National and state-by-state median wages · BLS OEWS data · Updated September 10, 2026
| # | State | Median Annual Salary | vs. National | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $118,880 | ▲ 49% | 65,940 |
| 2 | Washington | $102,080 | ▲ 28% | 9,160 |
| 3 | Illinois | $100,520 | ▲ 26% | 29,180 |
| 4 | Alaska | $99,130 | ▲ 24% | 1,260 |
| 5 | Colorado | $97,350 | ▲ 22% | 9,610 |
| 6 | Delaware | $92,970 | ▲ 17% | 1,800 |
| 7 | New York | $92,790 | ▲ 16% | 53,470 |
| 8 | New Jersey | $92,610 | ▲ 16% | 21,780 |
| 9 | District of Columbia | $88,650 | ▲ 11% | 4,720 |
| 10 | Oregon | $88,140 | ▲ 11% | 5,030 |
| 11 | Pennsylvania | $85,470 | ▲ 7% | 26,510 |
| 12 | Hawaii | $83,820 | ▲ 5% | 2,420 |
| 13 | Minnesota | $83,360 | ▲ 5% | 9,160 |
| 14 | Connecticut | $82,170 | ▲ 3% | 6,500 |
| 15 | Massachusetts | $78,940 | ▼ 1% | 17,040 |
| 16 | Arizona | $78,880 | ▼ 1% | 12,010 |
| 17 | Nevada | $78,140 | ▼ 2% | 5,720 |
| 18 | Wisconsin | $78,090 | ▼ 2% | 12,320 |
| 19 | Maryland | $77,970 | ▼ 2% | 9,720 |
| 20 | Utah | $77,310 | ▼ 3% | 5,500 |
| 21 | Rhode Island | $77,230 | ▼ 3% | 1,940 |
| 22 | Ohio | $77,020 | ▼ 3% | 23,430 |
| 23 | Texas | $75,900 | ▼ 5% | 63,100 |
| 24 | Nebraska | $74,620 | ▼ 6% | 3,490 |
| 25 | North Dakota | $74,500 | ▼ 7% | 1,630 |
| 26 | Florida | $74,470 | ▼ 7% | 43,630 |
| 27 | Iowa | $74,470 | ▼ 7% | 5,130 |
| 28 | Michigan | $73,730 | ▼ 8% | 16,750 |
| 29 | Indiana | $73,370 | ▼ 8% | 12,980 |
| 30 | New Hampshire | $71,640 | ▼ 10% | 2,460 |
| 31 | Montana | $70,050 | ▼ 12% | 2,160 |
| 32 | New Mexico | $69,180 | ▼ 13% | 4,580 |
| 33 | Vermont | $68,910 | ▼ 14% | 1,020 |
| 34 | Maine | $67,050 | ▼ 16% | 2,120 |
| 35 | Idaho | $66,990 | ▼ 16% | 2,810 |
| 36 | Wyoming | $66,140 | ▼ 17% | 1,310 |
| 37 | Virginia | $65,870 | ▼ 17% | 19,970 |
| 38 | South Dakota | $60,740 | ▼ 24% | 2,000 |
| 39 | Kentucky | $60,490 | ▼ 24% | 7,890 |
| 40 | Oklahoma | $59,700 | ▼ 25% | 9,660 |
| 41 | Missouri | $59,460 | ▼ 25% | 13,570 |
| 42 | North Carolina | $59,300 | ▼ 26% | 22,370 |
| 43 | Tennessee | $59,280 | ▼ 26% | 15,630 |
| 44 | Kansas | $59,230 | ▼ 26% | 6,130 |
| 45 | Georgia | $58,120 | ▼ 27% | 22,170 |
| 46 | South Carolina | $58,070 | ▼ 27% | 12,930 |
| 47 | West Virginia | $56,960 | ▼ 29% | 2,900 |
| 48 | Alabama | $51,270 | ▼ 36% | 11,710 |
| 49 | Louisiana | $48,380 | ▼ 39% | 12,400 |
| 50 | Arkansas | $47,670 | ▼ 40% | 5,710 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $46,140 | ▼ 42% | 8,070 |
The national median annual salary for police and sheriff's patrol officers is $79,739, about $38.34 per hour, according to BLS OEWS data.
California tops the list at $118,880 per year.
Mississippi has the lowest median at $46,140.
At the national median, police and sheriff's patrol officers earn about $38.34 per hour (based on a 2,080-hour work year).
The table above shows total jobs per state; states with the largest numbers of police and sheriff's patrol officers include California.