Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers Salaries by State
Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for police and sheriff's patrol officerss across the U.S. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 (data.bls.gov OEWS tool /OESServices/combo/table, all-occupation crawl by area).
National mean salary $79,200 ≈ $38/hr
National median salary $76,210
Total employment 670,520 nationwide
Job Outlook, 2024–2034
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.
Projected growth +3.1%
About as fast as average
Annual openings 53,700 per year (avg)
Employment 2024→2034 698,800 → 720,800 (+22,000)
Typical entry education High school diploma or equivalent
Salary Map
Brighter tiles = higher average pay; dashed tiles have no data. Click a state for details.
💰 Top 5 Highest-Paying States
- California$112,980
- Washington$104,140
- Alaska$101,770
- New Jersey$93,700
- Delaware$93,210
📉 5 Lowest-Paying States
- Mississippi$47,010
- Arkansas$49,850
- Louisiana$51,250
- Alabama$55,130
- West Virginia$55,900
State Rankings
| # | State | Mean | Median | Hourly | vs. U.S. | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $112,980 | $118,880 | $54 | +42.7% | 65,940 |
| 2 | Washington | $104,140 | $102,080 | $50 | +31.5% | 9,160 |
| 3 | Alaska | $101,770 | $99,130 | $49 | +28.5% | 1,260 |
| 4 | New Jersey | $93,700 | $92,610 | $45 | +18.3% | 21,780 |
| 5 | Delaware | $93,210 | $92,970 | $45 | +17.7% | 1,800 |
| 6 | Illinois | $92,450 | $100,520 | $44 | +16.7% | 29,180 |
| 7 | District of Columbia | $92,390 | $88,650 | $44 | +16.7% | 4,720 |
| 8 | Colorado | $90,550 | $97,350 | $44 | +14.3% | 9,610 |
| 9 | Hawaii | $90,360 | $83,820 | $43 | +14.1% | 2,420 |
| 10 | Oregon | $87,990 | $88,140 | $42 | +11.1% | 5,030 |
| 11 | New York | $87,110 | $92,790 | $42 | +10% | 53,470 |
| 12 | Nevada | $86,470 | $78,140 | $42 | +9.2% | 5,720 |
| 13 | Minnesota | $85,130 | $83,360 | $41 | +7.5% | 9,160 |
| 14 | Connecticut | $83,920 | $82,170 | $40 | +6% | 6,500 |
| 15 | Massachusetts | $83,230 | $78,940 | $40 | +5.1% | 17,040 |
| 16 | Maryland | $82,400 | $77,970 | $40 | +4% | 9,720 |
| 17 | Pennsylvania | $81,910 | $85,470 | $39 | +3.4% | 26,510 |
| 18 | Arizona | $81,720 | $78,880 | $39 | +3.2% | 12,010 |
| 19 | Rhode Island | $78,760 | $77,230 | $38 | -0.6% | 1,940 |
| 20 | Utah | $78,760 | $77,310 | $38 | -0.6% | 5,500 |
| 21 | Ohio | $76,730 | $77,020 | $37 | -3.1% | 23,430 |
| 22 | Wisconsin | $76,560 | $78,090 | $37 | -3.3% | 12,320 |
| 23 | Iowa | $76,280 | $74,470 | $37 | -3.7% | 5,130 |
| 24 | Texas | $76,160 | $75,900 | $37 | -3.8% | 63,100 |
| 25 | Florida | $75,320 | $74,470 | $36 | -4.9% | 43,630 |
| 26 | Nebraska | $75,290 | $74,620 | $36 | -4.9% | 3,490 |
| 27 | Indiana | $75,130 | $73,370 | $36 | -5.1% | 12,980 |
| 28 | North Dakota | $72,400 | $74,500 | $35 | -8.6% | 1,630 |
| 29 | Idaho | $70,860 | $66,990 | $34 | -10.5% | 2,810 |
| 30 | New Hampshire | $70,630 | $71,640 | $34 | -10.8% | 2,460 |
| 31 | Vermont | $70,560 | $68,910 | $34 | -10.9% | 1,020 |
| 32 | Virginia | $70,450 | $65,870 | $34 | -11% | 19,970 |
| 33 | Michigan | $70,310 | $73,730 | $34 | -11.2% | 16,750 |
| 34 | Maine | $69,830 | $67,050 | $34 | -11.8% | 2,120 |
| 35 | Montana | $69,540 | $70,050 | $33 | -12.2% | 2,160 |
| 36 | Wyoming | $67,080 | $66,140 | $32 | -15.3% | 1,310 |
| 37 | New Mexico | $66,700 | $69,180 | $32 | -15.8% | 4,580 |
| 38 | South Dakota | $64,320 | $60,740 | $31 | -18.8% | 2,000 |
| 39 | Oklahoma | $63,120 | $59,700 | $30 | -20.3% | 9,660 |
| 40 | Missouri | $62,520 | $59,460 | $30 | -21.1% | 13,570 |
| 41 | Tennessee | $61,830 | $59,280 | $30 | -21.9% | 15,630 |
