33 Series · SOC 33-3051

Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers Salary

National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).

$76,210
Median / year
-0.1%
2024→2025
$115,120
Top 10% earn
+3.1%
Growth '24–'34
670,520
Estimated US jobs

Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers earn a median of $76,210 per year.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $76,210, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $47,510 (10th percentile) to $115,120 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 670,520 estimated jobs in covered establishments. The highest published state median in this ranking is California ($118,880).

33 Series · Source: BLS OEWS Compare with another job →
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The pay verdict

Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers earn a median of $76,210, putting them above the typical US occupation and higher than 68% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Protective Service, it ranks #7 of 24 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 3.1% by 2034.

$76,210
Median annual wage
Top 32%
of 825 US occupations with published wages
#7 of 24
in Protective Service
2.4×
90th-to-10th pay spread

Highest-paying state: California at $118,880. Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.

Observed pay change

What changed, BLS OEWS 2019–2025

May 2019 → May 2025
  • The published national median for Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers moved from $63,150 in May 2019 to $76,210 in May 2025 (+20.7%).
  • Across the 749 occupations priced in both releases under SOC-2018, the median occupation changed +24.5%.
  • Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers sits -3.8 pp near that median, nominal dollars, no price deflator applied.

Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers (SOC 33-3051) has a national median of $76,210 per year in the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025 release. The published 10th-to-90th-percentile boundaries run from $47,510 to $115,120, and the published mean is $79,200. Those summary statistics describe the estimated distribution; their difference alone does not identify its cause. OEWS estimates 670,520 jobs in covered establishments nationally. WageDex has published rows for 53 state or territory areas and 521 metropolitan or nonmetropolitan wage areas. The published national median moved from $76,290 in the May 2024 OEWS release to $76,210 in May 2025, a fall of $80 (-0.1%). This is a change between two BLS survey estimates, not an inflation-adjusted same-worker pay raise.

BLS Employment Projections forecast a +3.1% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which we classify as about as fast as average relative to the all-occupations baseline of 3.1%. About 53,700 openings are projected per year from growth, occupational transfers, and labor-force exits. BLS assigns High school diploma or equivalent as typical education needed for entry, and BLS classifies its typical on-the-job preparation as moderate-term on-the-job training. The BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) and Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) publish an occupation-specific rate that produces a WageDex safety grade of C, with a fatality rate of 7.5 per 100,000 and injury rate of 5.5 per 100.

Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. California pays the highest state median at $118,880, which is +56% above the national figure. The highest published metropolitan-area median in this ranking is San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA at $136,140. The observed difference does not identify its cause. Pair the national median with the state and metropolitan-area rows below while keeping the geography and statistic consistent. OEWS includes tips, commissions, incentive pay, and production bonuses, but not employer benefits, overtime premiums, stock compensation, or nonproduction bonuses. See our methodology for the sourcing and calculation details.

BLS OEWS May 2025 670,520 jobs Median $76,210/yr

Median Salary

$76,210

per year

Median Hourly

$36.64/hr

per hour

Mean Salary

$79,200

average

Employment

670,520

jobs nationwide

How does this pay compare nationally?

Where Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers pay sits nationally

Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median

$76,210 Top 32% higher than 68% of 825 US occupations

$0–$20,000: 0 US occupations (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 98 US occupations (12%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 298 US occupations (36%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 209 US occupations (25%). This entry sits in this band. $80,000–$100,000: 82 US occupations (10%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 58 US occupations (7%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 32 US occupations (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 14 US occupations (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 9 US occupations (1%). Above this entry. $180,000 and above: 25 US occupations (3%). Above this entry. This job $0 $180,000+ every BLS occupation, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Read the chart as text · as of May 2025
Band Count Share
$0–$20,000 0 US occupations 0%
$20,000–$40,000 98 US occupations 12%
$40,000–$60,000 298 US occupations 36%
$60,000–$80,000 (this entry) 209 US occupations 25%
$80,000–$100,000 82 US occupations 10%
$100,000–$120,000 58 US occupations 7%
$120,000–$140,000 32 US occupations 4%
$140,000–$160,000 14 US occupations 2%
$160,000–$180,000 9 US occupations 1%
$180,000 and above 25 US occupations 3%

$76,210 · 68th percentile of 825 US occupations

Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025

Does this job pay well and grow?

Each dot is a 33-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).

