At a glance
Median pay for Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers runs from $48,710 in Baton Rouge to $136,140 in San Jose across 75 curated metros; the middle value is $78,810.
After the BEA 2024 price adjustment, the top three are San Jose ($123,290), San Francisco ($114,174), Los Angeles ($107,409).
These are workforce estimates from published medians, not job offers or expected hiring pay.
Sources: BLS wages (May 2025) · BEA price parity (2024) · Census ACS (2020–2024) · metro areas, not city limits · How we calculate
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers salary comparison
Police compensation depends on agency contracts, tenure, shifts and local policy. The occupational median is not a police-department pay scale. 75 of 75 curated metros have a reported occupation median. The table is sorted by the site-calculated adjusted metric, not by predicted hiring demand.
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| Metropolitan area | Median annual wage | Adjusted median* | Median gross rent / month |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose, CA | $136,140 | $123,290 | $2,840 |
| San Francisco, CA | $132,000 | $114,174 | $2,474 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $121,980 | $107,409 | $2,063 |
| Columbus, OH | $100,890 | $105,678 | $1,274 |
| Sacramento, CA | $111,460 | $104,490 | $1,819 |
| Chicago, IL–IN | $107,810 | $104,069 | $1,430 |
| Seattle, WA | $115,120 | $103,588 | $2,000 |
| San Diego, CA | $110,400 | $98,671 | $2,246 |
| Fresno, CA | $100,770 | $98,641 | $1,392 |
| Denver, CO | $101,970 | $96,396 | $1,874 |
| Rochester, NY | $92,920 | $95,759 | $1,143 |
| Riverside, CA | $101,870 | $95,705 | $1,846 |
| New York, NY–NJ | $105,540 | $93,761 | $1,830 |
| Minneapolis, MN–WI | $97,190 | $92,719 | $1,440 |
| Portland, OR–WA | $97,200 | $92,202 | $1,724 |
| Dallas, TX | $92,910 | $90,125 | $1,614 |
| Des Moines, IA | $81,810 | $89,214 | $1,150 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $83,190 | $87,873 | $1,053 |
| Philadelphia, PA–NJ–DE–MD | $89,580 | $87,349 | $1,480 |
| Omaha, NE–IA | $80,280 | $87,345 | $1,192 |
Show all 75 metros with a reported median
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| Metropolitan area | Median annual wage | Adjusted median* | Median gross rent / month |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose, CA | $136,140 | $123,290 | $2,840 |
| San Francisco, CA | $132,000 | $114,174 | $2,474 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $121,980 | $107,409 | $2,063 |
| Columbus, OH | $100,890 | $105,678 | $1,274 |
| Sacramento, CA | $111,460 | $104,490 | $1,819 |
| Chicago, IL–IN | $107,810 | $104,069 | $1,430 |
| Seattle, WA | $115,120 | $103,588 | $2,000 |
| San Diego, CA | $110,400 | $98,671 | $2,246 |
| Fresno, CA | $100,770 | $98,641 | $1,392 |
| Denver, CO | $101,970 | $96,396 | $1,874 |
| Rochester, NY | $92,920 | $95,759 | $1,143 |
| Riverside, CA | $101,870 | $95,705 | $1,846 |
| New York, NY–NJ | $105,540 | $93,761 | $1,830 |
| Minneapolis, MN–WI | $97,190 | $92,719 | $1,440 |
| Portland, OR–WA | $97,200 | $92,202 | $1,724 |
| Dallas, TX | $92,910 | $90,125 | $1,614 |
| Des Moines, IA | $81,810 | $89,214 | $1,150 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $83,190 | $87,873 | $1,053 |
| Philadelphia, PA–NJ–DE–MD | $89,580 | $87,349 | $1,480 |
| Omaha, NE–IA | $80,280 | $87,345 | $1,192 |
| Indianapolis, IN | $83,110 | $86,848 | $1,191 |
| Boise City, ID | $84,940 | $86,329 | $1,487 |
| Cleveland, OH | $80,280 | $85,474 | $1,050 |
