After you pass your police officer exam and enter the academy, you may be thinking – more and more – about how much police officers earn. Here, we’ve put together a list of all average police officer salaries in the United States.
As a police officer, you can expect enormous benefits – one of these benefits being very attractive financial packages.
Given the commitment and personal danger that the career carries, as well as the capacity for long-term mental distress, it’s vital that central government provides fair and attractive packages to prospective and actual law enforcement officers. It remains just one of the reasons why people choose a career in law enforcement.
Typically, police officers start between $30,000 and $42,000 per annum with a mean of approximately $60,000. However, this does not include any additional payments for different shift lengths or expertise.
Salaries can rise to $75,000 or more, depending on your experience and state police department.
Average police salaries vary on a state-by-state basis. Below, we’ve tabulated all fifty states and, as of 2021, what an average police officer earns in the state.
State | Average Salary |
Alabama | $36,949 |
Alaska | $32.47 per hour |
Arizona | $52,686 |
Arkansas | $35,779 |
California | $5,514 per month |
Colorado | $59,539 |
Connecticut | $63,998 |
Delaware | $68,460 |
District of Columbia | $16.54 per hour |
Florida | $48,880 |
Georgia | $39,901 |
Idaho | $52,200 |
Illinois | $54,637 |
Indiana | $47,915 |
Iowa | $56,070 |
Kansas | $18.78 per hour |
Kentucky | $19.11 per hour |
Louisiana | $3,499 per month |
Maine | $18.44 per hour |
Maryland | $48,091 |
Massachusetts | $47,452 |
Michigan | $48,387 |
Minnesota | $28.04 per hour |
Mississippi | $47,893 |
Missouri | $41,598 |
Montana | $22.58 per hour |
Nebraska | $22.12 per hour |
Nevada | $57,412 |
New Hampshire | $52,181 |
New Jersey | $61,300 |
New Mexico | $20.61 per hour |
New York | $56,742 |
North Carolina | $34,547 |
North Dakota | $48,654 |
Ohio | $17.41 per hour |
Oklahoma | $41,987 |
Oregon | $31.61 per hour |
Pennsylvania | $18.09 per hour |
Rhode Island | $58,200 |
South Carolina | $36,557 |
South Dakota | $22.08 per hour |
Tennessee | $41,010 |
Texas | $48,486 |
Utah | $21.57 per hour |
Vermont | $46,053 |
Virginia | $44,497 |
Washington State | $73,973 |
West Virginia | $39,140 |
Wisconsin | $55,895 |
Wyoming | $50,384 |
First, you need to meet all the requisite criteria. For instance, you must be a US citizen and must not have a serious criminal record.
Requirements depend, again, on a state-by-state basis. Some states require more educational needs than other states.
Then, you must pass the police officer exam. For many, this test can prove daunting. It requires you to pass the following series of tests:
There is much preparation to do. It’s not enough to “do well”. There are limited spaces within the police academy, and you need to ensure you make it on top.
That’s where our online police platform comes in.
We’ve put together the most comprehensive range of learning tools to help you pass the 2022 police officer exam.
Take a few minutes to learn what’s included and how we can guarantee (or your money back!) that you will pass the exam. Then, you can go on to become a law enforcement officer and enjoy the competitive police officer salaries and benefits listed above.
Our course is tailored for the needs and demands of the 2023 police exam;
the complete online test preparation product tailored for police officer, sheriff deputy, correctional officer, and state trooper applicants.