Among 24 33-series occupations with growth data, Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers sits on the slower-growing side at +3.1% growth and $76,210 median pay. Scatter plot of 24 data points. $20000$40000$60000$80000$100000$120000 -10%-5%0%5%10%15%20% Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) Median annual wage Security Guards - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 0.4% · Median annual wage: $38020Police and Sheriff's… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 3.1% · Median annual wage: $76210Correctional Officer… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -7.8% · Median annual wage: $58940Firefighters - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 3.4% · Median annual wage: $59280Lifeguards, Ski Patr… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 5.8% · Median annual wage: $33580First-Line Superviso… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 2.9% · Median annual wage: $106040Detectives and Crimi… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -0.7% · Median annual wage: $93790First-Line Superviso… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 3.4% · Median annual wage: $93530Crossing Guards and … - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 3.6% · Median annual wage: $38100Protective Service W… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 2.5% · Median annual wage: $42540First-Line Superviso… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 2.7% · Median annual wage: $55940School Bus Monitors - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -2.7% · Median annual wage: $35100First-Line Superviso… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -2.8% · Median annual wage: $77970Transportation Secur… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -6% · Median annual wage: $66770Private Detectives a… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 6% · Median annual wage: $51220First-Line Superviso… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 1.6% · Median annual wage: $76400Bailiffs - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -2.2% · Median annual wage: $56600Fire Inspectors and … - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 3.8% · Median annual wage: $75920Animal Control Workers - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 3.9% · Median annual wage: $45660Gambling Surveillanc… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 0.3% · Median annual wage: $43370Parking Enforcement … - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -1.5% · Median annual wage: $46730Fish and Game Wardens - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -6% · Median annual wage: $74060Transit and Railroad… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 3% · Median annual wage: $90230Forest Fire Inspecto… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 14.6% · Median annual wage: $56870
Among 24 33-series occupations with growth data, Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers sits on the slower-growing side at +3.1% growth and $76,210 median pay.
Read the chart as text
  • Security Guards: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 0.4%, Median annual wage $38020
  • Police and Sheriff's…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.1%, Median annual wage $76210
  • Correctional Officer…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -7.8%, Median annual wage $58940
  • Firefighters: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.4%, Median annual wage $59280
  • Lifeguards, Ski Patr…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 5.8%, Median annual wage $33580
  • First-Line Superviso…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 2.9%, Median annual wage $106040
  • Detectives and Crimi…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -0.7%, Median annual wage $93790
  • First-Line Superviso…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.4%, Median annual wage $93530
  • Crossing Guards and …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.6%, Median annual wage $38100
  • Protective Service W…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 2.5%, Median annual wage $42540
  • First-Line Superviso…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 2.7%, Median annual wage $55940
  • School Bus Monitors: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -2.7%, Median annual wage $35100
  • First-Line Superviso…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -2.8%, Median annual wage $77970
  • Transportation Secur…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -6%, Median annual wage $66770
  • Private Detectives a…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 6%, Median annual wage $51220
  • First-Line Superviso…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 1.6%, Median annual wage $76400
  • Bailiffs: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -2.2%, Median annual wage $56600
  • Fire Inspectors and …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.8%, Median annual wage $75920
  • Animal Control Workers: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.9%, Median annual wage $45660
  • Gambling Surveillanc…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 0.3%, Median annual wage $43370
  • Parking Enforcement …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -1.5%, Median annual wage $46730
  • Fish and Game Wardens: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -6%, Median annual wage $74060
  • Transit and Railroad…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3%, Median annual wage $90230
  • Forest Fire Inspecto…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 14.6%, Median annual wage $56870

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).

Job Outlook (2024–2034)

Projected Growth

+3.1%

About as fast as average

Annual Openings

53,700

per year (projected)

Employment Change

+22,000

698,800 (2024) → 720,800 (2034)

Typical Education

High school diploma or equivalent

On-the-Job Training

Moderate-term on-the-job training

Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034

Workplace Safety

All safety ratings →
C

Moderate Risk

WageDex derived grade from BLS CFOI/SOII 2023, not an official BLS rating

Fatality Rate

7.5/100K

Injury Rate

5.5/100

Danger Index

25.8/100

Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023

Career Intelligence

Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.

Top Skills

Active Listening 3.9
Speaking 3.9
Social Perceptiveness 3.9
Critical Thinking 3.8
Active Learning 3.8
Reading Comprehension 3.6
Coordination 3.6
Persuasion 3.6
Judgment and Decision Making 3.6
Monitoring 3.5

Knowledge Areas

Public Safety and Security 4.8
Law and Government 4.8
English Language 4.3
Psychology 4.1
Customer and Personal Service 4.0
Education and Training 3.8
Telecommunications 3.5
Administration and Management 3.5
Administrative 3.4
Computers and Electronics 3.4

