Salaries › Police Officer
Police Officer Salary by State (2026)
Police Officers (Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers) hold 670,500 jobs across the US. Typical pay is $79,739 per year, but the median ranges from $46,140 in Mississippi to $118,880 in California. Pick your state for the full pay range and an estimated take-home after taxes.
Median Police Officer salary in every state
| State | Median salary | Jobs |
| California | $118,880 | 65,940 |
| Washington | $102,080 | 9,160 |
| Illinois | $100,520 | 29,180 |
| Alaska | $99,130 | 1,260 |
| Colorado | $97,350 | 9,610 |
| Delaware | $92,970 | 1,800 |
| New York | $92,790 | 53,470 |
| New Jersey | $92,610 | 21,780 |
| District of Columbia | $88,650 | 4,720 |
| Oregon | $88,140 | 5,030 |
| Pennsylvania | $85,470 | 26,510 |
| Hawaii | $83,820 | 2,420 |
| Minnesota | $83,360 | 9,160 |
| Connecticut | $82,170 | 6,500 |
| Massachusetts | $78,940 | 17,040 |
| Arizona | $78,880 | 12,010 |
| Nevada | $78,140 | 5,720 |
| Wisconsin | $78,090 | 12,320 |
| Maryland | $77,970 | 9,720 |
| Utah | $77,310 | 5,500 |
| Rhode Island | $77,230 | 1,940 |
| Ohio | $77,020 | 23,430 |
| Texas | $75,900 | 63,100 |
| Nebraska | $74,620 | 3,490 |
| North Dakota | $74,500 | 1,630 |
| Florida | $74,470 | 43,630 |
| Iowa | $74,470 | 5,130 |
| Michigan | $73,730 | 16,750 |
| Indiana | $73,370 | 12,980 |
| New Hampshire | $71,640 | 2,460 |
| Montana | $70,050 | 2,160 |
| New Mexico | $69,180 | 4,580 |
| Vermont | $68,910 | 1,020 |
| Maine | $67,050 | 2,120 |
| Idaho | $66,990 | 2,810 |
| Wyoming | $66,140 | 1,310 |
| Virginia | $65,870 | 19,970 |
| South Dakota | $60,740 | 2,000 |
| Kentucky | $60,490 | 7,890 |
| Oklahoma | $59,700 | 9,660 |
| Missouri | $59,460 | 13,570 |
| North Carolina | $59,300 | 22,370 |
| Tennessee | $59,280 | 15,630 |
| Kansas | $59,230 | 6,130 |
| Georgia | $58,120 | 22,170 |
| South Carolina | $58,070 | 12,930 |
| West Virginia | $56,960 | 2,900 |
| Alabama | $51,270 | 11,710 |
| Louisiana | $48,380 | 12,400 |
| Arkansas | $47,670 | 5,710 |
| Mississippi | $46,140 | 8,070 |
Frequently asked questions
- What is the average Police Officer salary in the US?
- The typical (employment-weighted median) Police Officer salary in the US is about $79,739 per year, based on the latest BLS data covering 670,500 jobs nationwide.
- Which state pays Police Officers the most?
- California has the highest median Police Officer salary at $118,880 per year. Remember that taxes and cost of living vary — a high gross salary can shrink after state taxes.
- Which state pays Police Officers the least?
- Mississippi has the lowest median at $46,140 per year. Lower-paying states often also have lower living costs and, in some cases, no state income tax.
Sources and methodology
All figures: BLS OEWS May 2025 (state file, released April 2026) (Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers, code 33-3051). “Typical pay” is the employment-weighted average of state medians. Take-home estimates on state pages use 2026 federal and verified state tax rules from our PaycheckTally engine.