Law Enforcement & Investigation
Police Officer
Salary, job outlook, education and requirements
Maintain order and protect life and property by enforcing local, tribal, state, or federal laws and ordinances. Perform a combination of the following duties: patrol a specific area; direct traffic; issue traffic summonses; investigate accidents; apprehend and arrest suspects, or serve legal processes of courts. Includes police officers working at educational institutions.
Also called: Deputy Sheriff · K-9 Handler (Canine Handler) · Law Enforcement Officer · Patrol Officer · Peace Officer · Police Officer · Police Patrol Officer · Public Safety Officer (PSO)
O*NET-SOC 33-3051.00 (Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers)
Police Officer salary
Wages for police and sheriff's patrol officers across all employers, 2025 data. The 10th percentile is typical entry-level pay; the 90th percentile reflects the most experienced and highest-paid workers.
National median hourly wage: $36.64.
Police Officer pay by state
Ten largest states by population, annual wages.
| State | 10th percentile | Median | 90th percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $76,300 | $118,880 | $153,190 |
| Texas | $51,240 | $75,900 | $98,350 |
| Florida | $51,330 | $74,470 | $98,190 |
| New York | $53,000 | $92,790 | $118,250 |
| Pennsylvania | $48,680 | $85,470 | $109,780 |
| Illinois | $58,420 | $100,520 | $119,560 |
| Ohio | $51,110 | $77,020 | $103,210 |
| Georgia | $43,690 | $58,120 | $76,250 |
| North Carolina | $46,040 | $59,300 | $80,240 |
| Michigan | $47,780 | $73,730 | $89,220 |
Police Officer job outlook
- Employment is projected to go from 693,200 jobs in 2025 to 717,300 in 2035 (4% change).
- About 51,500 openings are projected each year, including jobs that open up as workers retire or change occupations.
- CareerOneStop outlook rating: Average.
How to become a police officer
- Typical entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Work experience
- No work experience
- On-the-job training
- 1 to 12 months on-the-job training
Education level of current workers
- Less than high school diploma.6%
- High school diploma or equivalent13.4%
- Some college, no degree27.4%
- Associate's degree16.3%
- Bachelor's degree34.2%
- Master's degree7%
- Doctoral or professional degree1%
Related training programs
- Criminal Justice and Corrections, General
- Criminal Justice/Police Science
- Criminalistics and Criminal Science
- Critical Incident Response/Special Police Operations
- Environmental/Natural Resources Law Enforcement and Protective Services
- Law Enforcement Investigation and Interviewing
- Law Enforcement Record-Keeping and Evidence Management
- Maritime Law Enforcement
- Protective Services Operations
What does a police officer do?
Common tasks
- Provide for public safety by maintaining order, responding to emergencies, protecting people and property, enforcing motor vehicle and criminal laws, and promoting good community relations.
- Identify, pursue, and arrest suspects and perpetrators of criminal acts.
- Verify that the proper legal charges have been made against law offenders.
- Render aid to accident survivors and other persons requiring first aid for physical injuries.
- Record facts to prepare reports that document incidents and activities.
- Review facts of incidents to determine if criminal act or statute violations were involved.
- Investigate illegal or suspicious activities.
- Drive vehicles or patrol specific areas to detect law violators, issue citations, and make arrests.
- Supervise law enforcement staff, such as jail staff, officers, and deputy sheriffs.
- Monitor, note, report, and investigate suspicious persons and situations, safety hazards, and unusual or illegal activity in patrol area.
Most important skills
- Active Listening
- Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.
- Social Perceptiveness
- Understanding people's reactions.
- Critical Thinking
- Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.
- Active Learning
- Figuring out how to use new ideas or things.
- Speaking
- Talking to others.
- Reading Comprehension
- Reading work-related information.
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one.
- Coordination
- Changing what is done based on other people's actions.
Police Officer certifications
8 of 15 certifications CareerOneStop maps to this occupation. Requirements vary by employer and state.
- National Association for Search and Rescue · Advanced
- Eastern States Working Dog Association, Inc. · Specialty
- Eastern States Working Dog Association, Inc. · Specialty
- Eastern States Working Dog Association, Inc. · Specialty
- McAfee Institute · Advanced
- Law and Public Safety Education Network · Core
- Eastern States Working Dog Association, Inc. · Specialty
- Eastern States Working Dog Association, Inc. · Specialty
See all 15certifications in CareerOneStop's Certification Finder
Police Officer jobs
Current federal openings from USAJOBS. For more law enforcement & investigation jobs, including private-sector listings, see the Law Enforcement & Investigation jobs hub.
Job data from USAJOBS.gov. Careers.org is not affiliated with or endorsed by OPM.
Related careers
- Criminal Investigator
- First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives
- Transit and Railroad Police
- Bailiffs
- Private Detectives and Investigators
- Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists
- Correctional Officer
- First-Line Supervisors of Correctional Officers
- Security Guards
- Customs and Border Protection Officers
More law enforcement & investigation careers
This page includes information from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (DOLETA), and the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED).
Source: CareerOneStop occupation profile for Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers. Wages are from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program; projections are national long-term projections.