Police Officers salary in the US
From the median paycheck to the top 10%, this page breaks down earnings for police officers using American Community Survey records.
How much do police officers earn?
The typical (median) annual earnings for police officers come to $81,220, which is 55% more than the $52,508 median for all US earners aged 25 and older. That places the job 42nd of the 171 occupation groups we track — firmly in the best-paid quarter. 36,628 respondents aged 25+ reported this occupation, which is what the median is calculated from.
| Position | Annual earnings |
|---|---|
| Top 10% start at | $144,382 |
| Top 25% start at | $111,678 |
| Median (top 50%) | $81,220 |
| Bottom 25% earn below | $55,860 |
How wide is the pay range?
There is meaningful room above the median: $111,678 marks the top quarter and $144,382 the top tenth (1.8× the median). At the other end, a quarter of police officers earned $55,860 or less, which partly reflects part-time and part-year work — the survey counts everyone with earnings, not only full-time staff. The median is 1.5 times that lower-quarter line.
Earnings by age
Earnings build steadily with age, from a median of $68,216 at 25–34 to $96,539 at 45–54 (+42%). Later on, earnings ease to $37,394 for workers 65+, a 61% step down that tracks the shift to part-time work.
Men and women
Women in this occupation have a median of $69,715, 17% below the $83,527 men report. Women account for around 13% of the records behind these figures. The comparison isn't like-for-like on hours or seniority, so read it as a description rather than a pay-equity measure.
| Group | Median earnings | Survey records |
|---|---|---|
| Men | $83,527 | 31,687 |
| Women | $69,715 | 4,941 |
Does education change the pay?
Within the same job title, a professional degree goes with a $99,584 median, versus $62,049 for a high school education or less — a 60% difference. The most common credential in the sample is some college or an associate degree, with 16,525 records. Thin cells (under 100 records) aren't shown.
| Education | Median earnings | Survey records |
|---|---|---|
| High school or less | $62,049 | 5,067 |
| Some college / associate | $78,204 | 16,525 |
| Bachelor's | $89,375 | 12,124 |
| Master's | $97,761 | 2,560 |
| Professional degree | $99,584 | 224 |
| Doctorate | $95,459 | 128 |
Where the most work, and what they earn there
In terms of headcount in the survey, California, Texas, New York, Florida, and Illinois lead the country. California pays best of the five ($112,501 median); Florida pays least ($73,463). These are nominal dollars — living costs differ just as much between states and aren't adjusted for. 48 states have enough records (100+) for their own figure.
| State | Median earnings | Survey records |
|---|---|---|
| California | $112,501 | 3,663 |
| Texas | $81,220 | 3,212 |
| New York | $96,449 | 3,031 |
| Florida | $73,463 | 2,230 |
| Illinois | $94,233 | 1,461 |
Occupations with similar pay
Occupations with a median close to $81,220 include education and childcare administrators ($81,220), compliance officers ($81,220), computer occupations, all other ($81,220), and accountants and auditors ($80,205). The jobs differ in training and working conditions; matching medians just means the typical paycheck is comparable.
| Occupation | Median earnings | vs. this job |
|---|---|---|
| Education and Childcare Administrators | $81,220 | 0% |
| Compliance Officers | $81,220 | 0% |
| Computer Occupations, All Other | $81,220 | 0% |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,205 | −1% |
| Sales Representatives Of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, And Travel | $82,334 | +1% |
About these figures
About the data: the American Community Survey asks people their occupation and earnings; we pool the 2020–2024 responses, convert them to 2024 dollars, and weight each person to represent the population. The 36,628 records for police officers include part-time workers, so these are annual totals rather than full-time salaries.
See where your pay ranks among police officers
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Open the calculatorSource: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-Year Public Use Microdata Sample (PUMS) — personal earnings (PERNP) in 2024 dollars, person-weighted
Reference statistics only — not financial advice.