Key Tasks

  • Identify, pursue, and arrest suspects and perpetrators of criminal acts.
  • Provide for public safety by maintaining order, responding to emergencies, protecting people and property, enforcing motor vehicle and criminal laws, and promoting good community relations.
  • Record facts to prepare reports that document incidents and activities.
  • Render aid to accident survivors and other persons requiring first aid for physical injuries.
  • Review facts of incidents to determine if criminal act or statute violations were involved.
  • Investigate illegal or suspicious activities.
  • Monitor, note, report, and investigate suspicious persons and situations, safety hazards, and unusual or illegal activity in patrol area.
  • Testify in court to present evidence or act as witness in traffic and criminal cases.
  • Process prisoners, and prepare and maintain records of prisoner bookings and prisoner status during booking and pre-trial process.
  • Relay complaint and emergency-request information to appropriate agency dispatchers.

Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.

Salary Range

Annual Salary Distribution

10th$47,510
25th$59,290
Median$76,210
75th$97,600
90th$115,120

Hourly Rate Distribution

10th$22.84
25th$28.50
Median$36.64
75th$46.93
90th$55.35

Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers pay history, 2015–2025

Published national median across 11 BLS OEWS releases. Nominal dollars, not inflation-adjusted.

$55,000$60,000$65,000$70,000$75,000$80,000 20152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 National median - 2015: $58,320National median - 2016: $59,680National median - 2017: $61,050National median - 2018: $61,380National median - 2019: $63,150National median - 2020: $65,540National median - 2021: $64,610National median - 2022: $65,790National median - 2023: $72,280National median - 2024: $76,290National median - 2025: $76,210$76,210
National median annual wage for Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers, May 2015 to May 2025 OEWS releases
Read the chart as text
Period National median
2015 $58,320
2016 $59,680
2017 $61,050
2018 $61,380
2019 $63,150
2020 $65,540
2021 $64,610
2022 $65,790
2023 $72,280
2024 $76,290
2025 $76,210

2015 median

$58,320

2025 median

$76,210

2019–2025 change (same SOC)

+$13,060 (+20.7%)

Avg/year (same SOC)

+3.2%

Published national median annual wage and estimated employment for Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers by OEWS release year
Release Median Change Estimated jobs
May 2015 $58,320 First banked release 653,740
May 2016 $59,680 +2.3% 657,690
May 2017 $61,050 +2.3% 662,390
May 2018 $61,380 +0.5% 661,330
May 2019 $63,150 Classification break 665,280
May 2020 $65,540 +3.8% 654,900
May 2021 $64,610 -1.4% 665,380
May 2022 $65,790 +1.8% 655,890
May 2023 $72,280 +9.9% 646,310
May 2024 $76,290 +5.5% 666,990
May 2025 $76,210 -0.1% 670,520

Across the 11 releases WageDex holds for this occupation, the published national median went from $58,320 in May 2015 to $76,210 in May 2025. Within the SOC-2018 classification (2019–2025), the like-for-like change averages +3.2% per year in nominal terms. Within the same SOC classification, estimated employment went from 665,280 in May 2019 to 670,520 in May 2025.

Each figure is a separate BLS survey estimate, so a change between releases reflects the estimated occupation-wide median in each year. It is not the raise any individual worker received, and it is not adjusted for inflation. Years where BLS did not publish an annual median for this occupation are omitted rather than filled in. This span also crosses a classification change: releases before May 2019 use the 2010 Standard Occupational Classification and later releases use the 2018 SOC, so figures either side of that boundary are not strictly like-for-like. Headline change rates on this page use only the same-classification subset.

Salary by State

View all 53 states →
# State Median Salary vs National
1 California $118,880 +56% above national
2 Washington $102,080 +34% above national
3 Illinois $100,520 +32% above national
4 Alaska $99,130 +30% above national
5 Colorado $97,350 +28% above national
6 Delaware $92,970 +22% above national
7 New York $92,790 +22% above national
8 New Jersey $92,610 +22% above national
9 District of Columbia $88,650 +16% above national
10 Oregon $88,140 +16% above national
11 Pennsylvania $85,470 +12% above national
12 Hawaii $83,820 +10% above national
13 Minnesota $83,360 +9% above national
14 Connecticut $82,170 +8% above national
15 Massachusetts $78,940 +4% above national
16 Arizona $78,880 +4% above national
17 Nevada $78,140 +3% above national
18 Wisconsin $78,090 +2% above national
19 Maryland $77,970 +2% above national
20 Utah $77,310 +1% above national
21 Rhode Island $77,230 +1% above national
22 Ohio $77,020 +1% above national
23 Texas $75,900 same as national
24 Nebraska $74,620 2% below national
25 North Dakota $74,500 2% below national
26 Florida $74,470 2% below national
27 Iowa $74,470 2% below national
28 Michigan $73,730 3% below national
29 Indiana $73,370 4% below national
30 New Hampshire $71,640 6% below national
31 Montana $70,050 8% below national
32 New Mexico $69,180 9% below national
33 Vermont $68,910 10% below national
34 Maine $67,050 12% below national
35 Idaho $66,990 12% below national
36 Wyoming $66,140 13% below national
37 Virginia $65,870 14% below national
38 Guam $62,130 18% below national
39 South Dakota $60,740 20% below national
40 Kentucky $60,490 21% below national
41 Oklahoma $59,700 22% below national
42 Missouri $59,460 22% below national
43 North Carolina $59,300 22% below national
44 Tennessee $59,280 22% below national
45 Kansas $59,230 22% below national
46 Georgia $58,120 24% below national
47 South Carolina $58,070 24% below national
48 West Virginia $56,960 25% below national
49 Alabama $51,270 33% below national
50 Louisiana $48,380 37% below national
51 Arkansas $47,670 37% below national
52 Mississippi $46,140 39% below national
53 Puerto Rico $45,510 40% below national