| Milwaukee, WI | $82,090 | $84,684 | $1,139 |
| Allentown, PA–NJ | $84,530 | $84,557 | $1,365 |
| Buffalo, NY | $80,950 | $84,460 | $1,057 |
| Cincinnati, OH–KY–IN | $80,410 | $84,314 | $1,105 |
| Austin, TX | $82,290 | $83,913 | $1,726 |
| Oklahoma City, OK | $75,270 | $83,256 | $1,124 |
| Madison, WI | $80,580 | $82,827 | $1,354 |
| Dayton, OH | $76,310 | $82,325 | $1,039 |
| Phoenix, AZ | $85,050 | $82,320 | $1,702 |
| Memphis, TN–MS–AR | $75,410 | $81,808 | $1,220 |
| Hartford, CT | $82,660 | $80,451 | $1,416 |
| Salt Lake City, UT | $80,970 | $80,273 | $1,583 |
| Tucson, AZ | $76,970 | $79,436 | $1,212 |
| Jacksonville, FL | $78,810 | $79,219 | $1,513 |
| Bridgeport, CT | $84,000 | $78,605 | $1,875 |
| Albany, NY | $78,240 | $78,581 | $1,280 |
| Grand Rapids, MI | $74,920 | $78,412 | $1,202 |
| Worcester, MA | $80,210 | $78,236 | $1,426 |
| Detroit, MI | $78,450 | $78,217 | $1,207 |
| San Antonio, TX | $73,860 | $77,980 | $1,363 |
| Las Vegas, NV | $77,750 | $77,583 | $1,626 |
| Washington, DC–VA–MD–WV | $84,000 | $77,146 | $2,027 |
| St. Louis, MO–IL | $73,240 | $77,023 | $1,113 |
| Albuquerque, NM | $73,380 | $76,801 | $1,156 |
| Houston, TX | $74,570 | $75,607 | $1,430 |
| Urban Honolulu, HI | $83,820 | $75,540 | $2,083 |
| Providence, RI–MA | $76,850 | $75,511 | $1,307 |
| Tampa, FL | $75,710 | $75,042 | $1,628 |
| North Port, FL | $75,820 | $74,031 | $1,747 |
| Baltimore, MD | $76,530 | $73,244 | $1,611 |
| Boston, MA–NH | $78,180 | $72,211 | $2,023 |
| Tulsa, OK | $64,190 | $71,951 | $1,078 |
| Nashville, TN | $68,780 | $71,394 | $1,528 |
| Miami, FL | $79,840 | $69,940 | $1,869 |
| Kansas City, MO–KS | $62,960 | $68,033 | $1,249 |
| Louisville, KY–IN | $63,220 | $67,924 | $1,116 |
| Raleigh, NC | $65,860 | $67,097 | $1,573 |
| Birmingham, AL | $60,590 | $66,115 | $1,172 |
| Greensboro, NC | $60,830 | $65,504 | $1,093 |
| Charlotte, NC–SC | $63,190 | $64,911 | $1,473 |
| Richmond, VA | $62,720 | $64,093 | $1,447 |
| Columbia, SC | $59,260 | $63,270 | $1,193 |
| Orlando, FL | $63,010 | $62,129 | $1,760 |
| Greenville, SC | $57,780 | $61,956 | $1,150 |
| Durham, NC | $60,100 | $61,596 | $1,466 |
| Little Rock, AR | $54,840 | $61,367 | $1,055 |
| Virginia Beach, VA–NC | $59,690 | $60,945 | $1,478 |
| Knoxville, TN | $56,380 | $60,906 | $1,145 |
| Atlanta, GA | $60,910 | $60,875 | $1,672 |
| Charleston, SC | $60,570 | $59,993 | $1,605 |
| Baton Rouge, LA | $48,710 | $53,657 | $1,135 |
| New Orleans, LA | $48,970 | $52,885 | $1,217 |
The table shows the 20 highest adjusted medians; the full list of 75 metros is expandable above. The price-adjusted wage equals the BLS May 2025 annual occupational median × 100 ÷ the BEA 2024 all-items regional price parity. Census rent, household income and commuting figures are ACS 2020–2024 five-year estimates. They describe different populations and do not determine take-home pay, employment prospects or individual rent. ACS gross rent includes contract rent plus estimated utility and fuel costs.
How pay for Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers varies across metros
Across the 75 curated metros with a reported median, the nominal annual median for Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers runs from $48,710 in Baton Rouge to $136,140 in San Jose, a 2.79× difference. After dividing each median by its metro’s BEA price parity, the range is $52,885 in New Orleans to $123,290 in San Jose, a 2.33× difference. The middle value across these metros is $78,810 nominal and $78,605 adjusted.
