Police Officer Salary by State (May 2025 BLS Data)
By The College Match Editorial Team · Data: May 2025 · Updated October 2026
Police and sheriff's patrol officers earn a median of $76,210 a year nationally, but pay depends heavily on location: from $46,140 in Mississippi to $118,880 in California.
Police and sheriff's patrol officers enforce laws, respond to calls and patrol assigned areas. The table below covers all 50 states and Washington, DC, using the latest wage survey from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
U.S. median
$76,210
Highest: California
$118,880
Lowest: Mississippi
$46,140
Employed in the U.S.
670,520
Police Officer pay in every state
Sorted by median annual wage. "Typical range" is the 10th to 90th percentile: 80% of police and sheriff's patrol officers in the state earn within it.
| Rank | State | Median | Average | Typical range | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $118,880 | $112,980 | $76,300 – $153,190 | 65,940 |
| 2 | Washington | $102,080 | $104,140 | $79,120 – $132,200 | 9,160 |
| 3 | Illinois | $100,520 | $92,450 | $58,420 – $119,560 | 29,180 |
| 4 | Alaska | $99,130 | $101,770 | $60,670 – $137,340 | 1,260 |
| 5 | Colorado | $97,350 | $90,550 | $65,340 – $109,300 | 9,610 |
| 6 | Delaware | $92,970 | $93,210 | $62,470 – $130,870 | 1,800 |
| 7 | New York | $92,790 | $87,110 | $53,000 – $118,250 | 53,470 |
| 8 | New Jersey | $92,610 | $93,700 | $57,740 – $134,260 | 21,780 |
| 9 | District of Columbia | $88,650 | $92,390 | $66,420 – $119,660 | 4,720 |
| 10 | Oregon | $88,140 | $87,990 | $66,380 – $109,350 | 5,030 |
| 11 | Pennsylvania | $85,470 | $81,910 | $48,680 – $109,780 | 26,510 |
| 12 | Hawaii | $83,820 | $90,360 | $77,480 – $108,110 | 2,420 |
| 13 | Minnesota | $83,360 | $85,130 | $60,670 – $106,160 | 9,160 |
| 14 | Connecticut | $82,170 | $83,920 | $63,310 – $102,660 | 6,500 |
| 15 | Massachusetts | $78,940 | $83,230 | $61,160 – $108,150 | 17,040 |
| 16 | Arizona | $78,880 | $81,720 | $60,990 – $98,560 | 12,010 |
| 17 | Nevada | $78,140 | $86,470 | $62,250 – $102,810 | 5,720 |
| 18 | Wisconsin | $78,090 | $76,560 | $58,530 – $94,450 | 12,320 |
| 19 | Maryland | $77,970 | $82,400 | $58,580 – $113,700 | 9,720 |
| 20 | Utah | $77,310 | $78,760 | $60,290 – $99,920 | 5,500 |
| 21 | Rhode Island | $77,230 | $78,760 | $59,020 – $91,760 | 1,940 |
| 22 | Ohio | $77,020 | $76,730 | $51,110 – $103,210 | 23,430 |
| 23 | Texas | $75,900 | $76,160 | $51,240 – $98,350 | 63,100 |
| 24 | Nebraska | $74,620 | $75,290 | $54,680 – $95,210 | 3,490 |
| 25 | North Dakota | $74,500 | $72,400 | $58,620 – $91,440 | 1,630 |
| 26 | Florida | $74,470 | $75,320 | $51,330 – $98,190 | 43,630 |
| 27 | Iowa | $74,470 | $76,280 | $59,360 – $101,520 | 5,130 |
| 28 | Michigan | $73,730 | $70,310 | $47,780 – $89,220 | 16,750 |
| 29 | Indiana | $73,370 | $75,130 | $52,170 – $100,010 | 12,980 |
| 30 | New Hampshire | $71,640 | $70,630 | $57,930 – $89,940 | 2,460 |
| 31 | Montana | $70,050 | $69,540 | $55,330 – $84,150 | 2,160 |
| 32 | New Mexico | $69,180 | $66,700 | $48,400 – $85,740 | 4,580 |
| 33 | Vermont | $68,910 | $70,560 | $53,950 – $95,530 | 1,020 |
| 34 | Maine | $67,050 | $69,830 | $55,930 – $91,270 | 2,120 |
| 35 | Idaho | $66,990 | $70,860 | $48,840 – $97,980 | 2,810 |
| 36 | Wyoming | $66,140 | $67,080 | $57,130 – $76,840 | 1,310 |
| 37 | Virginia | $65,870 | $70,450 | $50,000 – $96,820 | 19,970 |
| 38 | South Dakota | $60,740 | $64,320 | $47,540 – $91,900 | 2,000 |
| 39 | Kentucky | $60,490 | $59,840 | $38,780 – $77,970 | 7,890 |
| 40 | Oklahoma | $59,700 | $63,120 | $36,480 – $94,940 | 9,660 |
| 41 | Missouri | $59,460 | $62,520 | $43,210 – $90,770 | 13,570 |
| 42 | North Carolina | $59,300 | $61,390 | $46,040 – $80,240 | 22,370 |
| 43 | Tennessee | $59,280 | $61,830 | $43,520 – $79,480 | 15,630 |
| 44 | Kansas | $59,230 | $61,450 | $42,040 – $90,530 | 6,130 |
| 45 | Georgia | $58,120 | $58,520 | $43,690 – $76,250 | 22,170 |
| 46 | South Carolina | $58,070 | $60,420 | $45,060 – $78,760 | 12,930 |
| 47 | West Virginia | $56,960 | $55,900 | $41,950 – $69,980 | 2,900 |
| 48 | Alabama | $51,270 | $55,130 | $37,480 – $77,220 | 11,710 |
| 49 | Louisiana | $48,380 | $51,250 | $36,470 – $69,140 | 12,400 |
| 50 | Arkansas | $47,670 | $49,850 | $35,210 – $70,190 | 5,710 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $46,140 | $47,010 | $33,230 – $61,550 | 8,070 |
| United States | $76,210 | $79,200 | $47,510 – $115,120 | 670,520 |
Common questions
How much do police and sheriff's patrol officers make in the U.S.?
The national median annual wage for police and sheriff's patrol officers was $76,210 in May 2025, with an average of $79,200. The middle 80% earned between $47,510 and $115,120.
Which state pays police and sheriff's patrol officers the most?
California has the highest median wage at $118,880 a year. Of the 51 areas (states plus DC) with published figures, 22 pay above the national median.
Which state pays police and sheriff's patrol officers the least?
Mississippi has the lowest median wage at $46,140 a year. Lower pay often comes with a lower cost of living, so compare against local living costs.
Which state employs the most police and sheriff's patrol officers?
California employs the most, about 65,940.
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Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025, occupation code 33-3051. Figures are annual wages for employed police and sheriff's patrol officers and exclude the self-employed. Some states' figures are not published by BLS and show as n/a. See our editorial standards for how we build these pages.