Salary by Metro Area

View all 386 metro areas →
# Metro Area Median Salary vs National
1 San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $136,140 +79% above national
2 San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $132,000 +73% above national
3 Carson City, NV $131,210 +72% above national
4 Vallejo, CA $129,900 +70% above national
5 Napa, CA $127,310 +67% above national
6 Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA $125,910 +65% above national
7 Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA $122,970 +61% above national
8 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $121,980 +60% above national
9 Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA $120,900 +59% above national
10 Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA $119,640 +57% above national
11 Salinas, CA $118,220 +55% above national
12 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $115,120 +51% above national
13 Anchorage, AK $115,020 +51% above national
14 Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA $111,460 +46% above national
15 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA $110,400 +45% above national
16 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN $107,810 +41% above national
17 Redding, CA $107,270 +41% above national
18 New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $105,540 +38% above national
19 Fairbanks-College, AK $105,370 +38% above national
20 Kennewick-Richland, WA $104,570 +37% above national
21 Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO $101,970 +34% above national
22 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA $101,870 +34% above national
23 San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA $101,860 +34% above national
24 Bellingham, WA $101,810 +34% above national
25 Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA $101,440 +33% above national
26 Columbus, OH $100,890 +32% above national
27 Fresno, CA $100,770 +32% above national
28 Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA $100,480 +32% above national
29 Boulder, CO $100,060 +31% above national
30 Stockton-Lodi, CA $99,900 +31% above national
31 Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA $99,810 +31% above national
32 Yakima, WA $98,340 +29% above national
33 Modesto, CA $98,230 +29% above national
34 Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA $98,030 +29% above national
35 Bend, OR $97,230 +28% above national
36 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA $97,200 +28% above national
37 Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI $97,190 +28% above national
38 Fort Collins-Loveland, CO $96,740 +27% above national
39 Greeley, CO $96,620 +27% above national
40 Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA $95,660 +26% above national
41 Longview-Kelso, WA $94,930 +25% above national
42 Chico, CA $94,760 +24% above national
43 Corvallis, OR $94,720 +24% above national
44 Lincoln, NE $93,680 +23% above national
45 Grand Junction, CO $93,640 +23% above national
46 Rochester, NY $92,920 +22% above national
47 Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX $92,910 +22% above national
48 Eugene-Springfield, OR $92,780 +22% above national
49 Reno, NV $92,130 +21% above national
50 Colorado Springs, CO $91,580 +20% above national
51 Gettysburg, PA $91,530 +20% above national
52 Visalia, CA $90,910 +19% above national
53 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD $89,580 +18% above national
54 Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY $87,930 +15% above national
55 Medford, OR $87,160 +14% above national
56 Reading, PA $87,060 +14% above national
57 Lancaster, PA $86,800 +14% above national
58 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ $85,050 +12% above national
59 Boise City, ID $84,940 +11% above national
60 Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ $84,530 +11% above national
61 Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA $84,470 +11% above national
62 Binghamton, NY $84,320 +11% above national
63 Ithaca, NY $84,320 +11% above national
64 Salem, OR $84,320 +11% above national
65 Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT $84,000 +10% above national
66 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV $84,000 +10% above national
67 Urban Honolulu, HI $83,820 +10% above national
68 Kahului-Wailuku, HI $83,790 +10% above national
69 Mankato, MN $83,670 +10% above national
70 Walla Walla, WA $83,620 +10% above national
71 Coeur d'Alene, ID $83,560 +10% above national
72 Pittsburgh, PA $83,190 +9% above national
73 Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN $83,110 +9% above national
74 Yuba City, CA $83,090 +9% above national
75 Springfield, MA $83,050 +9% above national
76 Waterbury-Shelton, CT $82,830 +9% above national
77 Hanford-Corcoran, CA $82,770 +9% above national
78 Springfield, IL $82,740 +9% above national
79 Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT $82,660 +8% above national
80 Merced, CA $82,540 +8% above national
81 Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX $82,290 +8% above national
82 New Haven, CT $82,170 +8% above national
83 Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI $82,090 +8% above national
84 Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA $81,810 +7% above national
85 Decatur, IL $81,800 +7% above national
86 Laredo, TX $81,690 +7% above national
