How much does a police and sheriff's patrol officer make?
Median yearly pay in the United States: half earn more and half earn less. That is $36.64 an hour or $6,351 a month.
- Hourly
- $36.64
- Average (mean)
- $79,200
- Jobs
- 670,520
| Percentile | Yearly | Hourly | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $47,510 | $22.84 | |
| 25th | $59,290 | $28.50 | |
| Median | $76,210 | $36.64 | |
| 75th | $97,600 | $46.92 | |
| 90th | $115,100 | $55.35 |
By state
Median yearly pay.
| California | $118,900 |
| Washington | $102,100 |
| Illinois | $100,500 |
| Alaska | $99,130 |
| Colorado | $97,350 |
| Delaware | $92,970 |
| New York | $92,790 |
| New Jersey | $92,610 |
| District of Columbia | $88,650 |
| Oregon | $88,140 |
| Pennsylvania | $85,470 |
| Hawaii | $83,820 |
| Minnesota | $83,360 |
| Connecticut | $82,170 |
| Massachusetts | $78,940 |
| Arizona | $78,880 |
| Nevada | $78,140 |
| Wisconsin | $78,090 |
| Maryland | $77,970 |
| Utah | $77,310 |
| Rhode Island | $77,230 |
| Ohio | $77,020 |
| Texas | $75,900 |
| Nebraska | $74,620 |
| North Dakota | $74,500 |
| Florida | $74,470 |
| Iowa | $74,470 |
| Michigan | $73,730 |
| Indiana | $73,370 |
| New Hampshire | $71,640 |
| Montana | $70,050 |
| New Mexico | $69,180 |
| Vermont | $68,910 |
| Maine | $67,050 |
| Idaho | $66,990 |
| Wyoming | $66,140 |
| Virginia | $65,870 |
| South Dakota | $60,740 |
| Kentucky | $60,490 |
| Oklahoma | $59,700 |
| Missouri | $59,460 |
| North Carolina | $59,300 |
| Tennessee | $59,280 |
| Kansas | $59,230 |
| Georgia | $58,120 |
| South Carolina | $58,070 |
| West Virginia | $56,960 |
| Alabama | $51,270 |
| Louisiana | $48,380 |
| Arkansas | $47,670 |
| Mississippi | $46,140 |
Highest paying cities
Metro areas, median yearly pay.
| San Jose, CA | $136,100 |
| San Francisco, CA | $132,000 |
| Carson City, NV | $131,200 |
| Vallejo, CA | $129,900 |
| Napa, CA | $127,300 |
| Santa Rosa, CA | $125,900 |
| Santa Cruz, CA | $123,000 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $122,000 |
| Santa Maria, CA | $120,900 |
| Oxnard, CA | $119,600 |
| Salinas, CA | $118,200 |
| Seattle, WA | $115,100 |
| Anchorage, AK | $115,000 |
| Sacramento, CA | $111,500 |
| San Diego, CA | $110,400 |
In other countries
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officer belongs to the international group "Customs and border inspectors".
Compare pay in 140 countriesSimilar jobs
- Bailiff$56,600
- Correctional Officer and Jailer$58,940
- Detective and Criminal Investigator$93,790
- Fish and Game Warden$74,060
- Parking Enforcement Worker$46,730
- Transit and Railroad Police$90,230
Federal law enforcement pay
Federal officers are paid on the General Schedule with special base rates at GS-3 to GS-10, set by OPM.
LEO pay scale 2026Frequently asked questions
How much does a police and sheriff's patrol officer make an hour?
The median hourly pay is $36.64 ($76,210 a year).
How much does a police and sheriff's patrol officer make a month?
About $6,351 a month before tax, based on a median of $76,210 a year.
How much does a police and sheriff's patrol officer make starting out?
The lowest-paid 10% make $47,510 or less a year ($22.84 an hour); the top 10% make $115,100 or more.
Which state pays police and sheriff's patrol officers the most?
California, with a median of $118,900 a year, followed by Washington ($102,100) and Illinois ($100,500).
Which city pays police and sheriff's patrol officers the most?
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA, with a median of $136,100 a year.
How many police and sheriff's patrol officers are there in the United States?
About 670,520 people work as police and sheriff's patrol officers.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS): pay in May 2025, published by BLS in 2026. Hourly pay is the yearly figure divided by 2,080 hours.