Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers pay in the United States
What this work is
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.
Where the money actually goes furthest
California pays the most both before and after cost of living — $118,880, worth $107,369 once local prices are counted.
Pay by state
53 states and territories publish a median for this occupation. Switch the ranking to see how much the order changes.
Adjusted for what things cost in that state.
| State | Hourly | Annual | Worth locally | After state tax | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | $57.15/hr | $118,880 | $107,369 | $111,797 | 65,940 |
| Illinois | $48.33/hr | $100,520 | $100,560 | $95,681 | 29,180 |
| Alaska | $47.66/hr | $99,130 | $96,844 | $99,130 | 1,260 |
| Washington | $49.08/hr | $102,080 | $95,392 | $102,080 | 9,160 |
| Colorado | $46.81/hr | $97,350 | $94,468 | $93,833 | 9,610 |
| Delaware | $44.70/hr | $92,970 | $93,146 | $88,064 | 1,800 |
| Pennsylvania | $41.09/hr | $85,470 | $87,598 | $82,846 | 26,510 |
| New York | $44.61/hr | $92,790 | $85,980 | $88,270 | 53,470 |
| Oregon | $42.38/hr | $88,140 | $85,274 | $80,968 | 5,030 |
| New Jersey | $44.53/hr | $92,610 | $85,111 | $88,836 | 21,780 |
| Iowa | $35.81/hr | $74,470 | $84,856 | $72,194 | 5,130 |
| Minnesota | $40.08/hr | $83,360 | $84,526 | $79,154 | 9,160 |
| North Dakota | $35.82/hr | $74,500 | $83,745 | $74,277 | 1,630 |
| Ohio | $37.03/hr | $77,020 | $83,022 | $75,618 | 23,430 |
| Wisconsin | $37.55/hr | $78,090 | $82,986 | $75,048 | 12,320 |
| Nebraska | $35.88/hr | $74,620 | $82,819 | $71,649 | 3,490 |
| District of Columbia | $42.62/hr | $88,650 | $80,664 | $83,955 | 4,720 |
| Connecticut | $39.51/hr | $82,170 | $79,307 | $78,400 | 6,500 |
| Indiana | $35.27/hr | $73,370 | $78,613 | $71,198 | 12,980 |
| Arizona | $37.92/hr | $78,880 | $78,347 | $77,273 | 12,010 |
| Utah | $37.17/hr | $77,310 | $78,201 | $73,792 | 5,500 |
| Texas | $36.49/hr | $75,900 | $78,199 | $75,900 | 63,100 |
| Nevada | $37.57/hr | $78,140 | $78,155 | $78,140 | 5,720 |
| Michigan | $35.45/hr | $73,730 | $76,626 | $70,834 | 16,750 |
| Hawaii | $40.30/hr | $83,820 | $76,234 | $78,892 | 2,420 |
| Rhode Island | $37.13/hr | $77,230 | $75,508 | $74,729 | 1,940 |
| New Mexico | $33.26/hr | $69,180 | $75,024 | $66,902 | 4,580 |
| Massachusetts | $37.95/hr | $78,940 | $74,640 | $74,993 | 17,040 |
| Maryland | $37.49/hr | $77,970 | $74,285 | $74,447 | 9,720 |
| Montana | $33.68/hr | $70,050 | $74,009 | $67,031 | 2,160 |
| Florida | $35.81/hr | $74,470 | $72,014 | $74,470 | 43,630 |
| Wyoming | $31.80/hr | $66,140 | $71,356 | $66,140 | 1,310 |
| Vermont | $33.13/hr | $68,910 | $70,345 | $66,299 | 1,020 |
| Idaho | $32.21/hr | $66,990 | $70,153 | $64,213 | 2,810 |
| Maine | $32.24/hr | $67,050 | $69,088 | $63,764 | 2,120 |
| New Hampshire | $34.44/hr | $71,640 | $68,772 | $71,640 | 2,460 |
| South Dakota | $29.20/hr | $60,740 | $68,563 | $60,740 | 2,000 |
| Oklahoma | $28.70/hr | $59,700 | $67,964 | $57,354 | 9,660 |
| Kentucky | $29.08/hr | $60,490 | $67,091 | $58,196 | 7,890 |
| Kansas | $28.48/hr | $59,230 | $65,759 | $56,213 | 6,130 |
| Missouri | $28.59/hr | $59,460 | $65,470 | $57,522 | 13,570 |
| Virginia | $31.67/hr | $65,870 | $65,153 | $62,828 | 19,970 |
| Tennessee | $28.50/hr | $59,280 | $64,525 | $59,280 | 15,630 |
| West Virginia | $27.39/hr | $56,960 | $63,642 | $55,041 | 2,900 |
| North Carolina | $28.51/hr | $59,300 | $62,864 | $57,321 | 22,370 |
| South Carolina | $27.92/hr | $58,070 | $61,941 | $56,052 | 12,930 |
| Georgia | $27.94/hr | $58,120 | $60,359 | $55,726 | 22,170 |
| Alabama | $24.65/hr | $51,270 | $57,723 | $48,896 | 11,710 |
| Louisiana | $23.26/hr | $48,380 | $54,846 | $47,303 | 12,400 |
| Arkansas | $22.92/hr | $47,670 | $54,830 | $45,987 | 5,710 |
| Mississippi | $22.18/hr | $46,140 | $53,064 | $44,211 | 8,070 |
| Guam | $29.87/hr | $62,130 | Not published | Not published | 540 |
| Puerto Rico | $21.88/hr | $45,510 | Not published | Not published | 11,640 |
National median for comparison: $76,210. “Worth locally” divides pay by the area’s price level, so a figure above the headline means money goes further there than the US average.
$36.64/hr an hour, national median
Across the states
25th to 75th percentile, lowest and highest state
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