87 Green Bay, WI $81,110 +6% above national
88 Salt Lake City-Murray, UT $80,970 +6% above national
89 Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY $80,950 +6% above national
90 Erie, PA $80,860 +6% above national
91 Madison, WI $80,580 +6% above national
92 Bloomington, IL $80,480 +6% above national
93 Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN $80,410 +6% above national
94 St. George, UT $80,330 +5% above national
95 Cleveland, OH $80,280 +5% above national
96 Omaha, NE-IA $80,280 +5% above national
97 Midland, TX $80,260 +5% above national
98 Barnstable Town, MA $80,210 +5% above national
99 Worcester, MA $80,210 +5% above national
100 Oshkosh-Neenah, WI $80,200 +5% above national
101 Lexington Park, MD $79,900 +5% above national
102 Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL $79,840 +5% above national
103 Fond du Lac, WI $79,670 +5% above national
104 Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT $79,580 +4% above national
105 York-Hanover, PA $79,550 +4% above national
106 Watertown-Fort Drum, NY $79,540 +4% above national
107 Lebanon, PA $79,430 +4% above national
108 Cedar Rapids, IA $79,280 +4% above national
109 Fort Wayne, IN $79,210 +4% above national
110 Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA $78,970 +4% above national
111 Sioux City, IA-NE-SD $78,940 +4% above national
112 Amarillo, TX $78,900 +4% above national
113 Great Falls, MT $78,870 +3% above national
114 Kankakee, IL $78,840 +3% above national
115 Jacksonville, FL $78,810 +3% above national
116 Kenosha, WI $78,780 +3% above national
117 Flagstaff, AZ $78,670 +3% above national
118 Champaign-Urbana, IL $78,520 +3% above national
119 Rockford, IL $78,510 +3% above national
120 Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX $78,450 +3% above national
121 Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI $78,450 +3% above national
122 Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY $78,240 +3% above national
123 Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH $78,180 +3% above national
124 Wausau, WI $78,150 +3% above national
125 Bakersfield-Delano, CA $78,130 +3% above national
126 Ogden, UT $78,070 +2% above national
127 Racine-Mount Pleasant, WI $77,840 +2% above national
128 Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV $77,750 +2% above national
129 Appleton, WI $77,620 +2% above national
130 Missoula, MT $77,610 +2% above national
131 Sioux Falls, SD-MN $77,440 +2% above national
132 Rochester, MN $77,230 +1% above national
133 Lubbock, TX $77,110 +1% above national
134 Port St. Lucie, FL $77,070 +1% above national
135 South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI $77,070 +1% above national
136 Tucson, AZ $76,970 +1% above national
137 Albany, OR $76,940 +1% above national
138 Pittsfield, MA $76,940 +1% above national
139 St. Cloud, MN $76,880 +1% above national
140 Providence-Warwick, RI-MA $76,850 +1% above national
141 Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ $76,760 +1% above national
142 Sheboygan, WI $76,720 +1% above national
143 Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL $76,710 +1% above national
144 Peoria, IL $76,670 +1% above national
145 College Station-Bryan, TX $76,570 same as national
146 Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD $76,530 same as national
147 Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI $76,430 same as national
148 El Paso, TX $76,400 same as national
149 Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH $76,310 same as national
150 Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT $76,290 same as national
151 El Centro, CA $76,230 same as national
152 Duluth, MN-WI $76,220 same as national
153 Iowa City, IA $76,190 same as national
154 Fargo, ND-MN $76,180 same as national
155 Abilene, TX $76,070 same as national
156 Pueblo, CO $76,060 same as national
157 Grants Pass, OR $75,850 same as national
158 Waco, TX $75,850 same as national
159 North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL $75,820 1% below national
160 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL $75,710 1% below national
161 Lansing-East Lansing, MI $75,670 1% below national
162 Eau Claire, WI $75,440 1% below national
163 Helena, MT $75,430 1% below national
164 Memphis, TN-MS-AR $75,410 1% below national
165 Midland, MI $75,370 1% below national
166 Syracuse, NY $75,370 1% below national
167 Oklahoma City, OK $75,270 1% below national
168 Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI $74,920 2% below national
169 Kalamazoo-Portage, MI $74,810 2% below national
170 Sherman-Denison, TX $74,680 2% below national
171 Akron, OH $74,650 2% below national
172 Santa Fe, NM $74,640 2% below national
173 Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX $74,570 2% below national
174 Grand Forks, ND-MN $74,500 2% below national
175 Homosassa Springs, FL $74,450 2% below national
176 Ann Arbor, MI $74,410 2% below national
177 Burlington-South Burlington, VT $74,400 2% below national
178 Bozeman, MT $74,320 2% below national
179 Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN $74,320 2% below national
180 Janesville-Beloit, WI $74,220 3% below national
181 La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN $74,050 3% below national
182 Prescott Valley-Prescott, AZ $74,030 3% below national
183 Manchester-Nashua, NH $73,960 3% below national
