The Average Income Of Police Officers In The United States Depends On One Factor

As of May 2024, the Bureau of Labor Statistics found that police and sheriff's patrol officers earn an average of $79,320 per year, or $38.14 per hour. That's an increase of about $2,770, or 3.6%, from the $76,550 annual income reported in May 2023. Hourly wages also rose from $36.80 to $38.14, showing a steady year-over-year growth. However, where an officer works has the biggest impact on how much they earn because city councils and county boards generally handle these costs. 

2024 data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that about 570,110 patrol officers are paid by local governments, while only 56,250 work under state payrolls. This means that about nine out of every 10 officers are funded at the local level. Since those paychecks depend on local taxes, debates about property tax limits, sales tax revenue, and how much the community wants to invest in public safety all factor in to a police officer's pay.

In larger cities, pay raises tend to happen more often. Los Angeles, for instance, signed a deal in 2023 that gave new officers an immediate 13% pay bump, with four more 3% raises each July through 2027. New York City also locked in eight yearly raises starting in 2023, with most above 3.25%. However, in smaller cities like Jackson, Mississippi, the pace of police pay is much slower. The city's 2025 budget added a one-time raise of between $1,500 to $2,000, the equivalent of a 3% increase for a person earning in the mid-$50,000 range, and no further raises beyond that.

According to May 2023 data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, three cities in California pay their police officers the most. In San Jose–Sunnyvale–Santa Clara, the average salary is $139,510 per year, or $67.07 an hour. In San Francisco–Oakland–Hayward, it is $128,180 a year, or $61.63 an hour. Napa also ranks high, with officers earning $124,300, or $59.76 per hour. These numbers are 60% to 80% higher than the national mean police officer wage of $79,320.

With that said, high pay in San Jose and San Francisco goes hand in hand with the high cost of living associated with those area. According to a 2022 Bureau of Economic Analysis, prices in San Jose are about 15.3% higher than the national average, while San Francisco sits 17.9% above average — housing being the biggest reason. As of June 2025, Zillow placed the typical home value at almost $1.5 million in San Jose and almost $1.3 million in San Francisco. It's worth noting these two cities are among the most expensive cities to buy a house in the U.S. For comparison, the national average home value is $369,147, via Zillow. 

Napa's average pay is slightly lower, but so are its prices. The area's typical home value is $897,000, and the cost of living is 12.9% above the U.S. baseline. In all three cities, six-figure salaries are what it takes to keep up with everyday costs.

BLS data shows just how low police pay can drop below the $79,320 national average. Mississippi's mean annual wage for police officers in 2023 was just $42,900 or $20.63 per hour, Arkansas' was $46,880 or $22.54 per hour, West Virginia's was $51,600 or 24.81 per hour, and South Dakota's was $58,900 or $28.31 per hour, putting them 46%, 41%, 35%, and 26% below the U.S. average, respectively. While the job duties stay relatively the same across all states, the local tax base that covers those salaries, and the bargaining power that officers have in each area, is what dramatically changes.

With that said, these low rates of pay relate to these states' low cost of living. According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, the 2023 Regional Price Parity index places Arkansas at 86.5, Mississippi at 87.3, and South Dakota at 88.1, meaning these states are 12% to 14% below the national average, which is noted as 100. Mississippi, one of the cheapest states to buy a house, and a state with the cheapest assisted living cost for seniors, also holds the country's lowest rent index at 54.9. Zillow's June 2025 data backs this up with the average home valued at $190,585 in Mississippi, $220,013 in Arkansas, $169,928 in West Virginia, and $319,894 in South Dakota – all well below the $369,147 national average.