Occupation salary profile

Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officers

SOC 33-3051 BLS OEWS May 2025

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 · BLS
$76,210
▼ -0.1% YoY
H-1B sponsor median
—
Too few H-1B filings
Average salary · BLS
$79,200
Mean annual wage
U.S. employment
670,520
Jobs (BLS)
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Pay range for Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officers

Annual base pay at each percentile. BLS covers all U.S. workers in this occupation.

Percentile All U.S. workers (BLS)
10th — entry pay$47,510
25th$59,290
Median (50th)$76,210
75th$97,600
90th — top pay$115,120

Hourly ⇄ annual pay

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Based on hrs/week × weeks/year = 2,080 hrs
Projections 2025–2035

Job outlook for Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officers

BLS projects employment of police and sheriff’s patrol officers to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035, about the same as the 3.5% average for all occupations. About 51,500 openings are projected each year, on average, from new jobs and from replacing workers who retire or move to other occupations.

Jobs 2025 → 2035
693,200 → 717,300
+24,200 jobs
Projected change
+3.5%
All occupations: +3.5%
Openings per year
51,500
Average, 2025–2035
Typical entry education
High school diploma or equivalent
No related experience required
On-the-job training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
Preparation needed (O*NET Job Zone 3)
Medium Preparation Needed. Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Fastest-growing jobs → Best-paying jobs that need a high school diploma →

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–2035 · BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook →

Skills & tools

Skills needed for Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officers

How important each skill and knowledge area is for this job, rated by O*NET on a 1–5 scale from surveys of workers and occupational analysts.

Top skills
  • Active Listening4.1
  • Social Perceptiveness4.0
  • Active Learning3.9
  • Critical Thinking3.9
  • Speaking3.9
  • Judgment and Decision Making3.8
  • Reading Comprehension3.8
  • Coordination3.6
  • Service Orientation3.6
  • Persuasion3.5
Top knowledge areas
  • Public Safety and Security4.8
  • Law and Government4.7
  • Customer and Personal Service4.3
  • English Language4.0
  • Psychology4.0
  • Education and Training3.7
  • Telecommunications3.3
  • Computers and Electronics3.3
Software and technology used
Microsoft AccessMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft Office softwareMicrosoft OutlookMicrosoft PowerPointMicrosoft VisioMicrosoft WindowsMicrosoft WordComputer aided composite drawing softwareComputer aided dispatch softwareCorel WordPerfect Office SuiteCrime mapping softwareDatabase softwareDesignWare 3D EyeWitnessEmail softwareESRI ArcViewIBM Lotus 1-2-3Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System IAFIS

Highlighted = in demand: frequently listed in employer job postings for this occupation (O*NET).

Source: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.

About the job

What police and sheriff’s patrol officers do

  • Provide for public safety by maintaining order, responding to emergencies, protecting people and property, enforcing motor vehicle and criminal laws, and promoting good community relations.
  • Identify, pursue, and arrest suspects and perpetrators of criminal acts.
  • Verify that the proper legal charges have been made against law offenders.
  • Render aid to accident survivors and other persons requiring first aid for physical injuries.
  • Record facts to prepare reports that document incidents and activities.
  • Review facts of incidents to determine if criminal act or statute violations were involved.
  • Investigate illegal or suspicious activities.
  • Drive vehicles or patrol specific areas to detect law violators, issue citations, and make arrests.
Also called
Deputy SheriffPatrol OfficerPolice OfficerState TrooperK-9 Handler (Canine Handler)Law Enforcement OfficerPeace OfficerPolice Patrol OfficerPublic Safety Officer (PSO)SRO (School Resource Officer)
Specialties within this occupation
  • Customs and Border Protection Officers
More job titles for this occupation (80)
Accident Prevention Squad Police OfficerAgriculture SpecialistAir Import SpecialistBorder Patrol AgentBorder Patrol OfficerCampus Police OfficerCanine Enforcement Officer (K-9 Enforcement Officer)Certified Police OfficerChief Deputy SheriffCity ConstableCivil Division Deputy SheriffCommunity Service Officer (CSO)Community Service Patrol OfficerConstableCopCounty SheriffCourt Security Deputy SheriffCrime Prevention Police OfficerCustody Deputy SheriffCustoms and Border Patrol AgentCustoms Import SpecialistCustoms InspectorCustoms OfficerCustoms OpenerCustoms PackerCustoms SpecialistCustoms VerifierDeportation OfficerDeputy Certified SheriffDeputy Sheriff GeneralistDrug Enforcement AgentEnforcement OfficerFederal Police OfficerGrand Jury Deputy SheriffHighway Patrol OfficerHighway Patrol PilotK-9 Deputy (Canine Deputy)K-9 Police Officer (Canine Police Officer)Lateral Police OfficerMarshalMilitary Police Officer (MP Officer)Motorcycle PoliceMounted PoliceOfficerPark PolicePatrol DeputyPatrol Deputy SheriffPatrol DriverPatrol Park OfficerPatrolmanPolice Booking OfficerPolice CorporalPolice InspectorPolice Park OfficerPolice WorkerPolicemanPolicewomanProtective OfficerRoad DeputySafety Instruction Police OfficerSafety Patrol OfficerSecurity Patrol OfficerSecurity Police OfficerSheriff Department CorporalSheriff's DeputySheriff's DetectiveSheriff's OfficerSheriff's SergeantSpecial DeputySpecial Deputy SheriffSpecial Police OfficerState Highway Police OfficerState Patrol OfficerTown MarshalTrooperUnder SheriffUniform Patrol Police OfficerUniformed Security OfficerUniversity Police OfficerWorking Dog Handler

Source: O*NET 31.0 (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0). These are general job titles, not H-1B filings; for titles employers actually filed, see “Job titles” above.