184 San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX $73,860 3% below national
185 Ames, IA $73,840 3% below national
186 Glens Falls, NY $73,800 3% below national
187 Grand Island, NE $73,710 3% below national
188 Toledo, OH $73,650 3% below national
189 Portland-South Portland, ME $73,600 3% below national
190 Ocala, FL $73,570 3% below national
191 Amherst Town-Northampton, MA $73,480 4% below national
192 Corpus Christi, TX $73,400 4% below national
193 Albuquerque, NM $73,380 4% below national
194 Elkhart-Goshen, IN $73,370 4% below national
195 St. Louis, MO-IL $73,240 4% below national
196 Wichita Falls, TX $73,110 4% below national
197 Naples-Marco Island, FL $73,040 4% below national
198 Wildwood-The Villages, FL $72,980 4% below national
199 Evansville, IN $72,800 4% below national
200 Battle Creek, MI $72,780 5% below national
201 Columbus, IN $72,500 5% below national
202 Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ $72,500 5% below national
203 Tyler, TX $72,400 5% below national
204 Kokomo, IN $72,300 5% below national
205 Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA $72,210 5% below national
206 Dubuque, IA $72,170 5% below national
207 Billings, MT $72,070 5% below national
208 Bangor, ME $71,340 6% below national
209 Bay City, MI $71,020 7% below national
210 Longview, TX $70,800 7% below national
211 Chambersburg, PA $70,670 7% below national
212 Altoona, PA $70,560 7% below national
213 Sandusky, OH $70,550 7% below national
214 State College, PA $70,510 7% below national
215 Killeen-Temple, TX $70,240 8% below national
216 Punta Gorda, FL $69,700 9% below national
217 Trenton-Princeton, NJ $69,160 9% below national
218 Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN $68,780 10% below national
219 Kingston, NY $68,730 10% below national
220 Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL $68,550 10% below national
221 Bloomington, IN $68,170 11% below national
222 Vineland, NJ $67,510 11% below national
223 Tallahassee, FL $67,200 12% below national
224 Williamsport, PA $66,710 12% below national
225 Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL $66,700 12% below national
226 Niles, MI $66,610 13% below national
227 Lewiston-Auburn, ME $66,530 13% below national
228 Michigan City-La Porte, IN $66,460 13% below national
229 Traverse City, MI $66,080 13% below national
230 Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV $66,020 13% below national
231 Raleigh-Cary, NC $65,860 14% below national
232 Burlington, NC $65,700 14% below national
233 Rapid City, SD $65,620 14% below national
234 Yuma, AZ $65,510 14% below national
235 Monroe, MI $65,300 14% below national
236 Elmira, NY $65,180 14% below national
237 Jackson, MI $65,160 14% below national
238 Huntsville, AL $64,550 15% below national
239 Canton-Massillon, OH $64,340 16% below national
240 Flint, MI $64,320 16% below national
241 Tulsa, OK $64,190 16% below national
242 Muncie, IN $64,040 16% below national
243 Topeka, KS $63,920 16% below national
244 Lawrence, KS $63,380 17% below national
245 Bismarck, ND $63,230 17% below national
246 Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN $63,220 17% below national
247 Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC $63,190 17% below national
248 Springfield, OH $63,120 17% below national
249 Gainesville, FL $63,050 17% below national
250 Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL $63,010 17% below national
251 Logan, UT-ID $62,970 17% below national
252 Kansas City, MO-KS $62,960 17% below national
253 Rocky Mount, NC $62,750 18% below national
254 Richmond, VA $62,720 18% below national
255 Farmington, NM $62,200 18% below national
256 Lima, OH $62,170 18% below national
257 Twin Falls, ID $62,150 18% below national
258 Columbia, MO $62,080 19% below national
259 Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC $62,070 19% below national
260 Idaho Falls, ID $61,880 19% below national
261 Lexington-Fayette, KY $61,720 19% below national
262 San Angelo, TX $61,610 19% below national
263 Owensboro, KY $61,560 19% below national
264 Mayaguez, PR $61,440 19% below national
265 Gainesville, GA $61,400 19% below national
266 Eagle Pass, TX $61,050 20% below national
267 Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA $60,910 20% below national
268 Charlottesville, VA $60,880 20% below national
269 Wichita, KS $60,840 20% below national
270 Greensboro-High Point, NC $60,830 20% below national
271 Las Cruces, NM $60,720 20% below national
272 Athens-Clarke County, GA $60,710 20% below national
273 Birmingham, AL $60,590 20% below national
274 Charleston-North Charleston, SC $60,570 21% below national
275 Bowling Green, KY $60,550 21% below national
276 Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL $60,520 21% below national
277 Utica-Rome, NY $60,510 21% below national
278 Sebastian-Vero Beach-West Vero Corridor, FL $60,320 21% below national
279 Auburn-Opelika, AL $60,230 21% below national
280 Minot, ND $60,210 21% below national
281 Dalton, GA $60,130 21% below national
282 Shreveport-Bossier City, LA $60,130 21% below national
283 Sierra Vista-Douglas, AZ $60,110 21% below national
284 Durham-Chapel Hill, NC $60,100 21% below national
285 Saginaw, MI $60,070 21% below national
286 Savannah, GA $59,930 21% below national
287 Roanoke, VA $59,900 21% below national
288 Jefferson City, MO $59,860 21% below national
