First of all you need to realize that the 2 occupations you're asking about are related in some ways but at the same time very different.

S.W.A.T. (Special Weapons And Tactics) generally refers to a team within a law enforcement (e.g. police, sheriff, etc.) agency. The agency in question is tasked with enforcing local and/or federal laws.

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First of all you need to realize that the 2 occupations you're asking about are related in some ways but at the same time very different.

S.W.A.T. (Special Weapons And Tactics) generally refers to a team within a law enforcement (e.g. police, sheriff, etc.) agency. The agency in question is tasked with enforcing local and/or federal laws.

Special Operations refers to elite teams serving in our military. The U.S. military is forbidden from operating within the United States (as a law enforcement agency) under the Posse Comitatus Act.

To answer your question, a college degree wouldn't hurt whichever job you choose. You can study Criminal Justice to aid you in a law enforcement career or Military Science for a career in the military. Nowadays it's almost impossible to reach the higher rankings of a law enforcement agency without a college degree and it's just as difficult to become a commissioned officer in the military without one, either.

My suggestion to you is to either get your college degree first or join the military and let them pay for school and train you at the same time. If you find that the military is not for you, you can leave when your contract is up and apply for a law enforcement agency. Either way, college graduates and/or military trained people are usually considered above average applicants for law enforcement jobs.

Keep in mind that in both cases the jobs you asked about are highly specialized and it won't be easy to achieve either goal. You have to work hard and prepare yourself mentally and physically. It if was easy, it wouldn't be "special" would it? Good luck!