| 42 | Kansas | $61,450 | $59,230 | $30 | -22.4% | 6,130 |
| 43 | North Carolina | $61,390 | $59,300 | $30 | -22.5% | 22,370 |
| 44 | South Carolina | $60,420 | $58,070 | $29 | -23.7% | 12,930 |
| 45 | Kentucky | $59,840 | $60,490 | $29 | -24.4% | 7,890 |
| 46 | Georgia | $58,520 | $58,120 | $28 | -26.1% | 22,170 |
| 47 | West Virginia | $55,900 | $56,960 | $27 | -29.4% | 2,900 |
| 48 | Alabama | $55,130 | $51,270 | $27 | -30.4% | 11,710 |
| 49 | Louisiana | $51,250 | $48,380 | $25 | -35.3% | 12,400 |
| 50 | Arkansas | $49,850 | $47,670 | $24 | -37.1% | 5,710 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $47,010 | $46,140 | $23 | -40.6% | 8,070 |
Top-Paying Metro Areas
Highest median pay among 516 metro areas.
| # | Metro area | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $136,140 | $143,520 | 2,590 |
| 2 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $132,000 | $130,190 | 7,990 |
| 3 | Carson City, NV | $131,210 | $114,270 | 110 |
| 4 | Vallejo, CA | $129,900 | $127,150 | 690 |
| 5 | Napa, CA | $127,310 | $124,360 | 300 |
| 6 | Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $125,910 | $118,750 | 590 |
| 7 | Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $122,970 | $115,630 | 400 |
| 8 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $121,980 | $112,320 | 24,720 |
| 9 | Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $120,900 | $112,450 | 730 |
| 10 | Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $119,640 | $110,910 | 1,330 |
Pay by Industry
Highest-paying industries employing police and sheriff's patrol officerss (BLS OEWS, by median).
| # | Industry | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations | $98,750 | $96,290 | — |
| 2 | Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations | $98,750 | $96,290 | — |
| 3 | Sector 81 - Other Services (except Public Administration) | $98,750 | $96,290 | — |
| 4 | State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $88,400 | $92,010 | 57,190 |
| 5 | State Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $84,510 | $88,510 | 68,340 |
| 6 | Postal Service (Federal Government) | $83,620 | $77,530 | 330 |
| 7 | Postal Service (Federal Government) | $83,620 | $77,530 | 330 |
| 8 | Sectors 48 and 49 - Transportation and Warehousing | $83,620 | $78,540 | 370 |
| 9 | Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Schools and Hospitals and USPS | $76,520 | $79,690 | 642,460 |
| 10 | Sector 99 - Federal, State, and Local Government, excl. State & Local Schools & Hospitals & USPS | $76,520 | $79,690 | 642,460 |
| 11 | Federal, State, and Local Government, including State and Local Schools and Hospitals and USPS | $76,300 | $79,340 | 663,800 |
| 12 | Cross-Industry, Private, Federal, State, and Local | $76,210 | $79,200 | 670,520 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do police and sheriff's patrol officers make in the U.S.?
The median police and sheriff's patrol officers salary in the United States is $76,210 per year (mean $79,200), and about 80% earn between $47,510 and $115,120.
How much do police and sheriff's patrol officers make per hour?
Roughly $38 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $79,200 and 2,080 work hours per year.
Which state pays police and sheriff's patrol officers the most?
California has the highest average pay for police and sheriff's patrol officers at $112,980 per year (median $118,880).
What is the job outlook for police and sheriff's patrol officers?
Employment is projected to change +3.1% from 2024 to 2034 (About as fast as average), with about 53,700 openings per year.