How Much Police Make in Every State

Protecting and serving the American public isn’t an easy job, and it can be a dangerous one.

As former President Barack Obama once put it:

“[W]e tell the police, ‘You’re a social worker; you’re the parent; you’re the teacher; you’re the drug counselor.’ We tell them to keep those neighborhoods in check at all costs and do so without causing any political blowback or inconvenience; don’t make a mistake that might disturb our own peace of mind.”

So, how much do the police make for keeping the peace?

Following are the average annual and hourly wages of police and sheriff’s patrol officers in all 50 states, along with the number of those jobs in each state. The states are ranked by their average annual wage, from lowest to highest.

The information comes from the latest occupational wage data released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, which is for 2020.

50. Mississippi

Number of jobs: 7,780
Average annual wage: $37,210

Average hourly wage: $17.89

49. Arkansas

Number of jobs: 5,910
Average annual wage: $42,530
Average hourly wage: $20.45

48. Louisiana

Number of jobs: 10,700
Average annual wage: $43,700
Average hourly wage: $21.01

47. South Carolina

Number of jobs: 10,650
Average annual wage: $45,160
Average hourly wage: $21.71

46. Kentucky

Number of jobs: 6,270
Average annual wage: $45,370
Average hourly wage: $21.81

45. West Virginia

Number of jobs: 3,110
Average annual wage: $45,590
Average hourly wage: $21.92

44. Georgia

Number of jobs: 21,870
Average annual wage: $46,870
Average hourly wage: $22.54

43. Tennessee

Number of jobs: 12,330
Average annual wage: $47,450
Average hourly wage: $22.81

42. Alabama

Number of jobs: 11,820
Average annual wage: $47,550
Average hourly wage: $22.86

41. North Carolina

Number of jobs: 21,000
Average annual wage: $48,480
Average hourly wage: $23.31

40. Oklahoma

Number of jobs: 6,820
Average annual wage: $49,070

Average hourly wage: $23.59

39. Kansas

Number of jobs: 5,750
Average annual wage: $50,100
Average hourly wage: $24.09

38. South Dakota

Number of jobs: 1,730
Average annual wage: $50,960
Average hourly wage: $24.50

37. New Mexico

Number of jobs: 4,350
Average annual wage: $55,170
Average hourly wage: $26.52

36. Maine

Number of jobs: 1,940
Average annual wage: $55,570
Average hourly wage: $26.71

35. Missouri

Number of jobs: 14,260
Average annual wage: $56,480
Average hourly wage: $27.15

34. Idaho

Number of jobs: 2,740
Average annual wage: $56,910
Average hourly wage: $27.36

33. Vermont

Number of jobs: 1,200
Average annual wage: $57,230
Average hourly wage: $27.51

32. Montana

Number of jobs: 1,690
Average annual wage: $57,510
Average hourly wage: $27.65

31. Wyoming

Number of jobs: 1,160
Average annual wage: $57,960
Average hourly wage: $27.87

30. Indiana

Number of jobs: 11,860
Average annual wage: $59,200

Average hourly wage: $28.46

29. Utah

Number of jobs: 4,850
Average annual wage: $59,450
Average hourly wage: $28.58

28. Nebraska

Number of jobs: 3,130
Average annual wage: $60,140
Average hourly wage: $28.91

27. Virginia

Number of jobs: 17,480
Average annual wage: $60,190
Average hourly wage: $28.94

26. Michigan

Number of jobs: 16,220
Average annual wage: $60,290
Average hourly wage: $28.99

25. New Hampshire

Number of jobs: 2,730
Average annual wage: $60,690
Average hourly wage: $29.18

24. North Dakota

Number of jobs: 1,410
Average annual wage: $61,820
Average hourly wage: $29.72

23. Iowa

Number of jobs: 4,760
Average annual wage: $62,130
Average hourly wage: $29.87

22. Florida

Number of jobs: 38,580
Average annual wage: $62,680
Average hourly wage: $30.13

21. Rhode Island

Number of jobs: 1,870
Average annual wage: $64,970
Average hourly wage: $31.24

20. Ohio

Number of jobs: 23,700
Average annual wage: $65,540

Average hourly wage: $31.51

19. Texas

Number of jobs: 57,830
Average annual wage: $65,640
Average hourly wage: $31.56

18. Wisconsin

Number of jobs: 11,120
Average annual wage: $65,950
Average hourly wage: $31.71

17. Arizona

Number of jobs: 11,500
Average annual wage: $67,750
Average hourly wage: $32.57

16. Pennsylvania

Number of jobs: 27,590
Average annual wage: $70,970
Average hourly wage: $34.12

15. Maryland

Number of jobs: 12,570
Average annual wage: $73,700
Average hourly wage: $35.43

14. Minnesota

Number of jobs: 9,490
Average annual wage: $74,370
Average hourly wage: $35.75

13. Massachusetts

Number of jobs: 15,720
Average annual wage: $75,280
Average hourly wage: $36.19

12. Oregon

Number of jobs: 5,090
Average annual wage: $75,330
Average hourly wage: $36.22

11. Connecticut

Number of jobs: 6,100
Average annual wage: $75,590
Average hourly wage: $36.34

10. Nevada

Number of jobs: 5,230
Average annual wage: $75,590

Average hourly wage: $36.34

9. Delaware

Number of jobs: 1,800
Average annual wage: $77,010
Average hourly wage: $37.02

8. Colorado

Number of jobs: 10,030
Average annual wage: $78,230
Average hourly wage: $37.61

7. Illinois

Number of jobs: 29,190
Average annual wage: $78,450
Average hourly wage: $37.72

6. New York

Number of jobs: 55,590
Average annual wage: $80,210
Average hourly wage: $38.56

5. Hawaii

Number of jobs: 2,470
Average annual wage: $81,460
Average hourly wage: $39.17

4. Washington

Number of jobs: 9,090
Average annual wage: $82,740
Average hourly wage: $39.78

3. Alaska

Number of jobs: 1,200
Average annual wage: $88,120
Average hourly wage: $42.37

2. New Jersey

Number of jobs: 23,860
Average annual wage: $90,700
Average hourly wage: $43.61

1. California

Number of jobs: 74,310
Average annual wage: $107,440

Average hourly wage: $51.65