The price adjustment changes the order. Out of 75 metros, Oklahoma City moves from 50th on nominal pay to 29th on adjusted pay while Urban Honolulu moves from 23rd to 49th. These ranks compare published medians only, not openings or offers.
Beyond the median: published wage percentiles
The following six metros lead this curated set on the price-adjusted median measure. The five annual wage statistics are the original BLS estimates; they have not been price-adjusted. They illustrate the estimated wage distribution for the same occupation and geographic unit.
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| Metropolitan area | 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose, CA | $105,050 | $125,270 | $136,140 | $165,490 | $174,030 |
| San Francisco, CA | $95,390 | $124,970 | $132,000 | $141,810 | $156,690 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $78,870 | $98,180 | $121,980 | $126,080 | $127,880 |
| Columbus, OH | $60,450 | $71,150 | $100,890 | $103,210 | $111,420 |
| Sacramento, CA | $79,150 | $95,920 | $111,460 | $122,200 | $159,420 |
| Chicago, IL–IN | $63,450 | $86,630 | $107,810 | $107,810 | $123,130 |
Percentiles describe a distribution, not an individual’s pay; suppressed values are marked Unavailable.
National career outlook and entry requirements
The BLS projects national employment for Police and sheriff's patrol officers from 2025 to 2035. These occupational projections are national; they do not forecast openings in any particular metro area.
Among the 80 occupations curated on this site, projected 2025–2035 growth of +3.5% ranks 56th (the middle value is +5.0%), and about 51,500 projected annual openings rank 32nd. This compares only the occupations on this site and does not predict hiring in any one metro.
The BLS lists no related work experience as typically required for entry. Its typical training category is moderate-term on-the-job training. National employment base: 693,200 workers in 2025; projected 717,300 in 2035.
Openings are projected national totals, including replacements, not job ads or local vacancies. Education and training categories are typical patterns; licensing varies by role. BLS 2025–2035 Occupational Projections, Table 1.2. Read the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile.
What to check for this occupation before moving
How roles can differ: Officer pay is set by each agency, usually through a published salary schedule with steps for years of service, plus differentials for shifts and specialty assignments. A metro median combines city, county and other agencies.
Questions to ask about a real offer: Request the agency's salary schedule, overtime policy and pension terms. Check hiring requirements, academy and probation terms, and whether prior service or certification transfers across states and agencies.
This is editorial guidance, not a claim that every employer or state follows these practices; verify terms with the employer and relevant authorities.
What this occupation median does—and does not—tell you
BLS OEWS wages are employer-reported estimates for wage-and-salary jobs, so self-employment income is not included. Annual figures assume a 2,080-hour year. Wages include commissions and tips but exclude overtime, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses and benefits. A median is neither a new-hire salary nor a vacancy count.
Regional price parities compare overall price levels with the U.S. average; housing data come from a different survey and are not subtracted again from the wage. Missing wages and suppressed percentiles stay unavailable. See the methodology for details.
Salary for Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers in Seattle, WA
Seattle is shown as a worked example (one of the larger metros on this site); it is not a recommendation, and the table above lists every metro with a reported median. Of 75 metros, it ranks 4th on nominal median and 7th on price-adjusted median.
For the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA metro, the May 2025 BLS annual occupational median is $115,120. The published 25th-to-75th-percentile wage interval is $101,820 to $126,950. The price-adjusted median of $103,588 applies the BEA 2024 all-items index of 111.1 (U.S. = 100). It does not reflect an employer offer, taxes or your individual household costs.
The ACS metro-wide gross-rent median is $2,000 per month; with an ACS margin of error of ±$10. Gross rent includes estimated utilities and covers renters generally, not workers in this occupation. For a data-driven contrast, Chicago has a published BLS median of $107,810 and adjusted median of $104,069. This comparison metro has the closest observed adjusted median in our curated set. This does not establish similar rents or local job conditions. Compare Seattle with Chicago in the interactive tool, or review the Seattle metro profile for income, housing uncertainty and commute context.
Before relying on a quoted salary, confirm that the job matches this BLS occupation and that pay period, hours and benefits are comparable.