SOC 333051

Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers

Maintain order and protect life and property by enforcing local, tribal, state, or federal laws and ordinances. Perform a combination of the following duties: patrol a specific area; direct traffic; issue traffic summonses; investigate accidents; apprehend and arrest suspects, or serve legal processes of courts. Includes police officers working at educational institutions.

National Median

$76,290

per year

National Salary Overview

Median Annual

$76,290

Entry Level (10th pct)

$47,640

Experienced (90th pct)

$115,280

Total Employed

666,990

Salary Distribution

Salary percentiles show the range from entry-level (10th) to top earners (90th)

Salary by Experience Level

Experience LevelEstimated Salary Range
Entry Level0-2 years experience$47,640 - $58,980
Mid Career2-8 years experience$58,980 - $97,190
Senior / Expert8+ years experience$97,190 - $115,280

Highest Paying Locations for Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers

Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers Salary by Location

Compare salaries across 50 metropolitan areas

Metropolitan AreaMedian SalaryEmployed
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$150,6502,520
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$133,1907,860
Napa, CA$128,980280
Vallejo, CA$128,470660
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA$123,140450
Salinas, CA$122,290780
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA$121,370720
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA$121,0501,320
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA$119,580720
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA$115,63024,310
California$115,40065,170
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$114,2004,070
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA$112,6305,590
Anchorage, AK$110,180570
Modesto, CA$109,770770
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA$109,1904,990
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN$108,89023,340
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA$106,8505,920
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ$105,79054,830
Redding, CA$104,980420
Kennewick-Richland, WA$104,460320
Bellingham, WA$104,350280
Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO$103,1704,750
Stockton-Lodi, CA$102,7201,000
Washington$102,6408,370
Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA$102,640280
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA$101,690470
Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA$101,650170
Fresno, CA$101,6401,540
Illinois$101,53029,790
Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA$101,310360
Boulder, CO$101,240350
Alaska$100,3001,160
Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA$100,000130
Columbus, OH$99,9605,230
Alaska nonmetropolitan area$97,420480
Fort Collins-Loveland, CO$97,400730
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA$97,0702,250
Eastern Sierra-Mother Lode Region of California nonmetropolitan area$96,880430
North Valley-Northern Mountains Region of California nonmetropolitan area$96,870700
Colorado$96,1009,480
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI$95,9205,300
Chico, CA$95,890230
Fairbanks-College, AK$95,590120
Bend, OR$94,740280
Erie, PA$94,290610
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL$94,29019,300
Longview-Kelso, WA$93,860110
Corvallis, OR$93,680110
New York$93,05054,360

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average salary for a Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers?
The national median annual salary for Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers is $76,290, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data. This means half of workers in this occupation earn more, and half earn less.
Where do Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officerss earn the most?
The highest-paying metro area for Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officerss is San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA, with a median salary of $150,650.
How much can an experienced Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers make?
Top-earning Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officerss (90th percentile) make $115,280 or more annually. This typically reflects workers with significant experience, specialized skills, or positions in high-paying regions.