Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for police and sheriff's patrol officers is $76,210, or $36.64 per hour. About 670,520 people work in this occupation nationwide. Wages vary substantially by state — from $118,880 in California to $46,140 in Mississippi.
Wage distribution nationwide
Earnings spread across all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Salary by state
All 51 states with published data, ranked by median annual wage.
| # | State | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $118,880 | $57.15 | 65,940 | 0.84 |
| 2 | Washington | $102,080 | $49.08 | 9,160 | 0.60 |
| 3 | Illinois | $100,520 | $48.33 | 29,180 | 1.11 |
| 4 | Alaska | $99,130 | $47.66 | 1,260 | 0.90 |
| 5 | Colorado | $97,350 | $46.81 | 9,610 | 0.78 |
| 6 | Delaware | $92,970 | $44.70 | 1,800 | 0.86 |
| 7 | New York | $92,790 | $44.61 | 53,470 | 1.28 |
| 8 | New Jersey | $92,610 | $44.53 | 21,780 | 1.18 |
| 9 | District of Columbia | $88,650 | $42.62 | 4,720 | 1.56 |
| 10 | Oregon | $88,140 | $42.38 | 5,030 | 0.59 |
| 11 | Pennsylvania | $85,470 | $41.09 | 26,510 | 1.01 |
| 12 | Hawaii | $83,820 | $40.30 | 2,420 | 0.90 |
| 13 | Minnesota | $83,360 | $40.08 | 9,160 | 0.72 |
| 14 | Connecticut | $82,170 | $39.51 | 6,500 | 0.89 |
| 15 | Massachusetts | $78,940 | $37.95 | 17,040 | 1.09 |
| 16 | Arizona | $78,880 | $37.92 | 12,010 | 0.86 |
| 17 | Nevada | $78,140 | $37.57 | 5,720 | 0.85 |
| 18 | Wisconsin | $78,090 | $37.55 | 12,320 | 0.97 |
| 19 | Maryland | $77,970 | $37.49 | 9,720 | 0.82 |
| 20 | Utah | $77,310 | $37.17 | 5,500 | 0.73 |
| 21 | Rhode Island | $77,230 | $37.13 | 1,940 | 0.90 |
| 22 | Ohio | $77,020 | $37.03 | 23,430 | 0.98 |
| 23 | Texas | $75,900 | $36.49 | 63,100 | 1.04 |
| 24 | Nebraska | $74,620 | $35.88 | 3,490 | 0.79 |
| 25 | North Dakota | $74,500 | $35.82 | 1,630 | 0.88 |
| 26 | Iowa | $74,470 | $35.81 | 5,130 | 0.76 |
| 27 | Florida | $74,470 | $35.81 | 43,630 | 1.02 |
| 28 | Michigan | $73,730 | $35.45 | 16,750 | 0.88 |
| 29 | Indiana | $73,370 | $35.27 | 12,980 | 0.94 |
| 30 | New Hampshire | $71,640 | $34.44 | 2,460 | 0.83 |
| 31 | Montana | $70,050 | $33.68 | 2,160 | 0.98 |
| 32 | New Mexico | $69,180 | $33.26 | 4,580 | 1.22 |
| 33 | Vermont | $68,910 | $33.13 | 1,020 | 0.78 |
| 34 | Maine | $67,050 | $32.24 | 2,120 | 0.77 |
| 35 | Idaho | $66,990 | $32.21 | 2,810 | 0.76 |
| 36 | Wyoming | $66,140 | $31.80 | 1,310 | 1.08 |
| 37 | Virginia | $65,870 | $31.67 | 19,970 | 1.13 |
| 38 | South Dakota | $60,740 | $29.20 | 2,000 | 1.01 |
| 39 | Kentucky | $60,490 | $29.08 | 7,890 | 0.91 |
| 40 | Oklahoma | $59,700 | $28.70 | 9,660 | 1.31 |
| 41 | Missouri | $59,460 | $28.59 | 13,570 | 1.07 |
| 42 | North Carolina | $59,300 | $28.51 | 22,370 | 1.05 |
| 43 | Tennessee | $59,280 | $28.50 | 15,630 | 1.11 |
| 44 | Kansas | $59,230 | $28.48 | 6,130 | 0.99 |
| 45 | Georgia | $58,120 | $27.94 | 22,170 | 1.05 |
| 46 | South Carolina | $58,070 | $27.92 | 12,930 | 1.30 |
| 47 | West Virginia | $56,960 | $27.39 | 2,900 | 0.96 |
| 48 | Alabama | $51,270 | $24.65 | 11,710 | 1.29 |
| 49 | Louisiana | $48,380 | $23.26 | 12,400 | 1.49 |
| 50 | Arkansas | $47,670 | $22.92 | 5,710 | 1.02 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $46,140 | $22.18 | 8,070 | 1.61 |
Related occupations
Same job family, ranked by national employment.
Frequently asked questions
How much do police and sheriff's patrol officers make?
The median annual wage for police and sheriff's patrol officers in the United States is $76,210, or $36.64 per hour. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) earn $47,510, and the top 10% earn $115,120.
How many police and sheriff's patrol officers are employed in the U.S.?
About 670,520 people work as police and sheriff's patrol officers nationwide.
Which state pays police and sheriff's patrol officers the most?
California pays the most at a median of $118,880, followed by Washington ($102,080) and Illinois ($100,520).
Which state pays police and sheriff's patrol officers the least?
Mississippi has the lowest median at $46,140.
Where are police and sheriff's patrol officers jobs most concentrated?
The location quotient measures employment concentration relative to the national average. The highest is Mississippi at 1.61×.