with varying levels of education. These results indicate that education level does not impact overall job satisfaction. It is recommended that further research examine other factors such as academic course work (humanities, arts, social sciences, sciences focused curriculum) to investigate possible trends in course of study and job satisfaction among police officers.

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