289 Paducah, KY-IL $59,730 22% below national
290 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC $59,690 22% below national
291 Tuscaloosa, AL $59,670 22% below national
292 Mansfield, OH $59,560 22% below national
293 Jacksonville, NC $59,540 22% below national
294 Youngstown-Warren, OH $59,310 22% below national
295 Columbia, SC $59,260 22% below national
296 Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC $59,240 22% below national
297 Johnstown, PA $59,240 22% below national
298 Dothan, AL $59,210 22% below national
299 Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL $59,130 22% below national
300 Elizabethtown, KY $59,030 23% below national
301 Winchester, VA-WV $58,960 23% below national
302 Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL $58,860 23% below national
303 Pocatello, ID $58,840 23% below national
304 Cleveland, TN $58,800 23% below national
305 Panama City-Panama City Beach, FL $58,750 23% below national
306 Salisbury, MD $58,580 23% below national
307 Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC $58,560 23% below national
308 Sebring, FL $58,520 23% below national
309 Springfield, MO $58,460 23% below national
310 Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC $58,390 23% below national
311 Wheeling, WV-OH $58,380 23% below national
312 McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX $58,360 23% below national
313 Harrisonburg, VA $58,260 24% below national
314 St. Joseph, MO-KS $58,170 24% below national
315 Lynchburg, VA $58,150 24% below national
316 Asheville, NC $58,090 24% below national
317 Hinesville, GA $58,060 24% below national
318 Beckley, WV $57,980 24% below national
319 Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC $57,780 24% below national
320 Clarksville, TN-KY $57,610 24% below national
321 Charleston, WV $57,460 25% below national
322 Winston-Salem, NC $57,440 25% below national
323 Greenville, NC $57,190 25% below national
324 Texarkana, TX-AR $57,180 25% below national
325 Decatur, AL $57,120 25% below national
326 Spartanburg, SC $57,030 25% below national
327 Brownsville-Harlingen, TX $56,820 25% below national
328 Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL $56,720 26% below national
329 Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA $56,640 26% below national
330 Enid, OK $56,510 26% below national
331 Knoxville, TN $56,380 26% below national
332 Lake Charles, LA $56,290 26% below national
333 Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA $56,250 26% below national
334 Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH $56,130 26% below national
335 Cape Girardeau, MO-IL $56,010 27% below national
336 Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL $56,010 27% below national
337 Victoria, TX $55,820 27% below national
338 Parkersburg-Vienna, WV $55,540 27% below national
339 Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH $55,140 28% below national
340 Morgantown, WV $55,010 28% below national
341 Sumter, SC $54,940 28% below national
342 Lawton, OK $54,870 28% below national
343 Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR $54,840 28% below national
344 Terre Haute, IN $54,500 28% below national
345 Albany, GA $53,710 30% below national
346 Wilmington, NC $53,520 30% below national
347 Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL $53,510 30% below national
348 Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR $53,420 30% below national
349 Jackson, TN $53,320 30% below national
350 Warner Robins, GA $52,950 31% below national
351 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC $52,260 31% below national
352 Manhattan, KS $52,220 31% below national
353 Chattanooga, TN-GA $51,330 33% below national
354 Fort Smith, AR-OK $51,070 33% below national
355 Monroe, LA $50,670 34% below national
356 Columbus, GA-AL $49,990 34% below national
357 Lafayette, LA $49,900 35% below national
358 Jonesboro, AR $49,570 35% below national
359 Jackson, MS $49,160 35% below national
360 New Orleans-Metairie, LA $48,970 36% below national
361 Baton Rouge, LA $48,710 36% below national
362 Florence, SC $48,710 36% below national
363 Morristown, TN $48,710 36% below national
364 Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA $48,620 36% below national
365 Montgomery, AL $48,490 36% below national
366 Gadsden, AL $48,340 37% below national
367 Fayetteville, NC $48,160 37% below national
368 Gulfport-Biloxi, MS $48,050 37% below national
369 Slidell-Mandeville-Covington, LA $47,790 37% below national
370 Mobile, AL $47,000 38% below national
371 Valdosta, GA $46,960 38% below national
372 Macon-Bibb County, GA $46,630 39% below national
373 Goldsboro, NC $46,570 39% below national
374 Johnson City, TN $46,560 39% below national
375 San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR $45,510 40% below national
376 Joplin, MO-KS $45,460 40% below national
377 Anniston-Oxford, AL $44,890 41% below national
378 Hot Springs, AR $44,850 41% below national
379 Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA $44,320 42% below national
380 Hattiesburg, MS $44,080 42% below national
381 Alexandria, LA $43,980 42% below national
382 Hammond, LA $40,560 47% below national
383 Arecibo, PR $33,070 57% below national
384 Ponce, PR $30,830 60% below national
385 Guayama, PR $29,410 61% below national
386 Aguadilla, PR $28,560 63% below national

