Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers pay in the United States

In the U.S., the median pay for police and sheriff's patrol officers is $36.64 an hour ($76,210 a year). About 670,520 people work in this job there.

$36.64Median hourly pay
$59,290–$97,600Middle half of workers, yearly
670,520People in this job in the U.S.

Pay range for police and sheriff's patrol officers in the U.S.

Earns more thanHourlyYearly
10% of workers$22.84$47,510
25% of workers$28.50$59,290
Half of workers (median)$36.64$76,210
75% of workers$46.93$97,600
90% of workers$55.35$115,120

Best-paying states for police and sheriff's patrol officers

StateMedian yearly payPeople in this job
California$118,88065,940
Washington$102,0809,160
Illinois$100,52029,180
Alaska$99,1301,260
Colorado$97,3509,610
Delaware$92,9701,800
New York$92,79053,470
New Jersey$92,61021,780
District of Columbia$88,6504,720
Oregon$88,1405,030

Pay by state

Education, experience and outlook for police and sheriff's patrol officers

  • Typical education to start: High school diploma or equivalent (BLS)
  • Related work experience most have: None (O*NET)
  • Training on the job: Moderate-term on-the-job training (BLS)
  • Job outlook: +3.5% over ten years, about as fast as average · about 51,500 openings a year (BLS)

Related jobs in the U.S.

JobMedian yearly pay
Security Guards$38,020
Correctional Officers and Jailers$58,940
First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives$106,040
Detectives and Criminal Investigators$93,790
Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists$66,270
First-Line Supervisors of Security Workers$55,940
First-Line Supervisors of Correctional Officers$77,970
Private Detectives and Investigators$51,220

Other job titles for this job

Customs SpecialistImport SpecialistOcean Import SpecialistSpecial AgentCustoms InspectorCustoms VerifierAgriculture SpecialistMarshalDeputy SheriffGrand Jury Deputy SheriffPsoPolice Officer

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Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates. Figures are for wage and salary workers and do not include the self-employed. The median is the middle wage: half earn more, half earn less. Other job titles: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license; O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. JAI Bot has modified this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.