Same SOC major group

Other detailed occupations in SOC major group 33 (Protective Service Occupations) - category peers, not a pay match.

Showing 5 of 23 detailed occupations BLS assigns to this SOC major group.

Nationwide occupations with similar pay or employment scale

Two OEWS peer sets outside this SOC major group (Protective Service Occupations). Same-category cards above stay inside the group; these neighborhoods are cross-group nearest neighbors on national median pay ($76,210 here) and reported employment (670,520 jobs here).

Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on BLS OEWS national median annual wage and reported employment. Employment peers exclude occupations already listed in the pay column so the two link sets stay distinct.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers make?
The median annual salary for Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers is $76,210 ($36.64/hour). The salary range spans from $47,510 at the 10th percentile to $115,120 at the 90th percentile.
Where does Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers pay rank nationally?
At a published national median of $76,210, Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers pay is higher than 68% of the 825 detailed occupations with a published BLS annual median in the May 2025 OEWS release. This compares occupation-level medians, not individual workers, job offers, or this occupation's own worker pay-percentile range.
What state pays Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers the most?
California pays the highest median salary for Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers at $118,880/year, which is +56% above the national median.
What education do Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers need?
BLS assigns Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers to High school diploma or equivalent for typical education needed for entry. Typical on-the-job training assignment: Moderate-term on-the-job training.
How dangerous is the work for Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers?
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers has a safety grade of C (Moderate Risk) based on BLS data. The fatality rate is 7.5 per 100,000 workers and the injury rate is 5.5 per 100 workers.
Is Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers a good career?
Employment for Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers is projected to grow 3.1% from 2024 to 2034, which is about as fast as average. About 53,700 openings are projected each year.
How does Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers pay vary by state?
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers salaries vary significantly by state. The highest-paying state is California at $118,880/year, while Puerto Rico pays the least at $45,510/year. BLS data covers 53 states and territories.
Which metro areas pay the most for Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers?
The highest published metropolitan-area median in this ranking is San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA at $136,140/year. BLS reports a median for 386 metropolitan areas for this occupation. The ranking does not establish why values differ.

What to do with this data

How to use Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers pay figures in a real decision

  • The 75th-percentile wage is about $97,600/year. Treat it as the upper-quartile market boundary, not an automatic target for experience alone; role scope, location, industry, credentials, performance, and employer context still need separate evidence. Salary calculator
  • Location moves pay significantly: California leads at $118,880/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
  • Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs

These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.

Data as of May 2025. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 annual release. Employment projections from BLS Employment Projections program, 2024–2034. Data reflects cross-industry estimates for all ownership types.

These are survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. See how to use them.

Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Occupation wages use BLS OEWS May 2025; outlook uses BLS Employment Projections for 2024–2034; safety, skills, knowledge, and task panels identify their BLS or O*NET sources in context. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.